| Summary: |
Audio recording of oral history interview with John C. Rivett-Carnac, covering the period 1888-1927.
Cassette side OA1/55/1: Family connections with India. Adventurous childhood in India; self-confidence imbued by father's status. Servants' frightening stories. Earthquake. Financial problems delaying education in England; handicap this posed. Problems of low pay: predicament of family man; gradual improvements. Entry into Indian Police 1909 resulting from desire to return to India. Public school origin and attitudes of candidates. Early responsibilities after training.
Cassette side OA1/55/2: Early responsibility as assistant chief of police; attitude to these powers. Corruption of Indian subordinate officials in police, judiciary and other services. Honesty of British officers in Indian Police since the 1840s; their public school outlook. Posting 1919 to Shahjahanpur. Morning rides hunting with dogs; encounters with porcupines. Daily routine. Problems of hot weather; mosquitoes; snakes. Endemic diseases; suddenness of death. Typical district station community.
Cassette side OA1/55/3: Shahjahanpur club: membership; introduction of Indian members. Attitudes to Indians. Life as police chief: standard of living; sporting recreations. Description of pig sticking; stories illustrating dangers. Experiences shooting game. Booking area of forest for hunting. Stories of shooting tigers and leopards.
Cassette side OA1/55/4: Story of shooting leopard. Trophies. Duck, geese and snipe shooting. Recollections of touring; reaction to prevailing poverty. Village money lenders. Evocative sounds and sights of India. Efforts to trap dacoits; story of battle with group of dacoits in Etah district.
Cassette side OA1/55/5: Continues story of battle with dacoits; prevalence of such bands. Methods of dispersing crowds. Difficulties with Hindu and Muslim rivalry within Gorakhpur police. Success in dealing with communal rioting. Hunting dacoits to alleviate boredom in Etah; resulting reputation in newspapers. British morality and sexual innocence. Story of misfit police officer's demise. Drinking habits. Drawbacks of India service. Pride in Raj. Relief at leaving India 1927; quotes Kipling's 'Land of Regrets'.
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| Main author: |
Carnac; John Claude Thurlow Rivett- (1888-1975); Chief of Police |
| Other authors: |
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer |
| Extent: |
2 hr. 30 min.
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| Admin history: |
British civilian Chief of India Police. |
| Access status: |
Closed
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| Access conditions: |
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: C1510/55/01-05. For more details see www.bl.uk/listening or contact listening@bl.uk / 020 7412 7418.
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| Copyright: |
Copyright held by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) |
| User restrictions: |
Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist |
| Language: |
English
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| Copies: |
Copy available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/55/01-05
Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004954/05 |
| Related material: |
Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/55/T |
| Format: |
Archive
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