| Summary: |
Audio recording of oral history interview with Reverend Arfon Roberts and Rosalie Roberts, covering the period 1926-1947.
Cassette side OA1/56/1: Mr Roberts' posting as missionary in India. Mrs Roberts' decision to nurse in Santal Mission Hospital, Sarenga. Kitting out. First voyages to India; impressions of passengers; their segregated social groups. Arrival in Calcutta. Mrs Roberts' first experience of crude sanitation. Crossing Howrah bridge. Early fears of lizards; insects; snakes. Mr Roberts' stories of snakes. Mrs Roberts' description of precaution against snakes.
Cassette side OA1/56/2: Mrs Roberts' description of problems facing staff at Santal Mission Hospital. Typical causes of patients' injuries. Working as midwife: problems to be faced; village midwives; Indian customs on birth of child. Hospital's location. Importance of animals to Indians; story of treating cow. Early problems with cook. Restricted diet. Living conditions; difficulty obtaining milk. Mr Roberts' recollections of arriving at Santal Mission Hospital; necessity of learning Bengali.
Cassette side OA1/56/3: Mr Roberts' recollections of his first Bengali service interrupted by monkey. Location of Calcutta mission: local monkeys; story of local mad woman. Attitude of Hindus to compassion. Restricted life of Hindu women; story illustrating their functional position in society. Mr Roberts' opinions on security of missionaries' position and their mediating role in riots between Hindus and Muslims. Mr Roberts' description of district commissioner's visit. Nightmare journey to Sarenga. Isolated life at Sarenga.
Cassette side OA1/56/4: Mrs Roberts' recollections of efforts to live as simply as possible; inevitable problems. Mr Roberts' opinions on disparity of their living standards with that of Indians. Role as missionary: teaching by example; educating Christian community; improving perceptions of home life; indirect conversions. Mrs Roberts' description of mission bungalow; problems during monsoons. Mr Roberts' description of clothing. Religious services. Mrs Roberts' description of missionaries' novel clothing. Problems with washermen. Mr Roberts' recollection of touring.
Cassette side OA1/56/5: Mr and Mrs Roberts' description of visiting villages: reception; failed doctors' dispensaries; Mrs Roberts' story of bogus holy man. Mr Roberts' recollections of travelling by motorcyle and train. Mrs Roberts' recollections of visit to Madura and its Indian temple. Evocative smells and sounds of India. Mr Roberts' recollections of Calcutta riots. Mrs Roberts' relief at end of monsoons; growing flowers. Advantages of Calcutta posting; clubs. Attitude and achievements of missionaries.
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| Main author: |
Roberts; Robert Arfon (1906-1995); missionary |
| Other authors: |
Roberts; Rosealie Muriel (1902-1985); missionary and nurse, Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer |
| Extent: |
2 hr. 30 min.
|
| Admin history: |
British methodist missionary in India. |
| 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: C1510/56/01-05. 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: C1510/56/01-05
Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004955/05 |
| Related material: |
Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/56/T |
| Format: |
Archive
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