Interview with Mr. Courtenay Parker Bramble C.I.E. [sound recording]

Oral history interview, given 1983, by Courtenay Parker Bramble (1900-87), employee of the Bombay Company 1922-33; Senior Partner; Drennan & Company, Bombay [Mumbai] 1933-52; Member of Bombay Legislature 1935-50; on his life and career in India. Summary: Family and educational background. Natur...

Full description

Archive & Special Collections OA4/04 Closed

Order number: OA4, Memories of the British in India, Sound Cassettes, Box 1 [CLOSED]
Date(s) of creation: 10 October 1983
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Bramble, Courtenay Parker (b 1900);
Other authors: Wood; Conrad (b 1942); historian and interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA4.04
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
scb_order_with OA4, Memories of the British in India, Sound Cassettes, Box 1 [CLOSED]
callnumber OA4/04
callnumber_txt OA4/04
callnumber-sort OA4/04
prefix_number 04
scb_previous_numbers OA2/62/1-4
title Interview with Mr. Courtenay Parker Bramble C.I.E. [sound recording]
scb_date_creation 10 October 1983
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 sound casettes
author Bramble, Courtenay Parker (b 1900);
author_facet Bramble, Courtenay Parker (b 1900);
Wood; Conrad (b 1942); historian and interviewer
authorStr Bramble, Courtenay Parker (b 1900);
author_letter Bramble, Courtenay Parker (b 1900);
author2 Wood; Conrad (b 1942); historian and interviewer
author2Str Wood; Conrad (b 1942); historian and interviewer
format Archive
scb_admin_history Courtenay Parker Bramble - Barrister-at-law, Middle Temple; with the Bombay Company, Ltd. 1922-33. Senior Partner, Drennan & Co., Bombay, 1933-52. Member of Bombay Legilature, 1935-50 (leader of Progress Party). Chairman, European Association, Bombay branch, 1942-44. Holder of numerous other public or honorary appointments in Bombay; Managing Director, Abercrombie, Bramble & Co., 1954-73.
scb_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.
description Oral history interview, given 1983, by Courtenay Parker Bramble (1900-87), employee of the Bombay Company 1922-33; Senior Partner; Drennan & Company, Bombay [Mumbai] 1933-52; Member of Bombay Legislature 1935-50; on his life and career in India. Summary: Family and educational background. Nature of the Bombay Company. Character of Bramble's duties. Voyage to India. Accommodation on arrival. Bombay Co.: dependence on Indian experts; requirement that Directors of the East India Cotton Association should be British; character of Indian cotton; characteristics of Indian labour; sampling of Indian * cotton; role of jethawallahs; 1931 cotton shortage; effect of Gandhi boycott; Japanese competitors. Bombay Co.: managing agency side of its activities; career structure; Bramble's dispute with firm; firms' expectations of its European employees. Character of Wadia firm. Role of Drennan's. Bombay legislature: Bramble's appointment to, by Govt, of India; opposition to Congress government over land repossession issue; Indian opposition to Second World War. Bombay legislature; character of Chief Minister. Anticipation of war profits by Congress' business backers. Progress Party: its formation. Attempt to form new government, 1939. Progress Party: object of its formation, its organisation. Bramble's estimate of Congress Bombay government. Morarji Desai: Bramble's opposition to; estimate of his character. Ambedkar: story of his education. Ambedkar: Bramble's contacts with him and estimate of him. Sir John Abercrombie. Quit India movement: its effects. Young Europeans movement, how it operated; the Phoenix Club. Presidency War Committee how Bramble brought onto it; his recommendation for exclusion of Homi Mody. Gandhi's fortified milk on his fasts. War Committee: its propaganda function. Bramble's RINVR experience in War. RIN mutiny, 1946; anti-European behaviour; Nehru's initial encouragement of unrest; despatch of HMS Glasgow Street riots; JP's role in 1920s and 1946. Method of selling in cotton market. Transfer of power: unnecessary haste; plight of refugees. Irwin's regrets about his handling of Salt March. Lady Willingdon's determined character. Reactions of Bombay Europeans to June 1940 crisis in UK. Impressions of Linlithgow and Wavell.
scb_access_status Closed
scb_conditions_gov_access 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.
scb_copyright Copyright held by British Library
scb_use_restrictions Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist
language English
language_search English
scb_originals Original sound recording of interview available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service [Reference: C63/41-46]
note Written addition dated 31.1.84 by Bramble. "Reference R04: Young Europeans Movement The only important individual who was not prepared to come as our guest and so have the opportunity of addressing us was Gandhi. He was, however, ready to receive a small number of us on his own ground and 1 was one of the three who eventually saw him at somebody's bungalow -it was probably Birla's - in Bombay. I remember how politely and, indeed, pleasantly he expressed the desire that the British should leave India - almost as though it was something we could have arranged there and then. Indeed, everything seemed so simple that I hardly liked to ask how India would manage without us if invaded by Pathans from the Frontier or even by Russia. His answer gave the impression that he had given the matter thought and resolved it to his own satisfaction. If India were invaded, he said, mercenaries would have to be hired and the first approach would probably be made to the British. He did not explain how the approach would be made but must be given the credit for contemplating the use of the telegram, if only because there was no air mail in 1929 and surface mail took a fortnight to arrive!"
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA4
hierarchy_sequence OA4.0004

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