Partition - India

Date: Jul-Dec 1947

From: Johnson, Ralph, 1950- : Papers

Reference: MS-Papers-11840-16

Description: Letters from Neil Johnson to his fiancee, Joan Oldham, written from Calcutta after his return to the India office of the FAU in July 1947. Gives impressions of India, especially Calcutta, during the Partition crisis, and his work. The last (unnumbered) letters he wrote in December 1947 from Wellington and then from Sumner, Christchurch, after his return to New Zealand. Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 1946-1947

From: Johnson, Ralph, 1950- : Papers

Reference: MS-Papers-11840-17

Description: Comprises draft reports on health situation and hospital and ambulance services, written by Neil Johnson while in Calcutta; Samples of pre-communist Chinese banknotes, both in yuan and in Shanghai dollars, together with printed tables of inflation rates for foodstuffs in Shanghai; Labelled sketch map of the Baptist Compound at Chengchow, which housed the offices of the Friends Ambulance Service. Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: 18 May 2001

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Leckey, Richard Edward, 1937-

Reference: OHInt-0562/07

Description: Richard Leckey was born in Gazaiabad in 1937. Explains that his father worked for the railways, talks about his transfers and recalls memories of Kotri, railway houses and servants. Mentions his brothers and step-sisters, his own schooling at Lawrence College. Recalls his experiences of partition. Talks of his sister living in New Zealand, followed by the rest of the family, and his father's money in India. Talks of his carpentry apprenticeship in Auckland and describes his various jobs with hydro schemes. Mentions his wife's work on a psychiatric ward, his work in the same hospital and at a freezing works. Mentions his returned serviceman's loan, wanting to buy land. Talks of Maori associations, his genealogy, the SAS in New Zealand and why he left it. Explains the changes in his religions and mentions Indian religions. Talks of his family in Australia, Pakistan and England, school uniform, western clothes, mealtimes and games played and mixing with Muslim children. Mentions club membership and cultural differences. Talks of his drinking habit, settling in New Zealand and outlines the differences in lifestyle. Talks about his property in Karamea, and interest in forestry, his carpentry and building. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008512, OHC-008513 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2645.

Date: 21 Aug 2000

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Hewett, Neale Brind Stuart, 1906-2005

Reference: OHInt-0562/01

Description: Neale Hewett talks about his birth in Burma in 1906. Mentions that many generations of his father and mother's side of the family served in the military in India. Details great grandfather's service and the family tradition. Describes himself and his father as Cape Horners. Mentions Dartmouth and Royal Navy. Talks about father's service in Burma and describes the influences of the King and Queen on their subjects. Details being sent to a home in Cheltenham, England at 4 years of age and school in Eastbourne until 13 holidays included, and not recognising his parents. Describes growing up without parents. Describes attending Pangbourne College aged 12, the Royal Naval Reserves and outlines his work including HMS Winchelsea testing poison gas. Outlines voyages with P&O to obtain his 2nd mate's ticket, enters the Royal Indian Marines. Describes the relief given at the 1923 Japanese earthquake.Talks about moving from ship to ship, having royalty as passengers, later surveying the coastline of India on the Investigator. Describes copying charts during the monsoon season. Talks about the closure of the Indian Navy and finding work with Bombay Burma Trading Company while continuing as a reserve officer with the Frontier Force Cavalry. At the outbreak of war describes re-entering the Navy. Describes his jobs and escorting the First NZ Echelon: taking a gunnery course, wanting to return to sea but having to train gunners. Describes the situation at the changeover in 1947 and gives reasons for retiring from the navy and leaving India. Talks about his parents, wife and children and his father wanting to retire to New Zealand. Mentions living in Australia with his children. Gives reason for moving to New Zealand, applying for citizenship, discovering that his father was a New Zealander and his mother's family were here also. Talks about his employment in commercial fishing and NZ Forest Products.. Relates his United Nations job in 1950's in various countries, describes the way he organised his work and staff. Describes the changes when a political element joined the UN, and his resignation. Compares the African independence with that of India. Describes wartime atrocities by the Japanese. Talks about his nationality and religion, and as it was in India. Talks about his accomodation, furnishings and places he called home, his servants who travelled with him, the meals, lifestyle and languages spoken. Relates meeting his wife, Thecla Edana Davis, and describes her background. Talks about his children's schools and education and family health. Mentions snake encounters. Details the clubs they belonged to in India, multiculturism and integration of races, talks of Anglo-Indians. Talks of partition. Mentions his impressions on his return to India. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Accompanying material - Includes 2 leaves of notes about conversations held with Neale Hewett. One clarifies various subjects and the second conversation was over lunch with a neighbour. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008510, OHA-008511 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2644.

