Wednesday 6th November 2024

South Lawn Hotel. Milford Road, Milford on Sea, SO41 0RF

Monthly Meeting

Speaker, playwright and author Brian Freeland began his career in 1959 after completing National Service. It subsequently took him to 44 countries, including three residencies in the Middle East. 

Brian has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, Scottish Opera, Sadler's Wells and many local theatres, directing, scriptwriting and giving talks. 

He is planning to retire in 2024.

Today, Brian is to talk about the Women of the Raj.

When Colonial Administrators arrived to take over from the East India Company they were often accompanied by their wives: wives who spoke only English, who mixed only with other wives, and who couldn't even communicate with their household staff.  Wives who made great demands on their husbands.

 As one Indian wrote later:  "I don't think they realised what a menace they were.  If the memsahibs had stayed in Britain, there might never have been a Mutiny".