Interview with Iris Portal [sound recording]

Audio recording of oral history interview with Iris Portal, covering the period 1905-1942. Cassette side OA1/53/1: Family connections with India. Recollections of uncles including Sir Harcourt Butler; his belief in constant accessibility of rulers. Indian visitors. Picture of India gained from read...

Full description

Archive & Special Collections OA1/53/1-7 Closed

Date(s) of creation: 1972-1974
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Portal; Iris Mary (1905-2002); née Butler, writer
Other authors: Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA1.53.1-7
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber OA1/53/1-7
callnumber_txt OA1/53/1-7
callnumber-sort OA1/53/1-7
prefix_number 1-7
title Interview with Iris Portal [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 3 hr. 10 min.
author Portal; Iris Mary (1905-2002); née Butler, writer
author_facet Portal; Iris Mary (1905-2002); née Butler, writer
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
authorStr Portal; Iris Mary (1905-2002); née Butler, writer
author_letter Portal; Iris Mary (1905-2002); née Butler, writer
author2 Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
author2Str Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
format Archive
scb_admin_history British daughter of Provincial Governor and wife of Indian Army Officer.
description Audio recording of oral history interview with Iris Portal, covering the period 1905-1942. Cassette side OA1/53/1: Family connections with India. Recollections of uncles including Sir Harcourt Butler; his belief in constant accessibility of rulers. Indian visitors. Picture of India gained from reading books; desire to return when at school in England. Recollections of father, Sir Montagu Butler. Attitude of Indian servants. Childhood recollections of Simla. Cassette side OA1/53/2: Childhood recollections of Simla. Official touring with family on horseback in Kotah; advantages of this. Effect of improved communications with Britain. Accepted custom of English education. Empathy of Celtic British with Indians. British women: reactions to lack of high society; set pattern of existence due to lack of meaningful work; difficulties in meeting Indians; attitudes; fears. Changing social attitudes in 1930s. Indian women's view of British women. Cassette side OA1/53/3: Distanced position of British in India. Living in Hyderabad Deccan; contrast to British India; possibility of revolt against Muslim aristocracy. Impressions on return to India 1922. Necessity of learning Urdu. Recollections of Delhi. Return to Simla 1923; social life; riding. Plight of rickshaw 'coolies' [term from original source, indentured/contract labourers]; undeveloped social conscience. Unique nature of Simla; physical location; claustrophobic atmosphere. Cassette side OA1/53/4: Romantic nature of Simla. Simla social life: parties; behaviour of married women; Black Heart Balls; amateur theatre. Position of British women in India. Hairdressers. Boredom of small station clubs. British attitude to culture; ignorance of Indian culture. Living in Meerut Mutiny bungalow; echoes of Mutiny; story of haunted bungalow. Cassette side OA1/53/5: Extending horizons by doing Salvation Army voluntary work. Description of household: bearers; cooks; visiting servants' compound. Mother's nursery cow. Furniture. Clothing. Opinions of various groups: British cavalry officers; Indian Civil Service; Indian Political Service; business community; Anglo-Indians. Poor voluntary turn out of British women to nurse in Delhi at start of Second World War. Riding near Poona. Military parades. Onset of rains. Cassette side OA1/53/6: Onset of rains. Capture of snake. Importance of occult in Hyderabad. Account of close friendship with Indian woman. Exploring country whilst game hunting. Story of catching typhus and treatment by drunken doctor. Relative safety of British women in India. Evocative sounds of India. Horrors of living in India. British morality; differing Indian standards. Cassette side OA1/53/7: Opinions on Raj and independence. Emotional feelings about India. Production of school play in Hyderabad Deccan.
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: C1510/53/01-07. 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: C1510/53/01-07 Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004952/07
scb_related_material Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/53/T
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA1
hierarchy_sequence OA1.0053.001-7

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