Migration & Empire, 1830-1939

1. Migration & Empire, 1830-1939 Emigrant Scots in India

2. Emigrant Scots in India • In today’s class I am learning to: • Describe the impact of Scottish emigrants in India

3. Emigrant Scots in India Scots did not travel to India in the same large numbers as they did elsewhere in Britain’s Empire, but they still had a notable impact.

4. Emigrant Scots in India Scots were attracted to India mainly due to business opportunities, trading products to be sold around the world. However others who went did so to be a part of India’s government, or were members of Britain’s military.

5. Emigrant Scots in India Economy and Enterprise

6. Emigrant Scots in India The Scots had a significant economic impact in India. Some moved there for work, but more became traders, buying and selling Indian produce. One British trading company became so large it eventually took over India’s government.

7. Emigrant Scots in India Some professional Scots were attracted to move to India, to provide their services to British governors and businessmen. This includes Scottish doctors, lawyers, teachers and clergy, and also civil servants too.

8. Emigrant Scots in India The Scots built links with India over a number of years through trade. Many Scots travelled to India to buy products such as jute and tea which went back to Europe to be sold. These companies gradually increased their size and influence.

9. Emigrant Scots in India Eventually this led to the creation of a business that became hugely powerful in India – the East India Company. This company started to support trade between India and Britain, but it soon grew so powerful that it ruled India.

10. Emigrant Scots in India The East India Company was dominated by Scots. Henry Dundas led the company in the late-1700s and other Scottish involvement included Scots making up one in nine civil servants and one in eleven soldiers in the company’s private army.

11. Emigrant Scots in India The East India Company eventually lost control of India after the Indian Mutiny in 1857. This saw the British government replace them to take over the running of India. This period of control was known as the British Raj.

12. Emigrant Scots in India Scottish trade with India included tea (which created jobs in India to grow the produce). Thomas Lipton, a Glasgow businessman, set up a tea company, selling his product throughout Europe and also the USA from 1890 onwards.

13. Emigrant Scots in India Scottish banks played a major role in developing the Indian economy. Financial companies based in Scotland loaned huge amounts of money to allow investment in India, including in railway development, and also farming.

14. Emigrant Scots in India Scottish trade with India created huge profits for companies in Scotland. Almost all train engines in India were made in Glasgow. Jute mills in Dundee (such as Cox’s and Baxter’s) were the biggest in the world, using jute grown in India.

15. Emigrant Scots in India Culture and religion

16. Emigrant Scots in India Smaller numbers of Scots went to India compared with places such as Canada or Australia. As such Scotland’s cultural impact is less than elsewhere, but still of significance, including politics, religion and education.

17. Emigrant Scots in India Undeniably a major Scottish (and British) influence in India concerned politics. Scots had helped run the East India Company, and after this was replaced by the British government, Scots continued to hold many senior roles.

18. Emigrant Scots in India The first three Governor-Generals (also known as Viceroy) of India were all Scottish. This was the head of Britain’s government in India. A prominent Scottish example of Indian Governor-General is Lord Dalhousie.

19. Emigrant Scots in India Many Scots were part of the Indian Civil Service, overseeing the running of transport and legal systems. Wealthy Scottish families often sent their well-educated sons to work in India, hoping they would soon gain promotion.

20. Emigrant Scots in India Under British governance there were many changes made to India’s infrastructure. This meant the building of railway lines and also telegraph poles. This allowed more travel within India, and also encouraged more trade.

21. Emigrant Scots in India There were other Scottish influences too. Many Scots served as judges in the Indian justice system. Also Alexander Kidd designed Calcutta’s Botanical Gardens, whilst some Scottish engineers designed and built infrastructure in India.

22. Emigrant Scots in India Scottish missionaries set up churches across India. This was to try and convert local people, but also to allow Scottish emigrants to continue to practice their faith. Examples of this include Presbyterian churches in Sohra and Serampore.

23. Emigrant Scots in India In 1850 there were 400 British missionaries (including Scots) in India, representing 25 churches. Many of them tried to target members of India’s elite to become Christian in the hope that poorer Indians would then follow their example.

24. Emigrant Scots in India Other Scots – often linked to churches – helped set up education establishments in India. Schools – such as the Bombay Scottish School - were set up to teach the children of emigrants, although later accepted Indians too.

25. Emigrant Scots in India David Hare – a Scottish clockmaker – moved to India and founded the Hare School, and a society for women’s education. Many Scottish missionaries took steps to educate India’s women, including Hannah Catherine Mullens.

26. Emigrant Scots in India Other Scots developed higher education institutions such as universities. The University of Calcutta was set up after agreement from the Governor-General of India, a Scot named Lord Dalhousie.

27. Emigrant Scots in India Some Scots set up groups to keep links with home, but this was not on the same scale as in places such as Canada. This included Burns Clubs, which met to read poetry and celebrate Burns Night. Others played Scottish sports like shinty.

28. Emigrant Scots in India Scots named some places in India after Scottish locations, but on a much smaller scale than in other emigrant destinations. Port Blair and Dalhousie in India are examples of locations which took their name from Scottish emigrants.

29. Emigrant Scots in India Native societies

30. Emigrant Scots in India Scots made up a tiny proportion of all people living in India, but also held a lot of power. Although there are examples of positive links, there was also instances of very poor relations, including numerous examples of violence.

31. Emigrant Scots in India British settlers – including Scots – traded with Indians, and helped make some tribal leaders rich as a result of this. This obviously led to Scots’ presence in India being supported by those leaders, and brought some benefits to other Indians.

32. Emigrant Scots in India Some other Scots integrated into Indian society. There were instances of marriages between Indians and the Scots. At the start of the 1800s, around one third of British men in India were married to an Indian woman.

33. Emigrant Scots in India Many Scots’ role in India was as part of the military. Scots went to India as part of British Army regiments – including the Sutherland Highlanders – and their job was to provide protection for British traders, and also control the local population.

34. Emigrant Scots in India A great many Indians resentedScottish and British presence in their country. British actions in setting up a government in India, taking control of the country, led to anger from Indian nationalists who wanted independence.

35. Emigrant Scots in India The most prominent example of resistance to British rule was the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Indian soldiers who worked for the British East India Company in the town of Meerut started a major rebellion, which spread across India.

36. Emigrant Scots in India At least 100,000 people died as a result of the fighting. Scottish army regiments played a major role in ending the revolt, led by men such as General Colin Campbell. It is also worth noting that some Indians fought for Britain during the mutiny.

37. Emigrant Scots in India Some British decisions in India received a mixed response from Indians. The British outlawed some practices, including slavery and thuggee. This was an action which involved armed gangs attacking people and committing ritual murder.

38. Emigrant Scots in India Britain also banned suttee, where a wife was burned alive after the death of her husband. Some Indians did not want these practices to end so were angered by Britain, however other Indians welcomed changes which improved their lives.

39. Emigrant Scots in India Some British actions in India improved the status of Indian women. This not only included the outlawing of suttee, but also letting women get an education, and also banning the practice of child marriage (girls then had to be 14 or older).

40. Emigrant Scots in India Other British actions were not especially beneficial to Indian women. The British Army set up chaklas, which were brothels to be only used by British soldiers.Many women worked in these places because they came from poor backgrounds.

41. Emigrant Scots in India Many Scots – such as Alexander Duff - who went to India did so as missionaries to spread the Christian message. They established churches across the country, and converted many Indians, suggesting elements of a positive relationship.

42. Emigrant Scots in India Many missionaries also helped develop education in India, again improving relations with Indians. However other Indians who were from different faiths – including Muslims and Hindus – were offended at attempts to change their beliefs.