Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Collection of maps:
Blueprint map: The provinces of Rangamatty, Rungpour and Coosbeyhar with the adjacent purgannahs of Baharbund and Bittrebund and part of Bootan. Surveyed by Rennell and Martin, 1765-1773,
Railway map: Map showing E.B.R. System, n.d.
Road map of India, Sheet C: North East India, n.d.
Road map of India, Sheet D: South India, n.d.
Double-sided map, printed on silk. Sheet A: India (part of), Burma (North West); Sheet B: Burma (North East), Siam (Thailand), French Indo China (part of), China (part of).
Survey of India map No. 78 in three parts.
Tourist map, Darjeeling.
Survey of India map of Jalpaiguri District
MacWhirter Papers: Box 7
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Writing notes, story drafts, sketches and journal notes; copmleted articles and publications:
The Tibetan Trumpet by Edith Macwhirter — book cover
Exercise book dated 1951 CURRENT — Notes on: Orange Grove Day
Pages taken from diaries and notebooks headed NOTES 1951
Article entitled Life in North Lakhimpur — three typewritten copies (seven quarto pages each)
Notebook entitled 1951 AT HOME & OUTWARD BOUND. Drafts of short stories
Two pages from a notebook dated 1950, notes for Tea Novel
Article dated September 1950 entitled UPCOUNTRY CALENDAR. Nine typewritten pages
Exercise book containing notes dated 1952; sketch of a cat dated 2 July 1952; three drawings and one page of writing by a child named John Demetrius
Three pages of notes headed TEA, February 1950
One page of notes dated February 1950 listing election results
Seven pages from a notebook dated 1950 — notes for a short story
Six pages of handwritten notes headed CALCUTTA 1950 FILM INTERLUDE
Eight pages of handwritten notes: Dum Dum, March 1950; A’s Poem, 1950; Easter 1950; August 1950; Earthquake, August 1950; Memories of N. Lakhimpur, 1950
Three handwritten pages of notes headed DURGA; four pages headed DURGA TIME; three pages headed ARATI; five pages headed DURGA PUJAH NOTES
Six pages of handwritten notes headed DR KATJU’S SPEECH
CITY OF CONTRASTS; TWO SCENES FROM CALCUTTA, March 1950. Four typewritten pages
Notebook headed 1950 DARJEELING DISASTER MUSIC BY NIGHT URCA
MacWhirter Papers: Box 6
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Assam and Eastern Indian journals and publications:
Eastern Himalayan Church News: Vol II, No 1, January 1956
Eastern Himalayan Church News, Vol IV, No 3, July 1958
The Kalimpong Homes’ Magazine, Vol III, No 1, June 1958
Assam Valley Ligh Horse Auxilliary Force (I.) Annual Report, Vol 5, Nos 1 and 2, 1935-36 and 1936-37
Duncan Brothers & Co., Ltd, Annual Report, 1962
The Barrackpore News Letter, No 25, January 1954
The Assam Review and Tea News: Vol XVIII, December 1937 Vol XVIII, No V, January 1938 Vol XIX, No II, April 1938 Vol XIX, No III, May 1938 Vol XIX, No IV, June 1938 Vol XIX, No V, July 1938
MacWhirter Papers: Box 5
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Diaries and journals; notes for stories and published articles:
Various newspaper cuttings covering the Assam Riots — from both The Times and The Guardian. Dated from 11 February 1983 to 12 April 1983.
Journal 1954 April to June (includes part of May)
Journal part of May 1954 — 1950
Four postcards — Madras Harbour; Ellerman lines SS ‘City of Lucknow’
Personal letter dated Saturday 8th May 1954 on Grand Hotel, Calcutta writing paper Booklet of SS ‘City of Lucknow’, sailing from Calcutta, 7th May, 1954. Staff list; passenger list, itinerary, Ellerman Office information for UL, Great Britain, Canada and USA.
Various press cuttings — Royal Bhutanese dancers, Ashcroft, Croydon — The Times 8th May 1980 The Last Page; BBC hunt for British Raj survivors; What the Raj gave to India by Terence Mullaly; Freedom of the Shires: shire horses who deliver Whitbread beer to public houses in the City of London gallop off at the start of a two-week holiday in the Kent countryside. Picture E. Hamilton-West. Newspaper advert for Assam.
