Interview with Philip Mason [sound recording]

Audio recording of oral history interview with Philip Mason, covering the period 1928-1947. Cassette side OA1/43/1: Reasons for desire to go to India: Kipling's influence; political challenge of devolution. Attitude to Indian career. Ambition to join Indian Civil Service; Kipling's attitude to ICS....

Full description

Archive & Special Collections OA1/43/1-5 Closed

Date(s) of creation: 1972-1974
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Mason; Philip (1906-1999); Defence Department Officer, Government of India
Other authors: Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA1.43.1-5
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber OA1/43/1-5
callnumber_txt OA1/43/1-5
callnumber-sort OA1/43/1-5
prefix_number 1-5
title Interview with Philip Mason [sound recording]
scb_date_creation 1972-1974
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 2 hr. 30 min.
author Mason; Philip (1906-1999); Defence Department Officer, Government of India
author_facet Mason; Philip (1906-1999); Defence Department Officer, Government of India
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
authorStr Mason; Philip (1906-1999); Defence Department Officer, Government of India
author_letter Mason; Philip (1906-1999); Defence Department Officer, Government of India
author2 Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
author2Str Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
format Archive
scb_admin_history British civilian in Defence Department, Indian Government.
description Audio recording of oral history interview with Philip Mason, covering the period 1928-1947. Cassette side OA1/43/1: Reasons for desire to go to India: Kipling's influence; political challenge of devolution. Attitude to Indian career. Ambition to join Indian Civil Service; Kipling's attitude to ICS. Preparative year at Oxford; learning Persian. Voyage to India. Choice of United Provinces as posting. Attitudes of new ICS officers. Posting to Saharanpur: its advantages; recollections of local community. Reception on arrival in Saharanpur; haphazard training. Typical court cases; caste conflicts. Cassette side OA1/43/2: Considerations in making judgements and deciding land ownership as district magistrate. Indian social hierarchy. Stories of local Indian dignitaries illustrating different attitudes to Raj, Congress and tenants. Continual trouble between Hindus and Muslims; problems with religious festivals. Creating arbitrary rules in clearing backlog of revenue cases at Mason's first court. Cassette side OA1/43/3: British society at Saharanpur: drinking habits; illustrations of club atmosphere. Differing atmosphere of Bareilly; daily routine; visiting club. Reading habits. Protocol and sexual morality. Criteria for club membership. Prevailing cult of masculinity. General interest in eccentrics. Opinion that sexual immorality was rare. Misfits of society. Sexual mores at hill stations. Posting to Garhwal; map making responsibilities of post. Cassette side OA1/43/4: Increased touring to supervise survey teams; villagers' dogmatic approach to disputes. Medical duties. Liking for hill people. Indian schools. British attitudes to educated Indians; teasing court clerks. Sympathy for Congress; poor intellectual quality of some members; Congress members' farcical inspection of map making. Attitude towards onset of independence; returning home 1947. Stories illustrating British position in India. Benefits of Raj; Indian adoption of western ideas. Benefits of service in India. Cassette side OA1/43/5: Indian concepts of time and fate; illustrative story. Leaving Defence Department of Government of India; obtaining temporary post as tutor to princes of Hyderabad. Technique of dealing with Indians. Evocative smells and sounds of India. High quality of servants. Story illustrating continuing confidence in dealings with Indians after 1947.
scb_access_status Closed
scb_conditions_gov_access Access to sound recording of this interview is currently unavailable at SOAS Library. The transcript can be consulted. Researchers can access a copy of this sound recording at the British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/43/01-05. For more details see www.bl.uk/listening or contact listening@bl.uk / 020 7412 7418.
scb_copyright Copyright held by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
scb_use_restrictions Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist
language English
language_search English
scb_copies Copy available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/43/01-05 Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004942/05
scb_related_material Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/43/T
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA1
hierarchy_sequence OA1.0043.001-5

Similar items