Guest Post: Tom Williams on the re-release of CAWNPORE #History #IndianMutiny @TomCW99

Tom Williams, writer of historical fiction, has just republished his book Cawnpore, about the Indian Mutiny.  It is the second book in his trilogy entitled The John Williamson Papers, and is available from Amazon HERE.  

I've read the whole trilogy and can most definitely recommend, especially if you have particular interest in the Victorian era.  The first book in the series, The White Rajah, will be of particular interest to anyone who has enjoyed the new Jonathan Rhys Myers film Edge of the World - it is Tom's fictional version of this true story, and does, I believe, pay more attention to historical accuracy!

I hope you will enjoy this guest post from him... take it away, Tom :)

'There has been a lot of talk lately about how people in Britain don’t know anything about the history of the British Empire. The ‘Empire Project’, people say, should be looked at afresh. The British should face up to the reality of the things that the country did in the past.

The British Empire in 1837 - British possessions in dark grey.

The problem is that it’s an uncomfortable thing to do. Partly because from a 21^st century liberal perspective much of the Empire Project was morally objectionable, but also because it means questioning some of the same 21^st century liberal thinking about heroes of the liberation struggle.

My book Cawnpore was first published in 2011, long before the recent resurgence of interest in Empire. It’s set in 1857 and we are immediately mired in controversy.

I refer to the events of 1857 as the Indian Mutiny because my ‘Empire’ stories are written in the first person and that’s what people called the fighting in India then. (For the same reason, I write about Cawnpore rather than call it by its modern name of Kanpur.) Indians tend to refer to the same conflict as the First Indian War of Independence. The Indian name is slightly more accurate but both are misleading. It was definitely not a mutiny, but nor was it a war of Indians vs Europeans. In today’s terminology, it was probably best described as an insurgency.

If there is controversy about the name of the place the book is set and what to call the events at the heart of the story, that’s nothing to the differences in the way that the people in the story are viewed. (Except for my fictional narrator, almost everybody in the book is a real person.)

The story of Cawnpore, whoever tells it, is a tragedy. British forces, surrendering after a long siege, were massacred. The Indian commanders attempted to save many of the women and children who had been trapped in the siege. Later, though, all the women and children were massacred in their turn.

Artist: Jason Askew

It was, by any standards, utterly appalling. It was used by the British to justify reprisals all across India, with the mass murder of men, most of whom were nowhere near Cawnpore and many of whom were not involved in any rebellion.

The Memorial Well on the site of the massacre, photographed in 1860

Both Indians and Europeans have much to be ashamed of. Yet until late in the 20^th century, Cawnpore was taught in British history books as a story of native savagery. There was little discussion of why British troops were in India in the first place and nothing about the horrific reprisals against civilians. Now the pendulum has swung. The memorial on the site of the massacre has been removed and the park where it was has been renamed after the man responsible for the killings, Nana Sahib. He has been hailed as a hero of the liberation struggle. His image has even appeared on postage stamps.

The trouble with discussions of the rights and (multiple) wrongs of the Empire Project is that the issues are seldom as ethically clear-cut as modern commentators would like and the details of particular events have often been lost or lack context. In many ways, works of fiction can raise these issues more easily than history books. In my case, Cawnpore describes the events of 1857 as seen by a European who was there but who was horrified by the actions of both sides. The reader sees things as my fictional narrator saw them and then has to draw their own conclusions as to where their sympathies lie.'

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Would you like to know more?

Tom's blog, on which you can read more about 19^th century history, about his other historical series, thoughts on writing, and much other assorted random stuff!

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CAWNPORE by Tom Williams

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I bought this book as soon as I'd read the stand-alone sequel, Back Home.  In Cawnpore, India, John Williamson is employed as a Deputy Collector in the British governed town during the middle of the 19th century.  Not always comfortable in the role of a conqueror in a foreign country, he seeks his own amusement, and forms relationships outside the British community.

This is the story of the Indian Mutiny of 1857, and the build up and aftermath.  I knew next to nothing about this, and found it most interesting.  Tom Williams is a skilful writer, adept in both characterisation and story telling. I liked how Williamson was reminded that the British were the trespassers, and that the Indians' viewpoint was that they were taking back what was rightfully theirs; possibly the most profound moment in the book. The treatment of the British by the Indians might not have been honourable, but it was no less so than in any other war; however, the purpose of a book review is to comment on the readability of the book itself, not the activities of the characters, especially when the historical fiction is based on fact.

In early part of the book the author has portrayed so well the stiff formalities of the early Victorians.  As tension mounts, he doesn't favour any particular faction within the story, and the descriptions of the build up to the massacre are detailed and well thought out.  Sometimes I found the book a little long-winded, but not often; sometimes long-windedness is necessary in order to report all facts. 

Williamson disguises himself as an Indian to facilitate his ability to move between camps; at times I wondered if this was a little far-fetched, but then I read in the author's notes at the end that some British officers used such disguises successfully during the mutiny, so do please bear that in mind when reading.

On occasion I found the detail of his physical relationship with Mungo Buksh to be unnecessary, but that may be because I prefer my battle stories without the 'love interest'!  On the whole, this novel is all that historical fiction should be: absorbing, believable and educational.

Added extra!  Either before or after you've read this book, you might like to read this excellent article by Liz Lloyd on her 'Lost in the Past' blog, the tragic tale of the English ladies of Cawnpore ~ brings it home.  It's HERE

   

BACK HOME by Tom Williams reviewed HERE