Handwritten Poem by Mrs Bose Andy B’s mama entitled “Passing Away”
Two coloured pictures of tea adverts showing Indian ladies. One with household instructions handwritten on the back about the care of cats and birds.
Pages from magazine Himalyan Times, dated Kalimpong, April 17, 1949.
Report and Accounts 1980 for Lawrie Plantation Holdings Limited.
Various pages from The Assam Review and Tea News magazine:
November 1937 ‘Club Nights’ by Macwhirter
November 1937 ‘A Memsahib’s Monday’ by Macwhirter
December 1937 ‘A Memsahib’s Christmas’ by Macwhirter
January 1938 poem entitled ‘And More Club Nights’ by Macwhirter
April 1938 ‘A Memsahib’s Tuesday’ by Macwhirter
April 1938 poem entitled ‘A Sad Tale of a Planter’s Wife’ by Macwhirter
April 1938 — photo of Lady Reid, wife of Asam Governor.
May 1938 article entitled ‘For the Memsahib’.
May 1938 ‘A Memsahib’s Wednesday’ by Macwhirter
June 1938 poem ‘On Living Among Scotsmen’ by Macwhirter
June 1938’A Memsahib’s Thursday’ by Macwhirter
July 1938 ‘A Memsahib’s Friday’ by Macwhirter
September 1938 poem entitled ‘I Told Him’ by Macwhirter
October 1938 ‘A Memsahib’s Saturday’ by Macwhirter
February 1940 ‘St. Valentine’s Day’ by Macwhirter
March 1940 — ‘Postman’s Knock’ story by Macwhirter
March 1940 ‘Then and Now’ by Macwhirter
May 1938 article entitled ‘For the Memsahib’.
April 1938 — The Assam Reviewand Tea News picture of Lady Reid, wife of Asam Governor.
May 1940 — The Assam Review and Tea News pictures of North Lakhimpur Golf showing Mr A S Macwhirter
Newspaper cutting dated 10 November 1937 from The Times entitled ‘The Abominable Snowman: a Tibetan Mystery solved at last.’
MacWhirter Papers: Box 4
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Diaries of Mrs M.E. MacWhirter; notes for short stories and travel writings:
Exercise book entitled Homeward 1947 and marked ‘Macwhirter, Cabin No 72, Promenade Deck’
Pocket diaries for: 1947, 1942 1948, 1950, 1952, two for 1951, 1954
Pages torn from pocket diaries for the years 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945 and 1949 and containing handwritten notes
Diary for the year 1951
Men’s and ladies’ golf score cards from North Lakhimpur and Shillong Golf Courses
Page of handwritten notes entitled India, Jan 22nd 1948
Contents of a ring binder containing notes arranged in chronological order
Foolscap pages of handwritten notes arranged in chronological order
Two small handwritten pages of notes dated September 30th 1948
Five pages of handwritten notes dated November 1948
Exercise book containing handwritten notes entitled 2nd Darjeeling trip 1948, also visit to Gandra
Looseleaf pages of handwritten notes arranged in chronological order, starting January 1948
Exercise book — journal from 8 March to 31 April 1951
Exercise book entitled Journal 1954, Jan to March
Exercise book entitled Journal 1954, 16th May to …
MacWhirter Papers: Box 3
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Ephemera, social functions, theatre performances and programmes, tea estate matters:
Various menus, typed and handwritten
Written exercise of Hindi Map of Tea Gardens of Kumargram dated 5/5/31
Red Cross minutes, 16 December 1939.
New Cinnatolliah Tea Co., Report and Statements of Account, Season 1942
Various lunch invitations and visiting cards
Envelope containing dried leaves
Various sketches
Garrison Theatre, Shillong, Calcutta programme, 8 March 1943.
Grand Hotel, Calcutta. Bill dated March 1943; menu, 9 March 1943.
Typed letter from Labourers asking from more rice
Kashmir and Tibet Trading Company, wholesale buying agents. Bill dated 22 February 1944.
Thanksgiving for Victory and Peace Programme, dated Sunday 19th May 1945 held at the Garrison Theatre, Shillong
Concert Programme, held at Durbar Hall, Government House dated Friday August 10th 1945
Copy of letter sent by Lord Mountbatten, 14 June 1945, congratulating the Indian Tea Association Labour Force on its work. Also congratulatoryletter from A. McLaren, Chairman, Indian Tea Association, Calcutta, 14 June 1945.
