Description

Sir Sidney Wadsworth, I.C.S.

Memoirs – ‘Lo, the poor Indian:’ covering the area of the Madras Presidency, 1913-45:

• Chapter 1. Survey of social life in Madras 1913, with an account of some of the characters who lived there.
• Chapter 2. Nellore in 1913. Some inhabitants described including Dr. Ida Scudder and her family; Sir Norman Marjoribanks; Mohammed Habibullah; Sir Frederick Sayers; Vellore in 1944.
• Chapter 3. Gudur, as sub-collector; Nellore coast; Venkatagiri; the Maharaja and Raja; description of the Rajah’s installation; J.J. Cotton; hook-swinging ceremony by the Gollas; life in Gudur 1917-18.
• Chapter 4. Secretariat at Madras. Discussion of policy and administration in I.C.S. (example: scheme for Cochin Harbour and consequences); personalities in Secretariat.
• Chapter 5. Interludes. Private secretary for a month to Lord Willingdon; describes duties; private secretary to H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught on his visit to Madras.
• Chapter 6. Madanapalle. Description of place and people and of the fundamental nature of a district officer’s life; Arcot mission; T.B. Sanatorium; Theosophical college connected with Mrs. Annie Besant; Roman Catholic priest and Salvation Army at a criminal settlement at Bhumanagadda; account of the settlement; Indian residents; Peddappa Reddy and the consequences of litigation; irrigation; description of peons.
• Chapter 7. Pungahur – description; Indian Christians; evidence.
• Chapter 8. Godaveri. Politics – Gandhi and non-cooperation movement in Rajahundry and Antarvedi; description of an attempted take-over by Congress volunteers of religious festival; method of dealing with rebellious villages.
• Chapter 9. Secretary of the Board of Revenue, Madras. Work in the Court of Wards; examples of cases; puts in for judiciary.
• Chapter 10. Joins Middle Temple – bar examinations. Registrar, High Court in Madras under Sir Murray Coutts Trotter, and his consequent power in the ofice of the High Court. (This chapter gives a comprehensive description of the judges and members of the Madras Bar in 1925.)
• Chapter 11. Chingleput District, as District Judge. Description of place and inhabitants; leprosy; various murder cases described; religious endowment cases.
• Chapter 12. Scouting and Indian social attitudes in Chingleput and Madura.
• Chapter 13. Madura. Law cases there; murder; court house and prison described; social life; contacts with Indians.
• Chapter 14. Some criminals – various cases.
• Chapter 15. Various sections of society; Kallars, kaval and tuppukuli; Jellicut or bull-baiting; Nattukottai chettis; business interests and marriage, appearance etc.; pamulas or snake-catchers.
• Chapter 16. Kodaikanal – description and social life; Periyar irrigation system.
• Chapter 17. Chittoor and Bangalore. Judicial work and description; civil appeals from Coorg; appointed to Madras High Court as a permanent judge.
• Chapter 18. Madras High Court. Work there; case of Rajah Sir Annamalai Chetti; other cases; Madras Agriculturists Relief Act IV; Patanjali Sastri.
• Chapter 19. Madras at war. Evacuation; floods.
• Chapter 20. Gardening in South India.
• Chapter 21. Farewell. Assessment of the I.C.S. and British rule in India.