The subtitle to this book is ‘British Women in India’, which very neatly sums up its scope and purpose. The author takes us on a sometimes whirlwind tour of the last four centuries, introducing us to a variety of women who made the journey to India from Britain.
Many, perhaps most, had little real idea of the country they were travelling to, but they had their reasons for going. Be it to make a new life, find a husband, or merely for the adventure, their individual stories, told from their own writings or official records, are remarkable.
Some found a land to fall in love with, others hated every minute. Some tried to learn and understand the cultures they encountered, while others remained firmly apart, seeing themselves as above anything and anyone they met.
The huge gap between those who first travelled to India in the seventeenth century and those of a later age is also remarkable. In the earlier period, the journey took up to twelve months, and many didn’t make it. Once there, it was a land of opportunity and danger, though one which had, as yet, not fully realised the threat from the British and the East India Company.
Within a hundred years or so, the states which covered the sub-continent had discovered their mistake but it was too late. And things had changed for women, too.
In the early days, many women made the journey and thrived independently. They travelled, they set up small businesses, some inheriting them from dying husbands, and they created schools. Some of their stories match any tale of derring-do you can think of.
But as time went on, women were slowly nudged into the background, and although there were always some pioneers, by the late Victorian era, most women were dependent on their husbands, following them from post to post across the imperial provinces.
The author has managed to capture the spirit of the women she writes about beautifully in a fresh and engaging way. Their stories, often told from first-hand accounts, brim with their intelligence, their wit and their sheer chutzpah. Some suffered greatly during their time in India, and all were changed by their experiences. But the majority seemed to have loved the place, the people, and their lives there.
This is a review of the Virago Press 2020 paperback edition.
