Interview with Raymond V. Vernede [sound recording]

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 o...

Full description

Archive & Special Collections OA1/68/1-6 Closed

Date(s) of creation: 1972-1974
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Vernede; Raymond Veveysan (1905-2003); colonial officer
Other authors: Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA1.68.1-6
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber OA1/68/1-6
callnumber_txt OA1/68/1-6
callnumber-sort OA1/68/1-6
prefix_number 1-6
title Interview with Raymond V. Vernede [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. 37 min.
author Vernede; Raymond Veveysan (1905-2003); colonial officer
author_facet Vernede; Raymond Veveysan (1905-2003); colonial officer
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
authorStr Vernede; Raymond Veveysan (1905-2003); colonial officer
author_letter Vernede; Raymond Veveysan (1905-2003); colonial officer
author2 Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
author2Str Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
format Archive
scb_admin_history British district officer in Indian Civil Service.
description 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.
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: C1510/68/01-06. 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: C1510/68/01-06 Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004967/06
scb_related_material Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/68/T
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA1
hierarchy_sequence OA1.0068.001-6

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