British Social Life in India, 1608-1937

by Dennis Kincaid

First published in 1938, the author describes the ways in which the British lived in India from the early adventurous period of the East India Company until the 1930s when modern means of travel and communication enabled the sahibs to keep in close touch with home and eschew oriental influences. He describes their amusements and sports, their domestic arrangements, their relations with the native population. There is a delicious period panorama of Simla in the eighties. He gives a careful historical account of the growth and fate of the Eurasian population. The approach throughout is decorative rather than academic, and leads to a highly entertaining pageant of the British in India.

Genres: India, History, Nonfiction

408 pages, Paperback

Published September 11, 2015

Reviews

[Naman Narain]

Provides a fascinating insight into the daily life of the British elite during the Raj. Written in 1938 by a British civil servant, the account is first-hand and authentic.

[Sharmila Sengupta]

This book takes you back to a time when the British community in India was living a very different life from today. It’s like opening a window into a world that no longer exists, but one that still has many echoes in the Indian landscape and culture. The author does a good job of showing what life was really like for the British in India — from their social gatherings and leisure activities to how they lived day-to-day.

What really stands out is how honest and detailed the book is. It’s not just a dry history; it’s a look at how people spent their time, what they enjoyed, and how they interacted with the local Indian population. You get a sense of their routines, their sports, their domestic life, and even their relationships with the people around them. It’s fascinating to see how they created their own little world within the larger Indian setting.

The book also gives a thoughtful look at how India changed during this period. It explains how things like the railway, hill stations, and postal systems became part of everyday life and left a lasting mark. Even the English language and architecture are part of this story, showing how colonial rule shaped many parts of Indian life that we still see today. It’s interesting to think about how these changes started during that time and still influence the country.

One of the strengths of the book is how well it’s organized. It moves smoothly from one topic to another, giving you a broad view of society while also sharing small, personal stories. The language is simple and clear, making it easy to understand without feeling like you’re reading a textbook. It feels more like talking to someone who’s sharing their knowledge with genuine care and respect for the past.

There’s a gentle and respectful tone throughout the book. It doesn’t judge or criticize but instead tries to show the complexity of colonial life. It acknowledges that it was a complicated time, full of contradictions, but also highlights the human side — the hopes, struggles, and routines of ordinary people trying to live their lives.

Reading this feels like a journey into a different world, but one that’s also surprisingly relatable. The social gatherings, the leisure activities, the sense of community — these are things everyone can understand, no matter the time period. It’s a reminder that beneath the surface of history, there are always stories of people trying to find their place and make sense of their lives.

Overall, this book is a thoughtful look at a time long gone, but one that still influences India today. It’s not just about dates and events; it’s about people and their everyday lives. It makes you think about how history shapes us and how different worlds can sometimes be more similar than they seem. It’s a gentle, honest, and insightful read that invites you to reflect on the past with respect and curiosity.

[Barun Ghosh]

Very interesting to read how during the Raj, the British residents of India had to spend a small fortune to keep up appearances in the hopes of being promoted and be seen as “Pucca Sahibs’.

[anamika]

In context of content in it is quite readable but it is loosely Accounted book. Also it seems to loose connections in between

[Nishant]

A treasure hunt for students of History and to know about the life of Britishers in colonial India.

[Asit Kumar]

Detailed and ENGAGING

A binocular gaze in to distant past of India during British regime. British life in India described in vivid and candid manner.

[Manish Ladla]

Some books are not meant to be read. There is unnecessary ranting about something . I only read few pages and I am done with this book.

[Abhijeet Ganguly]

While the political role of the British in the history of our country is well covered, the social and economic life of an ordinary English officer in the 17th, 18th and 19th century India hasn't quite received the attention. This book is the fruit of labour of two authors, Dennis Kincaid, a third generation civil servant and after Dennis' untimely death, his friend David Ferrer.

The British started arriving in India in the 16th century as merchant-explorers having heard a lot about the exotic East. Those early settlers had to adjust themselves to local food as European options were limited. For example, lack of European wine meant they had to do with the Persian variety.

One gets a good account of how independently the East India Company ran it's affairs and brooked no interference even from the Crown Government. However, the Company wasn't a professional run firm either. On the contrary, corruption, inefficiency and incompetence pervaded all levels of it. The early years were marked by slave trade in medieval India which included European women as well. While India was home to European trading communities such as French, Dutch, Portuguese, Danes, English who mingled socially but matrimonial alliances with other European nationality was discouraged on account of religious differences.

The rise of the East India Company through expansion of trade and territory meant it's officials saw rise in their fortunes as well for opportunity for shady deals were aplenty. The need to make quick bucks were necessitated by high cost of living in the latter half of the 18th century and ostentatious show of wealth by a fashion-conscious, class-conscious Anglo-Indian society. Lavish parties which comprised gambling, drinking and elaborate spread on the table was an everyday affair.

Despite a sense of racial superiority and pretentions, the British society had it's frailties like any other. Brawls during Sunday morning prayers as men vied for attention of unmarried women were a regular thing. Bitching, back biting, discreet dalliances and intrigues come across as a recurring theme of their social milieu. The underbelly of the English society in colonial India is aptly summed up by Rudyard Kipling through a parody of the famous children rhyme Jack and Jill.

Jack's own Jill goes up the hill,
To Murree or Chakrata,
Jack remains, and dies in the plains,
And Jill remarries soon after.

Kipling earned himself a fair share of critics and disapprovals for his writings, Dennis Kincaid's grandmother being one.

On the other hand, as the colonial masters become more and more entrenched, British society also underwent gradual transformation. Relations with the natives improved and the exclusivity of their social life eased. Apart from dance, parties and picnics the British now took interest in Indian culture, heritage and it's landscape. Landscape painting became a hobby among many.

Political upheavals of the 19th century impacted their social life. The revolt of Kanpur and slaughter of European women and children ignited racial hatred and old prejudices raised their ugly head. The author takes a sympathetic view towards Indians with regards to the Revolt.

While social life in colonial India in the 17th and18th century was one of formality and seniority in social interactions, the latter half of the 19th century through to the first half of the 20th century saw rise of informal and laud behaviour among the young recruits which dismayed the seniors. For example, hookah smoking which was done in privacy of homes and clubs became a practice in the open spaces such as parks and near beaches in the 1840s among the young officers of Bombay.

Surprisingly, the turmoil of the First World War hardly had any impact on British social life in colonial India.They went about their happy ways. However, the rise of political movements with nationalistic overtones, in the post war years, made the European gentry uneasy. Indian Civil Service became less coveted and recruitment dwindled.

By the turn of the 20th century, one gets a clear picture of the Anglo-Indian culture having morphed into a distinct identity quite removed from English culture in England so much so that few elderly British reminisce about England having become a strange country to them.

As the book draws to a close with Independence on the horizon, one can't miss the melancholy in the author's tone when he says they won't be considered as belonging to this land despite many of them being born and raised here.

Although Dennis Kincaid has given a close portrayal of British life in India, the narration lacked a seamless flow as it moved from one chapter to another. It improves in the latter part as David Ferrer takes over after Dennis' demise.

[Pramod Pant]

Basically pointless, and bereft of the charm that was frequently worked up - even from my Indian point of view - in many such writings by the British. This one, unfortunately, is very stale !