The British ruled “British India”, initially via the (Honourable) East India Company and then more directly. The (Honourable) East India Company ruled the Indian subcontinent from 1773 to 1858 and the British Crown ruled from 1858 to 1947. They were known as the Company Raj and the British Raj respectively.
The transfer of power in 1858 was due to the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The rule of “India” by the HEIC was transferred to the British Crown and Queen Victoria became the Empress of India in 1876.
In 1947 “British India” was dissolved to become the Union of India (later Republic of India) and the Dominion of Pakistan (later the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh). Burma (now called Myanmar) had two parts. Lower Burma was part of British India on inception in 1858 and Upper Burma was added to British control in 1886. They combined to form Burma which was administered as an autonomous province until 1937 when it became a separate British Colony and eventually getting Independence in 1948.
In short, the Archives in the UK relating to India are those for British India and the (Honourable) East India Company (HEIC). They mainly date therefore to pre-1947. Below is a very brief summary of the records available as there are several reference books which give more details.
Generally, records for Europeans in India are more easily researched than those for “natives” as the Europeans tended to be officers or NCOs. The records for lower ranking natives were often brief and the chances of them surviving to the present day are often quite low.
Honourable East India Company
The East India Company later gained the title “Honourable East India Company” and it held the Charter to represent the British Crown’s interests east of the Cape of Good Hope. They held this from around 1600 until just after the Indian Mutiny when it was dissolved. The HEIC’s ships and trading posts needed defence against pirates, marauders and the forces of hostile powers (both European and Eastern). To this end it recruited both Europeans and natives into its Army and Navy.
HEIC Army
The record series that concern officers and enlisted men include records for officers and records for other ranks. Record Series include:
- Cadetship Papers
- Addiscombe Military Seminary records
- Surgeons’ records
- Service Records
- Pension Records
- Recruitment Records
- Description Books
- Embarkation Lists
- Muster Rolls and others.
Sometimes there is genealogical data relating to wives and children.
HEIC Navy
The HEIC’s navy was originally called the Bombay Marine and it was the naval fighting arm of the HEIC as opposed to its mercantile marine (merchant navy). The Bombay Marine was renamed the Indian Navy in 1830 and it was abolished in 1863 when it was replaced by a revived non-combatant Bombay Marine. In 1877 the revived Bombay Marine and the Bengal Marine combined to form the HM Indian Marine which then became the Royal Indian Marine in 1892 and finally the Royal Indian Navy in 1935.
Record Series include:
- Records of Appointments / Cadetships
- Service Records
- lists of serving personnel
- Pension records
- family registers
- personnel documents for the RIN (and RIN Volunteer Reserve) dating for WW2
- leave and pay records and officer’s gratuities
Pre-1834 records also cover:
- Records of Appointments (for officers with certificates of age / baptism / birth)
- lists of Surgeons and Surgeons’ Mates
- journals and logs of ships’ companies
- wages
- shipping / commanders records
- description of officers
- pensions paid
- Statements of Service
Indian Army / Navy pre-1947
Europeans tended to be the officers and NCOs for these formations and as such they formed the leadership core. The India Office recruited Europeans from the UK to serve in the Indian formations. Files available include those for Indian Regiments, and units such as the Indian Army Corps of Clerks, Chelsea Pensioners, Voluntary Aid Detachments, Indian Medical Service, Women’s Auxiliary Corps and Emergency Commissioned officers. Generally these records are for 1890-1947 and some go back to the 1870s.
There are various Pension records for officers / other ranks (or Ratings in the navy) and these may have Service Records, details of marriages / children, details of promotions, dates of recruitment and death.
For officers in the Army there are likely to be EIC Officer Cadet details with the cadet’s name, birth / baptism, parentage and educational history. Queen’s India Cadetships (1858-1930) and Sandhurst Cadets commissioned to the Indian Army (1901-1940), Wellington and Quetta Cadets (1915-1918) are useful as they record officers’ service . Papers for Assistant Surgeons’ and Surgeons’ are also available.
Recruitment Registers and Embarkation lists are usually useful for other ranks and as they give details on when they left the UK for India.
In 1834 Statements of Service for naval personnel were collated as the EIC Mercantile Marine was disbanded. Many personnel received a compensation payment as a result of their termination and it was given to those who continued in service. This included officers, surgeons, boatswains, pursers, carpenters and gunners. Complete records of service, applicant’s baptism certificates and those for wives / children are often found.
Records for post 1860 naval officers, warrant officers and seamen are open to the public but those for personnel entering service from about 1930 are not always open as the subject may still be alive.