Date: 21 Feb 2000

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Barlow, Wilfred Ainslie, 1929-2004

Reference: OHInt-0562/02

Description: Wilfred Ainslie Barlow, known as Bill, was born in Calcutta on 24.10.1929, an only child. Talks about Indian, British and New Zealand passports and arrival in New Zealand, October 1971. Mentions grandfathers. Talks of father's job in Licence Measures Dept. in shipping, while mother was a stenographer. Grew up with servants, brought up by friend with three children. Talks of father, a catholic until he became a Freemason, and mother was Anglican. Mentions that he was not compelled to go to church, but attended Victoria School, Kurseong, which was Anglican with other denominations present. Talks of uniform, religions and standard of education, attaining Senior Cambridge. Describes being an apprentice engineer and training opportunities, also the five years as an A Grade apprentice in Kharagpur with mainly Anglo-Indians, then going to sea. Discusses the loyalties of Anglo-Indians. Talks about his parents' families in India, his parents' illnesses and early deaths and the whereabouts of the friend which brought him up. Talks of rented accommodation in Calcutta. Describes other Anglo-Indian communities, jobs and social life. Describes railway employee socials, dances and sports. Describes the family's accommodation, mentions western style clothing. Talks about childhood fun, food and related customs, languages including Hindi, Telagu. Mentions his accommodation and bearer. Talks about gaining his engineering ticket in England on completion of his apprenticeship, then working as a junior engineer in shipping. Describes tenants in his accommodation, the loss of his possessions. Mentions meeting his UK wife, his friends who left India and attitudes of Indians. Talks of the book 'Bhowani Junction' portraying Anglo-Indians and how they treated women. Talks of Raj wives and orphanages, club membership, class distinction and differences in races. Describes Calcutta at the time of partition. Mentions his jobs with freighters and applying to emigrate to New Zealand with his family. Talks of job with Union Steamship Co.and conditions. Gives reasons for going to Auckland and Lyttelton. Mentions conditions in India when he returned, settling in other countries, the colour issue and people's attitudes to Anglo-Indians. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008501, OHC-008502 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2639.

Date: 23 Aug 2000

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Dever, Jeanne-Marie Thecla, 1933-

Reference: OHInt-0562/04

Description: Jeanne Dever was born in 1933 in Bangalore, the daughter of Neale Hewett. Talks of boarding schools attended in India and England. Describes her reaction to the lack of privacy at these schools and her attitudes to learning. Talks of servants, her social life in clubs and the inability to take her Parsee friends to them. Details her family in India and talks of holiday activities in Karachi. Mentions beggars and caste differences. Talks of her clothing, mealtimes and the discipline meted out by mother. Talks of her father's attitude to partition. Mentions being engaged and living in Australia and Tasmania. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Accompanying material - Brief notes taken before and after the recording Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008505 Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). 30 Minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2641.

Date: 17 May 2001

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Hart, Renee Sylvia, 1919-

Reference: OHint-0562/06

Description: Renee Hart was born in Worthing, Sussex, England on 20 June 1919. Mentions her passports, her attitude to her nationality and the postings of her father's regiment. Talks of her parents' marriage and children. Describes her father's move to India as a bandsman and how the family travelled there. Describes the band's musical commitments. Talks of her father's change from playing brass to stringed instruments and piano. Mentions the governors of various regions in India. Relates the details of the family's return to England and their subsequent return to India. Talks of her mother's occupation in hairdressing, her sister's role in the business and her own training, the techniques used at the time, their Indian customers with reference to privacy for various races. Mentions social life in the hills and teaching dancing with her sisters. Mentions her family's religion and censoring the forces' mail in wartime. Talks of her husband's family connections with India, their meeting and living in India. Describes sports clubs, social clubs and membership, relationships, modes of transport. Explains what their accommodation was like, mentions bathrooms and toilets at home and at boarding school. Mentions servants. Talks about her children, her parents and siblings settling in New Zealand. Describes her father's work and pension husband's job situation. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral Histroy Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008508, OHC-008509 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 1.50 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2643.

Date: 24 Apr 2001 - 10 May 2001

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: MacLeod, Beryl Aida, 1923-

Reference: OHInt-0562/08

Description: Beryl MacLeod was born in Calcutta in 1923. Talks of her arrival in New Zealand, her husband's family home in Glasgow, and buying, as opposed to renting, their first home. Mentions that her parents were English and talks about their move to India in 1921. Describes her father's job as bandsman and musician, the instruments he played, his WWI service in France later in Egypt, his retirement and move to New Zealand in 1950. Relates her schooling in India, her secreterial and hairdressing jobs. Talks about the mother's hairdressing equipment and business. Mentions her father giving violin lessons in schools. Describes their accommodation, the servants and their routines. Describes meeting her husband, her sisters' dancing school and performances. Talks of religion, boarding school life and gives reasons for her move to Shillong with her mother. Describes the situation at the time of partition and relationships of Anglo-Indian women with European men. Describes social life of Burma Shell employees, club membership and social distinction. Recalls her children's time at boarding school in Scotland, working for Shell Oil, her return to Scotland then New Zealand. Describes her theatrical performances, Meals on Wheels and driving for the Foundation for the Blind. Recalls a visit to India, compares life there and the way it was when they lived there. Awards/funding - Project recieved an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008514, OHC-008515 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 interview(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2646.