Typed and hand written lists of Packages of the personal effects being moved from Cinnatolliah to Kurnargram
Labourer’s leave pass, 26 February 1946 from Cinnatolliah Tea Estate.
Government of Assam cloth ration card for Shillong for half-year ending Spetember 1946.
Assorted bills for books, glasses, cloths and clay figures.
Private cash book, May 1950.
Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon, 1951 programme 2 July to 1 September.
Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon, various programmes.
Catalogue of the art section, Whitstable Festival Exhibition, 1951.
Typed copy of The enduring stones by Edward Percy, and press cuttings about the performance on August 3, 1951.
RMS Circassia: list of passengers March 1951.
RMS Circassia menu.
RMS Caledonia: list of passengers 22 September 1951.
Anchor line track chart for the Eastern service.
M. Sharp Brothers, Indian hand empbroidery, Calcutta. Stock list and prices.
Telegram
Typed Order of Service, IN MEMORIAM OF HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI (1936-53)
Kalimpong Arts & Crafts Catalogue 1953-54
Christmas Party programme
Harrods bill dated 1954 Pye All dry battery portable radio instructions and bill
Press cutting from MONTHLY REVIEW of Racing, dated March 1954
Press cuttings from MONTHLY REVIEW of Social events dated Feb. 1954
Landing cards for Ellerman Lines, 18 June 1954.
Bazaar shopping lists from the 1950s.
Programmes of events for the Dooars, published by the UK Citizens’ Association.
UK Citizens’ Association minutes and policy statements.
Handwritten marriage notes
Typed and handwritten lists of Sale of Furniture and Effects
Christmas Cards
Golf score cards
Information Leaflet on Sissinghurst Castle, Kent.
Two one rupee notes
Book entitled “Navvies to the Fourteenth Army” by A H Pilcher, with a foreword by Gen. Sir William Slim — November 1947. Book details the work of the Indian Tea Association labour force in the last stages of the long grim retreat from Burma in 1942. Stating that without the ITA help few of the Burma Army would have reached India.
MacWhirter Papers: Box 2
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Notes and articles by Mrs M. Edith MacWhirter:
Various notes for future writings dated 1949 — on wedding; pens and tea (handwritten)
Short story — “Speechlessness” (typescript)
Story (approx 2300 words) — “Mister Manning: teacher of mathematics and the black arts.” Traveller in Tibet. (typescript)
Story (approx 2100 words) — Bhalka Range (typescript)
Covering letter dated 19th February 1947 relating to article entitled “Bhutan merchants” (approx. 2100 words). Also letter refers to another article entitled “From a Calcutta Window”.
Copy of Magazine Pages of The Prize-Winning Short Story — “Laburnum Tree” by M.E. MacWhirter
Short story approx 1700 words — “The Tibetan Pedlar” (typescript)
Handwritten notes on future book, 1948.
Handwritten notes from story dated 1948.
Four loose pages in typescript covering various stories.
Large typescript called “Kumaggram” in five parts.
Two pages of typescript setting scene concerning a Tea Garden dated 1948
One typed page, dated 1948 headed Kalikhola Mela
Newspaper cutting of short story by M.E. MacShirter entitled “Cats for Company” dated 11th July 1948.
Typed extract from “English Domestic Silver” by Charles Oman ( A & C Black, London, 1947).
Short story approx 750 words — “Through the Porthole” (typescript) dated 1947
Small typed paragraph entitled “At Sea”.
Journal jottings, handwritten dated 1946 and 1950
Two small notebooks used as personal diaries. One dated 1948 containing some loose pages.
Various pages from The Assam Review and Tea News dated 1940.
MacWhirter Papers: Box 1
Papers of A.S. MacWhirter, tea planter in Assam, and his wife, Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter, writer, 1930s-1950s. Collection of personal papers, official documents, writing and notes, letters and cuttings with a specific focus on the work of the Indian Tea Association during World War Two.
Personal correspondence received by A.S. MacWhirter and Mrs M.E. (Edith) MacWhirter:
Personal letters from members of staff relating to employment at the Tea Estate; correspondecne relating to the work of the Lakhimpur District War Committee; domestic arrangements and details; journal entries (separated from journals or transcribed) including one series of highly stylised diary pieces by Mrs MacWhirter; social and official engagements, invitations and responses, including correspondence with Government House, Simla. 136 items.