| Order number: |
OA4, Memories of the British in India, Sound Cassettes, Box 1 [CLOSED]
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| Summary: |
Tape recording of interview, given 1984, by Herbert Christopher Beaumont (b 1912), on his career in the Indian Civil Service, Punjab 1936-44 and in the Indian Political Service 1944-47
Summary Playback Cassette Side 1: Family and educational background. Visit to Berlin in 1930's. Gurdaspur: character of District; character of Qadianis and their relations with other Muslims; political activity in District. Lahore: settlement training; memories of Sir George Abell. Calibre of village-level officials. Character of petitions to civil servants. Pind Dadar Khan: size of District staff. ICS-police relations. Pind Dadar Khan: dealing with communal riot. Lahore: relations between British Army and civilians; social life for young ICS officers; contact with members of Punjab Government. Dera Ghazi.Khan: character of people and District. Beaumont's reactions to Munich and War declaration. Attitudes of Indians to War declaration. Lahore: duties of Under Secretary; decyphering telegrams; memories of Penny and Craik; daily routine; impact of War on Indians.
Summary Playback Cassette Side 2: Transfer to Political Department; interview with Linlithgow. Raipur: character of Chhattisgarh States; character of princely rule; education of princes; male dominance; lack of political activity. Tripura: presence of Americans; backwardness of state; presence of Bengalis primitive living conditions for Europeans; loyalty of Tripura prince; lack of political activity. Likelihood of Japanese victory. Evidence of Great Bengal Famine. Tripura: effect of War on; transport in. Sicknesses of Beaumont in India. Learning of Indian languages. Rajputana; contact with Chhattisgarh and Tripura. Realization that Independence impending. Beaumont's opinion of Gandhi and Nehru. Radcliffe Commission: Beaumont's own role; problem of lack of time.
Summary Playback Cassette Side 3: Radcliffe Commission: Radcliffe's impossible task. Beaumont's feelings about leaving India. His acceptance of British presence in India. Impact of British rule on India. His feeling about Partition. His estimate of Wavell and of Mountbatten.
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| Main author: |
Beaumont; Herbert Christopher (1912-2002); Indian civil servant and judge |
| Other authors: |
Wood; Conrad (b 1942); historian and interviewer |
| Previous numbers: |
OA2/60/1-3
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| Extent: |
2 sound casettes
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| Admin history: |
Herbert Christopher Beaumont - Served in Indian Civil and Political Services 1936-48; 1936-1944 district officer, the Punjab and Tripura; 1939-1940 commandant, Border Military Police, Dera Ghazi Khan; 1944 political liason officer, Agartala, Tripura State; 1947 private secretary to Lord Radcliffe, chairman of the Indo-Pakistan Boundary Commission; 1948-1952 the Foreign Office, posted to Vienna; 1951 called to the bar, Inner Temple; 1962-1972 Metropolitan stipendiary magistrate; 1964 chairman, London Juvenile Courts; 1966-1971 deputy chairman, North Riding Quarter Sessions; 1972 appointed circuit judge; 1974-1976 member of the parole board; 1985 retired from the bench; 1986 temporary resident judge, Cyprus; 1988-1996 chairman, Police (Disciplinary) Appeal Tribunal. |
Herbert Christopher Beaumont - Served in Indian Civil and Political Services 1936-48; 1936-1944 district officer, the Punjab and Tripura; 1939-1940 commandant, Border Military Police, Dera Ghazi Khan; 1944 political liason officer, Agartala, Tripura State; 1947 private secretary to Lord Radcliffe, chairman of the Indo-Pakistan Boundary Commission; 1948-1952 the Foreign Office, posted to Vienna; 1951 called to the bar, Inner Temple; 1962-1972 Metropolitan stipendiary magistrate; 1964 chairman, London Juvenile Courts; 1966-1971 deputy chairman, N ... View more |
| Custodial history: |
Recorded as part of the ’Memories of the British in India’ project by India Office Library & Records [subsequently the Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library]. This recording was previously held at SOAS Library as part of the 'British in India Oral Archive Project' collection [Reference OA2], removed from this collection in August 2014 to reflect the recording’s alternative provenance as part of the ‘Memories of the British in India’ project. |
| Access status: |
Closed
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| Access conditions: |
Sound recording currently unavailable at SOAS Library due to preservation reasons. Researchers can access a copy of this audio recording at the British Library Listening & Viewing Service. 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 Library |
| User restrictions: |
Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist |
| Language: |
English
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| Originals: |
Original sound recording of interview available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service [Reference: C63/89-93 C1]
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| Format: |
Archive
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