European Ladies On A Bullock Cart, British India, 1900 Postcard
This 1900 postcard is a rare glimpse of a group of European ladies hitchhiking on a bullock cart during the British India era. Since motor cars did not made an appearance yet, travel by bullock cart, horse cart, etc, was the norm at the turn of the century. Shown here are four British ladies hitching a ride, probably of to church, or function, or even to the market, etc.
Nonetheless, the ladies appear to be in their Sunday best. Quite noticeable are the ubiquitous sun helmets. Their husbands usually may have been in the British Indian military, civil services, private firms, estates, etc. Many Britishers were based in India with their families. Sometimes, despite the harsh weather and conditions, the European womenfolk normally enjoyed life in India.
The high salaries and generous perks of their husbands compensated for any difficulties they faced with the weather or the occasional harshness of the land. It was a common sight to see huge bungalows active with servants, ayahs, cooks, and so on. Though this would have been unthinkable back home in England.
The introduction of the railways like the Great Indian Peninsula Railways (GIPR), Bombay Baroda & Central India Railways (BB & CI), East Indian Railways, etc, contributed greatly to ease of travel. Notably, the first train travel was from Bombay to Thana in 1853. And by 1900, railways expanded so fast that they crisscrossed the whole of the country. However, by 1910-20 onwards, motor cars slowly made their advent, and it became popular with the Europeans and wealthy Indians.
Read more Top 4 Transport Systems developed in India Under British Rule.
Did you know- commercial airways travel became popular from the mid-1930s onwards in India.
From the collection- German Map Bombay With Waffen SS Stamp & Seal., Rare Advertisement Taj Palace Hotel Bombay 1907., 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal On Paper Nude (#3)
