Pride and Prejudice 

 

Anglo-Indians and racial attitudes in India

1857-1920

Erik Vellinga (114344)

Department of History and Arts

Erasmus University Rotterdam

August 1994

 

E-mail: erik.vellinga@unilever.com

vellinga@rulfsw.fsw.LeidenUniv.nl

 

Contents................................................................................................................Page

Acknowledgements.


Introduction........................................................................................................…1


Purpose of this research 3

Sources and methodology 4

 

1. Racism in Indian society.................................................................................….8


1.1-The Mutiny; a turning point in British-Indian relations 8

1.2-The 'White Mutiny'; The Ilbert Bill and its response 11

1.3-Sexual relations, European women and racial discrimination 12

1.4-Racism in relation to imperialism 14

1.5-A meeting on equal terms; racism and the Indian elite 15

1.6-The troublesome minorities 17

1.7-Anglo-Indians and/or Domiciled Europeans? 22

 

2. History of the Anglo-Indian community......................…................................26


2.1-Introduction 26

2.2-The first period; 1500-1785 26

2.3-The second period; 1785-1857 27

2.4-The third period; 1857-1920 28

2.5-The fourth period; 1920-1994 30

 

3. The selfperception of Anglo-Indians.........................................................….33


3.1-Introduction 33

3.2-Anglo-Indians and the Ilbert Bill 34

3.3-What shall we call ourselves? 35

3.4-The Colour Bar 38

3.5-Religion 39

3.5.1-Roman Catholics and Anglicans 40

3.5.2-Christianity as an 'Indian' argument 41

3.6-The economic position of Anglo-Indians 42

3.6.1-The Government's responsibility 42

3.6.2-Anglo-Indian regiments 45

3.6.3-The Indian Civil Service and the 'lines of communication' 49

3.6.4-Colonisation and the housing problem 52

3.6.5-Anglo-Indian education 54

3.7-Unity in disunity 56

 

4. The Anglo-Indian vision on other communities...........................................…59


4.1-Europeans through the eyes of Anglo-Indians 59

4.2-Indians through the eyes of Anglo-Indians 61

4.3-What about Native Christians? 63

 

Conclusions...........................................................................................................66


Bibliography..........................................................................................................73