British Couple In Colonial India, 1877 Photo
This is an old 1877 photo of a possibly newlywed British couple in the time of colonial India. Notice the pretty British woman on a horsecart with what looks like a badminton racket on her lap. Both the man and woman seem to be posing before leaving for the game. Their Indian servants are all set and ready to help out with their British masters.
East India Company normally encouraged their men to marry local women (although not always successful). This was because the men were away from England for a long period of time. But after the jolt of the Indian rebellion, a new set of rules was formulated by the crown in 1858. East India Company was dissolved and India came under the direct rule of the crown.
British men were disallowed to interact with or marry Indian girls. Interacting with Anglo-Indian women was frowned upon but accepted with great reluctance. By 1869 after the opening of the Suez Canal travel became shorter than sailing around the coast of Southern Africa. Many English women would board the so-called fishing fleet.
This was an annual feature of ladies arriving in India in search of English bachelors as potential husbands. Many succeeded but also many went back unsuccessful. The most preferred were from the military, then the civil service, clerks, and so on. Unlike in England, all amenities and luxuries were at their disposal as you see in this photo of a British Couple in Colonial India of 1877. A palatial house with a number of servants at their beck and call.
See post Life of British India Army Officer – Old Photograph 1890. Read also Fishing Fleets of Colonial India.
Did you know- after 1857 Indian Rebellion English women became more sealed off in their own little communities.
From the collection- 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#1)., Colaba Barracks In Bombay – Old Postcard 1905., Ruins At Fatehpur Sikri – Old Print 1820., First Train In India Bombay to Thane – Old Print 1853