Date: 20 Mar 2001, 15 May 2001 - 20 Mar 2001 - 15 May 2001

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Pugh-Stemmer, Daphne Adeline, 1931-

Reference: OHInt-0562/10

Description: Daphne Pugh-Stemmer was born in Calcutta, India in 1931 and mentions that her family lived there from 1920s. Mentions her brothers' boarding school, her sisters' education, travelling to school and church activities. Talks of her family's jobs and training. Describes their daily routine, rented accommodation, bathrooms, servants and clubs. Mentions mealtimes, food, etiquette, languages, orphanages. Describes her family's move to New Zealand, their travel, settling and acceptance. Talks of her younger brothers' schooling, her husband's death and their children, supplementing her widow's benefit and owning her house. Explains differences in dress code, mentions passports, the family tree. Talks of the situation after partition. Mentions visits to India and schoolfriends who now live in other countries. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Accompanying material - Genealogical tables Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008520, OHC-008521 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1.45 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2648.

Date: 24 May 2001

From: Anglo-Indian lives oral history project

By: Cox, Richard Anthony, 1932-

Reference: OHInt-0562/03

Description: Richard Cox, known as Dick, was born in Rawalpindi in India, now Pakistan, on 28th March 1932. Mentions nationality, passports and New Zealand citizenship. Talks about family origins in England and mentions grandparents and parents marriages, being an only child. Talks of religious beliefs of mother's family and training and working in India and England. Details grandparents' deaths in India and New Zealand and his parents arrival in New Zealand 1949/50, and bringing grandmother from India. Talks of his mother's family in the Indian Army and father's side with the railways. Mentions his family's religious beliefs, his catholic education at boarding school. Mentions the social life at the various institutes. Talks of father in World War I building railways in Iraq, being stationed in Multan and Lahore on his return. Talks of grandmother's properties in Dehra Dun. Details definition of Anglo-Indian. Recounts family movements at the time of partition. Talks of the railway colony, Anglo-Indian districts and attitudes at the Institutes. Describes their house in Lahore and the role of servants and games played. Mentions beggars. Describes types of clothing worn, the food and mealtimes, use of different languages. Talks of boarding school life and discipline, and mentions leaving school in 1948, doing school certificate, travelling to New Zealand in 1949 and outlines reasons for their choice of country. Details incidents connected with partition. Describes his father's settling in New Zealand and his compulsory military training, bursary and Canterbury University studying medical intermediate before transferring to Otago. Talks of a holiday job at a freezing works, working at Dannevirke Hospital, his general practice at Granity and Christchurch. Talks about his wife and family of six children and their vocations. Talks of club life in India and the social hierarchy. Mentions differences in attitude to Anglo-Indians and Eurasians, and compares working in a freezing works with the Indian servants' tasks and earnings. Mentions not wanting to return to India, speaks of his childhood. Talks of his uncle and discrimination in army ranking. Mentions the British role in giving India back and his opinions on the various classes. Mentions the lepers of Dehra Dun. Awards/funding - Project received an Oral History Grant Interviewer(s) - Dorothy McMenamin Accompanying material - Genealogical table for the Cox family Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-008503, OHC-008504 Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 1 interview(s). 2 Hours Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA-2640.

Date: 1945-1948

From: Johnson, Ralph, 1950- : Papers

Reference: Series-5866

Description: Comprises letters between Wreford Neil Johnson and his fiancee, Joan Oldham, while Johnson was serving as a business and finance manager with the Friends' Ambulance Unit in Zhengzhou and Shanghai and then in Calcutta from 1946 to 1947. His letters on Chinese life and the work of the FAU give a detailed and 'unofficial' picture of life in China in the late 1940's, between the end of the Japanese occupation and the civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists, while his letters written from Calcutta reflect the sense of crisis caused by the Partition in India prior to independence. Joan Oldham was nurse at Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs, then St Helen's Hospital in Christchurch, before returning to Hanmer. Her letters give a detailed and readable account of nursing life between the closing days of World War II and the immediate post-war years. Quantity: 13 folder(s).