Cassette copies and transcripts of recordings of unedited interviews assembled, 1972-1974, for the radio series 'Plain Tales from the Raj', including material not included in the broadcast programmes, and comprising c200 hours of material. The 82 subjects interviewed, including men, women, adults and children, lived and worked in India from the late 19th century to Independence (1947) and the interviews cover a wide range of civilian and military experience between 1876 and 1949. Military personnel range from the Commander in Chief of the Army in India to Army privates. Civil servants of various ranks and members of the business and commercial world, for example tea planters, are also included. Women mainly comprise wives and daughters, but also include a few nurses and governesses. The project covered the lives of the British in India and, although the material touches upon the effect of the Raj on India and its indigenous inhabitants, only a small number of Indians and Eurasians were interviewed. Subjects covered include accommodation and living conditions; daily routine; social life and recreation; health and sanitation; the effects of India postings on family life; relations between the British, other Europeans, Indians and Eurasians in social and work environments; events such as riots and earthquakes; the fauna and landscape of India; and political events. Full typescript transcripts (including inaccuracies in some cases) exist for most, but not all, of the recordings.
