Interview with Mary Ffolliot Lambert [sound recording]

Recollections of India 1933-47 as the companion of the Maharani of Balrampur 1933, and as the wife of an army officer, and of her various wartime jobs as hospital dispenser, food analyst, teacher, and Leave Centre organiser. Summary: Playback Cassette Side 2 (Mainly reading from prepared text.) We...

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Archive & Special Collections OA4/18 Closed

Order number: OA4, Memories of the British in India, Sound Cassettes, Box 1 [CLOSED]
Date(s) of creation: 4 September 1984
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Lambert; Mary Ffolliot (b 1906); companion of the Maharani of Balrampur
Other authors: Macdonald; Margaret (fl 1984); interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA4.18
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 OA4/18
callnumber_txt OA4/18
callnumber-sort OA4/18
prefix_number 18
scb_previous_numbers OA2/74/2
title Interview with Mary Ffolliot Lambert [sound recording]
scb_date_creation 4 September 1984
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 1 sound casette
author Lambert; Mary Ffolliot (b 1906); companion of the Maharani of Balrampur
author_facet Lambert; Mary Ffolliot (b 1906); companion of the Maharani of Balrampur
Macdonald; Margaret (fl 1984); interviewer
authorStr Lambert; Mary Ffolliot (b 1906); companion of the Maharani of Balrampur
author_letter Lambert; Mary Ffolliot (b 1906); companion of the Maharani of Balrampur
author2 Macdonald; Margaret (fl 1984); interviewer
author2Str Macdonald; Margaret (fl 1984); interviewer
format Archive
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 Recollections of India 1933-47 as the companion of the Maharani of Balrampur 1933, and as the wife of an army officer, and of her various wartime jobs as hospital dispenser, food analyst, teacher, and Leave Centre organiser. Summary: Playback Cassette Side 2 (Mainly reading from prepared text.) Went to India October 1931 to stay with cousin who was commanding gunner brigade in Jhansi. UP. With cousin's daughter, ran Bluebirds (Brownies) and cub scouts and did other minor welfare work. Gay social life. Cousin enjoyed shooting so frequent trips into jungle. Camp at Christmas between Jhansi and Saugor where one of the party shot a leopard. Saw a great deal of game. Camps were fairly primitive -just tents put up where good sport likely. April 1932, cousin appointed to army headquarters at Naini Tal, which was summer station for UP government. Busy and pleasant social life with sailing on the lake and pony trekking in surrounding hills. Visited friends in Simla - beautiful and enjoyable. When cousin posted back to England, she had many friends in India and took opportunity to travel. Stayed with cousin in Rajputana where another cousin in charge of railway, then Lucknow. Agra and saw sights of Benares. Six weeks in Calcutta with friend who had married a businessman. Very different life for businessmen who worked long hours. Christmas break with shooting and riding. Then on to Roorkee festivities week where sappers stationed. Asked to take a job under auspices of Governor of UP. Landowner was to marry youngest daughter (aged 15) of hereditary Prime Minister of Nepal. PM had all the power in Nepal rather than the king who was just a figure head. PM had been first Nepali of note to visit England as guest of King Edward 7th. On return, purification ceremonies took three weeks before he could rejoin his family. The Maharani married to Maharaja of Balrampur. a half-witted young man of 19 who was being educated at college for Indian princes and noblemen at Ajmer. He made little progress there. It was felt marriage should not have been allowed and government insisted that she have an English companion for some years. Mrs Lambert was first of these to be appointed. Maharani was a nice girl - well taught and could speak and read English well. Money no object so lots of luxuries - gramophone, camera, cine camera. Played deck tennis and badminton and did exercises to music every day. Seven maids came with her from Nepal and a Nepali secretary who disapproved of Mrs Lambert's appointment and put obstacles in the way. Took her to cinema to see films that might interest her. She had no purdah instincts but tried to conform to her husband's family's wishes. Out in Rolls Royce with pink curtains but soon peeking out - considered it a joke. Screens erected in cinema so that she could be carried into a purdah box. Interested in English Royal Family. Mrs Lambert read Illustrated London News with her and got simple books on English history and customs. She had good taste in clothes and jewellery, especially for her age. Description of finery she wore to purdah parties at Government House at Naini Tal. At these parties little happened - polite conversation, eating sweet cakes and drinks. An enjoyable outing for those in purdah. That summer became engaged to marry Captain Lambert, ADC to Governor of UP. Maharani very interested and offered to give wedding dress as present. She sent to Paris for its gold brocade material. At end of season, had to arrange for her peculiar journey down to Ajmer to rented house near her husband's school. Arranged armed guard of corporal and three privates. Had to get permission from railways and government of any state through which they went. Special and elaborate cooking arrangement because she was only able to eat food cooked on the earth (not on a train, for example). Difficult to arrange. Her secretary objected to the first day chosen to travel because it was inauspicious. Rearranged for another day. Would have stayed with her longer but wedding arranged for December in Lucknow. Her friend took on the job after her. 250 wedding guests all unrelated to them. 8 month honeymoon in England. Returned to husband's