European Ladies On Bullock Cart British India, 1900 Postcard
Shown in 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 make an appearance yet travel by bullock cart, horse cart, etc were the norm in the turn of the century. Shown here four British ladies hitchiking a ride probably to church, or for a function or even to the market, etc.
Nonetheless, the ladies appear to be in their Sunday best. Notable are the classic sun helmets they wear over their heads. Their husbands usually may have either 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 fast that they crisscrossed the whole of the country. However, by 1910-20 onwards motor cars slowly made their advent, 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)
