Writing the Story of the Last Nawab of Bengal’s English Family

Abstract

On 15 May 1870, the Nawab of Bengal married Sarah Vennell, a seventeen-year-old English chambermaid, in a Shia Muslim wedding ceremony, making her his fourth permanent or Nikah wife. They lived in England for ten years, and had six children. The Nawab’s liaison with what British officials called ‘a woman of mean extraction’ was a contributing factor when he was persuaded by the British government to abdicate in1880, give up many of his claims and allow the permanent abolition of his title. In that same year the Nawab formed a liaison with another maid and later returned to India with this maid and his and Sarah’s four surviving children, leaving Sarah in England. Their youngest son, my grandfather, changed his name and emigrated to Australia in 1925. This essay describes my gradual discovery in Australia of my Indian ancestors and the issues I confronted when trying to write their story. It includes an extract in which I describe my grandfather’s childhood in India.

Keywords:

• Australian immigration policy
• British Muslims
• British Raj
• intercultural marriage
• Nawab of Bengal
• racism

Notes

1 Helen MacKenzie, Storms and Sunshine of a Soldier’s Life: Lt.-General Colin MacKenzie, C.B., 1825–1881, Vol. 2. Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1884, pp. 216–218.

2 Syed Assad Ali Meerza, more familiarly known as Subah Sahib, was Mansour Ali Khan’s fourth son, born in 1855. He was a distinguished artist.

3 They travelled on the SS Eldorado, leaving London on 16 November 1880, arriving Calcutta, 31 December 1881. Homeward Mail from India, China, and the East, 17 November 1880.

4 Their father’s mother, Rais-un-nisa Begum. She died, nine years after her son, in 1893.

5 Muharram occurs during the first month of the Islamic year, and is a commemoration particularly observed by Shia Muslims of the martyrdom of Husain, the Prophet Mahommed’s grandson, with 10 days of mourning, prayers, and processions.

6 The Bera festival (Bera Utsav) is usually held in September and is a celebration of the water deity. Murshidabad is particularly famous for its lavish celebration of this festival and spectacular firework display. It was during this festival in 1846 that the Imambara caught fire, necessitating the building of the present one by the Nawab.