INDIA IN THE AGE OF EMPIRE
The Journals of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth (1812-1881) 
from the Bodleian Library, Oxford

Many Victorians saw the creation of the great Indian Empire between 1800 and 1860 as Britain’s supreme achievement, not just in Asia but across the world.

Michael Pakenham Edgeworth - the son of Richard Lovell Edgeworth, author, inventor and educator; and step-brother of Maria Edgeworth, the novelist - was ideally placed as a witness to the creation of British rule in India. Serving as a member of the Indian civil service from 1831 to his death in 1881, he followed the expansion of British territorial control in India from the coastal regions in the South to the wars with Tipu Sultan and the conquest of the Punjab from the Sikhs in 1849. He was appointed Commissioner for the settlement of the Punjab in 1850.

Fortunately for historians, Michael Pakenham Edgeworth kept a detailed diary of his time in India. It starts in 1828, prior to his journey to India, and over 8,000 pages detail his observations and experiences up to 1867.

Edgeworth had a fine eye for detail and his own passions for the native Indian languages and for botany ensured that he travelled widely in the field, visiting local communities and sparsely populated regions, as well as working in the urban areas. Sketches of local topography, observations on language and customs, descriptions of flora and fauna, and comments on the sights and sounds of the region make this a fascinating source for those interested in the social, cultural and political history of India in the Age of Empire.

This project includes Bodleian Library MS Eng misc g356 (his sketch book); MSS Eng misc d1302-3 & e1469-75 (the journals); MS Eng misc d1305 (copies & extracts from the journals); MSS Eng misc d1306-7 (notes and drawings for Pollen [London, 1877], his main botanical work); MS Eng misc e1476 (statistics); and MS Eng misc e1477 (Sir James Innes’ account of the siege of Lucknow). The letters of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth and his wife are included in Women, Education and Literature: The Papers of Maria Edgeworth, 1768-1849, Part 1.

KEY EVENTS OF THE PERIOD OF THE DIARIES, 1829-1860

1829 - Britain begins to stamp out the practice of Suttee in Bengal and takes steps against the fraternity of the Thugee, professional assassins who had taken vows to the goddess Kali.

1833 - Renewal of the East India Company’s charter includes amendments placing more power in the hands of the British Government.

1839 - Fear of a Russian advance to India’s north-west frontier leads to a pre-emptive British invasion of Afghanistan.

1849 - Following clashes with the Sikhs of northern India in 1845 and 1848, the Punjab is annexed.

1857 - The Indian Mutiny breaks out on May 10th, at Meerut as mutineers from Bengali regiments march on Delhi proclaiming Bahadur Shah as emperor.

1858 - The India Act, designed as a post-Mutiny resettlement of government, annuls the power of the East India Company and transfers all administrative authority to the Crown.

1860 - The Indian Councils Act stipulates that the Viceroy will be assisted by a council which will include Indian as well as British members.

ILLUSTRATIONS AND EXTRACTS TAKEN 
FROM MICHAEL PAKENHAM EDGEWORTH'S JOURNAL

MS Eng misc d 1302, f 96 - Reel 1
Saturday, 20 August 1831, Arrival in India (off Madras)
"At length a new object appears - a black speck in the water - through the telescope we see it is a catamaran, they approach nearer & we have our first view of the natives. I suppose you all know that the catamaran is a vehicle composed of 2 or 3 logs of wood joined together in the most rude and untidy manner conceivable & on this sits or stands one or more natives (according to the size of the boat) almost perfectly naked with the exception of the length of cloth tied around their middle. They row the boat with a bar alternately at each side and they wear either red or white turbands or light straw pointed caps - this afforded us great amusement - during the whole day great numbers of various sorts of butterflies - some very beautiful. The kind was of a deep glossy green variegated with round white spots. Another looks like our great tortoiseshell only larger .... As we approached nearer several Brahmin kites appeared in view. At last after a couple of tacks we entered the roads triumphantly - instantly a number of .... boats appeared & no sooner did they touch us than we were covered with a swarm of natives some naked as those I have described - others in .... white cotton robes with shawls around their waists and all of a very deep blackish brown, sepia, beige with a little red - with their various marks of sects or casts - circles & lines of various colours - giving a scene of the most indescribable confusion - the ships business went on regularly - the sails were all furled the anchor lowered and at last the salute fired and all right - then the fort answered. I was particularly surprised at the length of time that elapsed between the appearance of the cloud of white smoke & the report of the guns. I counted 14 seconds regularly - imagine the quarter deck crowded to excess with a confused mass of passengers, sailors, officers, boxes, natives, some with characters as servants, some with fruit - of friends coming to meet their acquaintances and you may have some idea of the state of the Minerva from 2½ when we anchored for 2 hours - I determined to wait patiently on board & be one of the last to leave the ship - in the meantime everybody was getting off as fast as they could. At 5 we went to dinner ...."

MS Eng misc d 1302, f 108 - Reel 1
Monday, 22 August, 1831, at Sir Robert Palmer’s
"There are .... swarms of splendid butterflies and the common brown lizards call blood suckers - And I forgot my greatest torment which are the grass hoppers, which go on making the most abominable noise the whole night from sunset to sunrise - 20 times as loud as our English ones so that really there is more noise on shore than on board - I collected several very pretty weeds this morning which I have pressed and intend to send home - by the by I have also forgotten to describe the look of this house [Sir R Palmer’s] & the rather magnificent view from my room - I will send you by and bye a regular sketch of it. [sketch lettered a - e] The centre part of a consists of the sitting room & my room at the top - c is the dining room. d - the billiard room e - a covered passage leading to their sleeping rooms b - there is a ladder up to my room which is principally out of doors & therefore not always pleasant especially as now when there is such a hot sun .... "

MS Eng misc e 1473/6, f 37 & f 38 - Reel 5: 6 & 7 January, 1848, 
extracts about work & a temple discovered
Thursday, 6 January
"Up 6½. Walked to the jail .... pointed out sites for additions to workshops &c. Onto the river banks where I pointed out some yellow clay I want to be tried for tile making - walked along the bank of the river - rather difficult for the [horse] to follow by a very narrow path .... Ascended the bank .... rode on but had to dismount & let the horse get thro’ a narrow gully when there was not room for my legs and she waited very nicely for me - she enjoys the ride so much. .... passing Wilde’s stopped & sat a short time talking. In 9½ - .... heard reports till 2½ - .... I was occupied first at the Magistrates than at the [Office] till C called for me after sunset .... dinner - read Calcutta review .... letters - bed 10."

Friday, 7 January
"Many happy returns of the day to Samuel - up 6½ - walked a little way & then rode Pepper thro’ the town & to the South; a barren region of ravines - found ruins of an old temple on a mound, with a very good statue of Siva’s bull & numerous small bits of sculpture ... "