| Order number: |
OA4, Memories of the British in India, Sound Cassettes, Box 1 [CLOSED]
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| Summary: |
Oral history interview, given 1984, by Sir John Crawford Burns (b 1903), employed by James Finlay & Company in the management of their Bombay Cotton Mills 1924-40 and 1946-57; President, Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry 1952; Chairman, Bombay Millowners Association 1956; commenting on the Managing Agency System and on his career in India. [summary available].
Summary: Playback Cassette Side 1: Summary: Family and educational background; reasons for going to India; description of managing agency system; [long pause] relationship of managing agents with managed companies; first impressions of India; brief description of life in Chummery; sporting facilities and social life available to Europeans in Bombay; totally inaccurate picture of British in India presented by TV series 'Jewel in the Crown'; class distinctions within European community; clubs the centre of social life; Indians not admitted to European clubs and vice versa (except Willingdon Club); parsee community. Addendum - The long pause here results from an erasure of some of Sir John Burns1s comments on the ability of shareholders in the managed companies to dismiss the managing agents which he subsequently, wished to correct. Sir John has clarified this point as follows: Finlays had a shareholding in the managed companies of some 75%. Such a shareholding of course enabled them to outvote any motion to dismiss them. Managing Agents could be and often were criticized by the minority shareholders at the Annual General Meeting but that was as far as it could go. Parsee community forms bridge between Europeans and Indians; after independence Burns begins to find more friends among Indians than Europeans; his loyalty to India, eg his efforts to improve Bombay cotton industry even at expense of Lancashire industry; President of Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry 1952; Chairman of Bombay Millowners Association 1956; good relations between European business¬men and Indian businessmen in Bombay and with Bombay Government both before and after independence; Burns regarded by Bombay Indian Millowners as one of themselves; he and they thought on similar lines as businessmen; opinion of Morarji Desai; end of managing agency system.
Summary: Playback Cassette Side 2: Government of India's reasons for ending managing agency system; relationship of managing agents with managed companies; James Finlay's sale of its shareholdings; description of 1956 negotiations between India and UK to limit Indian cotton exports to UK; part played by Burns and Kasturbhai Lalbhai as India's representatives; meetings held by Burns of all the Indian Millowners associations to agree a minimum figure for cotton exports and to meet Lancashire delegation; Burns's part in negotiations an illustration of continued Indian trust in and willingness to do business with the British; independence made no difference to relations between British and Indians in Bombay; social contacts with Indians.
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| Main author: |
Burns; Sir; John Crawford (b 1903); businessman |
| Other authors: |
Blake; David M (fl 1983); librarian and interviewer |
| Previous numbers: |
OA2/63/1-2
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| Extent: |
1 sound casette
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| Note: |
Addendum to Summary of Interview with Sir John Burns - The long pause here results from an erasure of some of Sir John Burns's comments on the ability of shareholders in the managed companies to dismiss the managing agents which he subsequently, wished to correct. Sir John has clarified this point as follows: Finlays had a shareholding in the managed companies of some 75%. Such a shareholding of course enabled them to outvote any motion to dismiss them. Managing Agents could be and often were criticized by the minority shareholders at the Annual General Meeting but that was as far as it could go. The interview reverts to the relationship of the managing agents with the managed companies near the beginning of Side 2 where Sir John again corrects his earlier statement.
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| Admin history: |
Sir John Crawford Burns - Employed by James Finlay & Co. Ltd in management of Bombay Cotton Mills of which Finlays were the Managing Agents, 1924-40. War service 1940-46; returned to employment under Finlays in Bombay 1946-47. President of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry 1952, Chairman of the Bombay Millowners Association 1956, Director of James Finlay & Co. Ltd. 1957-74. |
| 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: C63/124-126]
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| Format: |
Archive
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