Life in the Raj
Darjeeling Sky RacesThe album gives a snapshot of the busy and varied social life of British residents in India.
The British were able to live in comparative luxury compared with life back home in the United Kingdom, and this gave them the time and space to indulge their passion for entertainment and recreation.
Cast for 'The Manoeuvers of Jane' 1902Dance notices, menues, invitations to functions and horse racing and gymkhana programmes all feature prominently.
European sports were popular, not least tennis.
Amateur dramatics were another favourite pastime, with plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest - performed in the town hall at Darjeeling in 1902.
New Year celebrations, church services, regimental dinners and weddings and other society gatherings, were also popular.
The Residency in Sikkim served as a political centre for the British in the region. The Maharaja and Maharani of Sikhim were guests at garden parties there and the Maharani is also reportedly a frequent visitor to the Residency.
In this exhibition
- Beryl White and her family
- Frontiers of Empire
- Domestic life
- Social life
- Life in the Raj
- Weddings
- Delhi Durbar