European Family At Simla, 1895 Photo
An 1895 photo of a European family during teatime in Simla (Shimla). Simla was the summer capital of the British Raj. Under the intense Indian summer heat, hill stations with their cooler climate would be a big draw for European families. Britishers had a considerably better life in colonial India than in England because of the luxury of servants, bungalows, fat salaries, and so on.
Although India was not without its dangers of tropical diseases, summer heat, food, and so on. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 was a big boon, travel became shorter. More British women would make a beeline to India to search for soulmates. Consequently, marriages would become more commonplace with the Englishmen.
Many of the men’s sole motives were to join either the government or start a successful business. Either way, life was luxurious, what with the servants, accommodation, transportation, etc all these were well provided. Clubs and games were additional bonuses to kill any loneliness or boredom. All this couldn’t even be thought of back in England for the Englishman. See a partially visible tennis racket lying near the feet of the young lady in the foreground.
See post Shimla British India’s Summer Capital – Old Photo 1890. Read about the British Raj.
Did you know- in 1820 they built the first hill station after discovering that British soldiers fighting the Anglo-Nepalese war felt better with fewer diseases in the higher altitude than the soldiers based on the lower altitude.
More from the collection- Raja Ravi Varma’s “Birth of Shakuntala” Oleograph of c1894., Prince On Elephant Back Bombay – Old Photo 1900., View From The Madras Pier – Old Print 1880., Fort Cochin – Antique Map Plan 1761
