| Summary: |
Audio recording of oral history interview with Raymond V. Vernede, covering the period 1928-1947.
Cassette side OA1/68/1: Description of district officer's daily routine in hot season. Morning interviews with visitors: nature of requests dealt with; dislike of flattery; protocol of interview; use of Urdu or English as necessary. Period of office work. Description of trying cases in court as district magistrate; problem of difficult cases exacerbated by Indian lawyers. Nature of cases; examples. Defence of use of arbitrary power. Polo sessions.
Cassette side OA1/68/2: Continues description of daily routine. Evening exercise. Love of polo; buying polo ponies. Description of pig sticking: equipment used; methods; dangerous accidents. Description of evening bath. Visit to club; description of typical club. Late dinner; story of interruption by wild boar. Completes description of daily routine. Story of snake encounters; their rarity. Nuisance caused by insect pests and scorpions: precautions; use of mosquito net.
Cassette side OA1/68/3: Rules for survival during hot season. Exercise; local rugby. Personal reaction to climate. Tradition of women spending hot season in hill stations. Hill station morals. High standards of British; petty corruption amongst Indian subordinates; efforts to influence Vernede. Description of district officer's tour: motive; organisation; inspecting villages and local officials; powers. Story of yogi's amazing demonstration.
Cassette side OA1/68/4: Recollections of local Indian landowner: his problems with his agent; hospitality. Recollections of other Indian friends. Double standards of Indian supporting both British and Congress. Admiration for Sir Malcolm Hailey. Recollections of Jim Corbett; his hunting exploits. Involvement in anti-locust campaign in Agra district 1931; description of locusts and their menance. Evocative sounds of India.
Cassette side OA1/68/5: Meeting Nehru on parole from prison to visit sick wife while Vernede acting district officer of Allahabad 1934; problem over parole solved by Vernede's offer of gentlemen's agreement. Problems in maintenance of law and order: petty litigation; communal strife. Legacies of Raj. Account of dealing with communal riots as Benares district magistrate 1939: origins; use of riot contingency plans; controlled use of military force; continuation of riots; lack of sufficient resources.
Cassette side OA1/68/6: Continues account of Benares riots: formation of peace committees; statistics of riot; incident involving students; eventual end of riots after fifth day; reflections on riots and powers used in their control.
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| Main author: |
Vernede; Raymond Veveysan (1905-2003); colonial officer |
| Other authors: |
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer |
| Extent: |
2 hr. 37 min.
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| Admin history: |
British district officer in Indian Civil Service. |
| Access status: |
Closed
|
| 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: C1510/68/01-06. 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: C1510/68/01-06
Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004967/06 |
| Related material: |
Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/68/T |
| Format: |
Archive
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