regiment, Scinde Horse, in August 1934 stationed near Hyderabad. Some short leaves. Went camping near Madras border with bullock cart lent to them. Once, in isolated village, woke up surrounded by everyone when sleeping out of doors. They had never seen a white woman before. Had to dress wriggling under the bedclothes. They were friendly and pleasant but did not know what sex she was in her jodhpurs. Visited the Dasera Festival at Mysore. Invited to Maharaja's palace. Ladies presented like at court. Processions, fireworks, banquets. Regiment moved to Rawalpindi in north India. Drove themselves there in Ford V8. Typical idle regimental life at first - parties, dances, riding, polo. Good company. Hot weather passed in hills – either to Mari(?) or further to Kashmiri houseboat. Sometimes pony trekking to fish and shoot. One Christmas invited right up to Afghan border. Unable to cross border or would be shot. Afghans all armed and able to enter India. Husband then posted to Intelligence Bureau at Peshawar. (Break) Very different at Peshawar because Intelligence Bureau run by civil authorities. Got permission to visit British Legation at Kabul. Drove up there, travelling for day and a half and spending night with Afghani British Consul at Jalalabad. Previous visitor had thought peacock screams were screams of tortured women - caused trouble. Driven round in legation car. Part of minister's duty to be seen. Bought donkey saddlebag and Persian wine bottles in the bazaar - fascinating. Unusual and difficult to get permission to visit Afghanistan. Able to go because husband in Intelligence. December 1936, husband moved as representative on the Kysora(?) operation. She arranged to share bungalow at Bannu - nearest place women allowed. Collected their things and drove herself. Only allowed to go on the frontier road with armed orderly in the car. If trouble, had to travel in convoy with armoured cars. Returned from long leave in England to Rawalpindi with six week old son. October leave in remote Kulu valley and over pass into Lahou(?). Polyandry practised and enjoyed seeing wives treated differently from women in India. Women carrying nothing while husband carrying everything c.f. in India. Beautiful scenery - stark and magnificent, describes colours. Stayed at monastery and back just before pass blocked by snow. Cold weather spent in Rawalpindi where regiment mechanised and lost horses. Hot weather spent in Mari (?) and Kashmir. In Mari when War declared. Expecting second baby so stayed behind when husband went with regiment to replace Tank Corps on frontier. After birth of second son, joined husband at frontier. Quiet family life in cold weather there. No opportunity for war work. In hot weather, went to small hill station where she had only radio as phoney war came to an end. Wrote out news broadcasts and distributed them to other bungalows. Felt shocked but remote from developments in Europe. October 1941, regiment sent to Karachi to go overseas. Drove across Sind desert to Karachi where very crowded. Moved house there nine times in eleven days. Husband detached from regiment and sent to Ferozepore. Spent several years there. War work: worked as hospital dispenser - unqualified - then as food analyst in the hills. Analysed everything that was eaten, drunk or smoked by the army to check quality. Random testing of tins very efficient. Had a degree in Chemistry from Oxford so knew how to use expensive apparatus. If apparatus broken, it was docked from pay, so they would put breakages down to her as she was an unpaid volunteer. Bottle of whisky sent to them that had made people ill. Had rule that everything had to be smelt and tasted . She was unwilling to taste this so asked colleague to taste. He tried half a glass with no ill effect. Put problem down to coincidence. Also schoolteacher in Lasoy(?) at sons' school. Then organised Leave Centre at Puri on coast. Bathing dangerous and no woman allowed without a life saver in attendance. Had a nice lifesaver who wore a pointed basket hat, held her hand in the breakers and gave her confidence - very attached to him. At Leave Centres, she organised sleeping and meals not recreation. Left boys with English nanny and went to Chittagong to run an RAF mobile canteen. First time she had seen barrage balloons - over Ganges delta. Canteen for isolated out-station gunners. Also started mobile library for them. Ill at hospital in Delhi (no details). Then husband sent to Rangoon. Took sons to Ajmer college where principal was old friend. Her sons only white boys there. She was then free to join husband for leaves. March 1947, returned to England on over crowded troop ship - miserable. Then back out without sons in October for last six weeks of husband's service. Without a job, found it easy to revert to easy life of bad old days of old India. Last journey home by air. Wives had travel allowance which she used and added to. Air India plane from Delhi to Karachi, then by flying boat from Karachi harbour. Delightful way of travelling - very comfortable. 16 berths with bunks, sheets. Arrived at Bahrain for breakfast. Then over trans Jordan where there was no water even if they wanted to land. Then over Dead Sea and to Mediterranean and flew up Nile, landing at Cairo on the Nile. Spent night at hotel - very tired. Next morning, flew to Syracuse in Sicily, then to Marseilles and stormy flight northwards. Had to fly very high to avoid storms - problem in unpressurised aircraft. Crew had oxygen but not passengers. Told not to move at all - very uncomfortable and unhappy. Relief to get beyond storms to normal flying height and land in Poole harbour.
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: C63/139-141]
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA4
hierarchy_sequence OA4.0018

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