Bengale

1905 · 149465 — Calcutta: 1905. Divide-and-rule in the Bengal presidency Sir Andrew Fraser 1848-1919 Lieutenant-governor of Bengal makes corrections across the first 83 pages of these proof papers. When partition took effect in October 1905 it stimulated radical nationalism which coalesced in the Swadeshi Movement. Fraser resisted the temptation for repressive measures but his handling of the matter was controversial and in 1911 partition was annulled. With over 30 years' experience in the Indian Civil Service and his "solid if unspectacular career" drawing to a close Fraser was appointed lieutenant-general in November 1903. Shocked at how out of touch Bengal's administrators were with the people "often unable to speak Bengali fluently and only touring the districts infrequently" ODNB Fraser supported the principal aim of partition that it would make Bengal more governable with a Hindu-majority west and a Muslim-majority east. In his memoir Among Indian Rajahs and Ryots 1912 Fraser devotes a chapter to partition but treads carefully as the reversal of the plan took place "after the severance of my connection with India" and his retirement to Scotland in 1908. Provenance: John Riddy 1934-2017 bibliophile and university administrator with his ownership inscription on the first blank "John Riddy Perth 1975". Riddy "built up a much-admired private library on the history of British India … a witty erudite generous and kind man … He was also a true eccentric and an outrageously Rabelaisian host … with a taste for Havana cigars and … a filing cabinet of rare malt whiskies in his garage" Guardian obituary. A slip of paper in Riddy's hand loosely inserted notes that this volume "was our office copy printed for Sir Andrew Fraser and has his own proofreaders' corrections" and that it "came from a damaged & rotten box containing other books & effects belonging to Sir A. H. L. Fraser lying in Willie Deuchar's 'Council Chamber' Godown Indian English for warehouse pulled down to make space for commercial rebuilding of Perth and was sold to me by Willie in 1972 J. C. P. Riddy". Folio 332 x 205 mm. Large folding linen-backed map in end pocket "Provinces of Bengal Bihar Orissa and Chota Nagpur" issued in January 1904 in an edition of 650; scale 1 inch = 32 miles; 680 x 740 mm. Contemporary pale brown half morocco spine gilt tooled on the raised bands gilt lettered direct in second compartment brown textured cloth boards sides and corners edged with black fillets linen hinges brown surface-paper endpapers. Binding a little rubbed a few marks to covers internally clean: very good. The Guardian 16 May 2017. hardcover