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The 'caper' of the title was the response George Peppé anticipated from
his sister in 1843 on the announcement of the news that he and his brother
were to be sent to north India to set up a sugar factory. And good news it
proved to be for a Scottish family of modest means who depended on
sons and brothers for financial support. The estate which was
subsequently established at Birdpur, near the border with Nepal,
remained in the family's hands till well after Independence. Author and
family member Sue King-Smith has chosen to present the Peppé history
in a particular format. She was advised by a publisher to avoid a
commercially produced book, on the grounds that this would have
necessitated a stand on 'woke' issues such as empire. Instead, she has
self-published a compilation of family history, incorporating numerous
family accounts and letters, with references to web sites, and illustrated
by contemporary drawings, sketches, maps and photographs. The
authorship of various contributions, including the compiler's linking
sections, is indicated by different colour type. The resulting mix does not
always make for an easy read by the general public. Material is often
duplicated, the plethora of names is sometimes confusing, while much of
the anecdote and gossip is only of interest to the family itself. A more
tightly constructed narrative and a firmer editorial hand would have been
helpful.
Nevertheless, much of the material is fascinating. Most narratives of the
British in India involve those in the military or civilian administration,
who returned to Britain on retirement. The Peppé family were neither.
They were the economic migrants of their era, who committed
themselves to India over generations, and for whom India was truly
home.
George and his brother William, who sailed to India in 1843, worked
extremely hard clearing wild and previously undeveloped land, planting
sugar, putting up factories which had been transported from Britain, and
involving the local population in the creation of a rural economy which
later spread to indigo, lac, tea and horse-breeding. Rice was also planted,
dependent on an irrigation system which took fifty-three years to
complete, illustrating the family's long-term commitment to India. An
interesting account of life on the Birdpur estate in the years before
Independence shows the family not only as economic managers, but
administering justice, and fully integrated in the life of the
community. Readers can draw their own conclusions about the so-called
'exploitative' role of the British.
Equally interesting are contemporary accounts of key historical events
such as the Uprising of 1857. While one of the family contributors
blames the British for the outbreak of violence, its details nevertheless
make for chilling reading. The terror is palpable - though the aggression
of many Indians was matched by the loyalty of others who saved
numerous individuals. But in time bitter memories died away. An
account by Stan Scovell - great granddaughter of the original George -
of her childhood in the early days of the 20th century reflects a deep
happiness in the rural life of the estate, and the household where English
was rarely spoken, even by the children to their parents.
British women had a mixed life. Death in childbirth, and disease which
killed numerous children, were afflictions which all suffered, no matter
their background. But women like Delia Gibbon were challenged in other
ways, when in the late 1840s she had to take over the running of the
Birdpur estate, which posed huge administrative not to say physical
demands. Ladies of the official cadres never had to fend for themselves
like the amazing Elizabeth Boyson. Born in India in the early 19th century
and educated in an orphan asylum, she used her only asset - her
womanhood - to assure her survival through formal and informal unions
with a series of five men by whom she had numerous children.
Apart from fascinating glimpses into the social hi story of the time, the
account provides information about the family's particular interests in
the culture of India. Chief among these was the Buddhist stupa at
Piprahwa on the Birdpur estate, which was excavated by William
Claxton Peppe in 1898, revealing relics of the Buddha and other
remarkable artefacts. The finds attracted great attention at the time, and
William's account in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society is
reproduced, as well as other popular and scholarly reports. Meanwhile
the record of the peoples of India, which was a particular concern of the
Victorians with their passion for scientific classification, was assisted by
George Tosco Peppé, son of the original George.
A talented photographer, he made his mark by recording the Juang tribe
of south India, the images appearing in a publication in Calcutta in 1872.
The artistic abilities of the family extended further. The book is
illustrated by the sketches and drawings of Annie Larpent in the 19th
century, and Elfie Peppé in the 20th. This was a type of activity which
women made their own in India, contributing enormously to the record
of the country. It would have been interesting to know where they were
taught - at home, or possibly in the art schools growing in Britain and
India - and whether they contributed to the many exhibitions organised
in India. The raw material of the book raises many questions like this,
and readers may be encouraged to pursue their interests further. Those
who are concerned with organising and publishing their own family
history will be interested to see the way it has been done here in one
particular format.
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