Was Britain divided about Indian independence, 1930-47?

Source 3

Letter, cartoon and mock heraldic description from N V L Rybot to Winston Churchill, 6 October 1933

Reference

➜ CHAR 2/194/21, CHAR 2/194/22 and CHAR 2/194/23

Simplified Transcript

Sans Buerre et Sans Brioche
Warwick House
First Tower
Jersey
6 October 1933

Sir,
I drew the enclosed when the first Round Table Conference was sitting and then lost sight of it. Now that it’s turned up again, I’m sending it to you in the hope that it may either entertain you for a few moments or serve as ammunition in your battles against Indian independence.
Yours sincerely
N V L Rybot

Should you find the cartoon of no interest, kindly return it to me.

Mock coat of arms description by N V L Rybot of his cartoon making fun of Mahatma Gandhi (Indian National Congress), James Ramsay Macdonald (Leader of Labour Party) and Stanley Baldwin [later Lord Baldwin] (Leader of Conservative Party)

THE ARMS OF MADHATTA GANDHI, Swa-rajah of BILJPUR and
Director or JABEERJI, IRTI N, CHATTERBHOI & Co.

Arms quarterly: -
I. Under an ill-fated black Cloud, a Lion coward , leaderless &
weakened. rapidly going West .
II. On a Field of blue fear within a border of Chequers, a
left facing dirty Scuttle.
III. A round Table, divided by a wavy white and black line, treacherous Tories (conservatives) and worst Labour government.
IV. Jagged bars for the nonce, an Afghan hound with drops of blood
impatiently awaiting his turn.

SUPPORTERS: On the Right. RAMSAY MACDONALD (Labour leader), Dusteater-in-chief to the Madhatta, blowing the Conchie-Shell of Victory.
Left BALDWIN (Conservative leader) of dilly-dally (can’t make up his mind) constantly pursuing safety.
CREST: Seated on a tattered Union Jack flag is Gandhi bluffing, wickedly over-fed on eastern arrogance.
in his Pride, deucedly gorged with oriental Arrogance.
MOTTO: ‘ENGLAND EJECTS EVERY MAN WHO’S TIED TO GANDHI' S
DHOT I’ (Dhoti is a traditional Indian wrap worn by men)

Original Transcript

[beneath logo]
Sans Buerre et Sans Brioche
Warwick House
First Tower
Jersey
October the 6th, 1933.

Sir,
I composed the enclosed when the first Round Table Conference was sitting and then lost sight of it. Now that it has turned up again, I venture to send it to you in the hope that it may either entertain you for a few moments or serve as ammunition in your battles against babu-dom.
Yours sincerely
[signed] N.V.L.Rybot
Ackd [Acknowledged] 12.10.35
Should you find the drawing of no interest, kindly return it to me. [handwritten]

(Image 2: Cartoon)

Cartoon by N V L Rybot featuring Mahatma Gandhi sitting on a mock coat of arms supported by James Ramsay Macdonald and Stanley Baldwin [later Lord Baldwin] with the motto: ‘England ejects every man who's tied to Gundi’s dhoti.’

(Image 3: Mock heraldic description)

Mock heraldic description by N V L Rybot of his cartoon satirising Mahatma Gandhi, James Ramsay Macdonald and Stanley Baldwin [later Lord Baldwin]

THE ARMS OF MADHATTA GANDHI , Swa-rajah of BILJPUR and
Director or JABBERJI , IRWIN, CHATTERBHOI & Co.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Arms quarterly: -
I. Under a Cloud sable illomened, a Lion coward , leaderless &
emasculé. rapidly going West .
II. On a Field of blue Funk within a bordure or Chequers, a
Scuttle sinister improper.
III. A Table round, party nebulé white and black , très-Tory-ous
and worstministery laboré.
IV. Barred ragulé for the nonce, a Wolf afghanois guttèe-de-sang
impatiently awaiting his turn.
----------------------

SUPPORTERS: Dexter. RAMSAMY MAQ, Dusteater-in-chief to the
Madhatta, blowing the Conchie-Shell of Victory.
Sinister. BAL-UD-DUIN of Dilhi-Dalhi sedulously
contemplating Safeti.
----------------------
CREST: Seated triumphant on a tattered Jack, a bluffing Babu
in his Pride, deucedly gorged with oriental Arrogance.
----------------------
MOTTO: ENGLAND EJECTS EVERY MAN WHO’S TIED TO GUNDI'S
DHOTI.
----------------------

What is this source?

This is a letter and cartoon sent to Churchill by N V L Rybot who lived in Jersey, commenting on one of the Round Table Conferences. It was sent on 6 October 1933.

Background to this source

This cartoon was sent to Churchill, apparently for his own amusement, and it wasn’t published in a newspaper. Norman Rybot had been an officer in the Indian Army from 1897 until 1920 and then retired to Jersey in the Channel Islands where he designed stamps and wrote several books.

Churchill had been highly critical of the National Governments, led first by Ramsay Macdonald of the Labour Party and then by Stanley Baldwin of the Conservative Party, for agreeing to meet with Gandhi at the second round table conference in late1931. Churchill was passionately in favour of Britain retaining control over her Empire and therefore against self-rule in India. Churchill maintained that it was wrong to negotiate about India’s system of governments with Gandhi because he didn’t represent all Indians.

How can we use this source in the investigation?

Remember, we’re hoping that the source can be useful to us in investigating whether opinion in Britain was divided on the question of Indian independence. The sources can be analysed in two ways:

Surface level

1. When was the cartoon drawn and why has it been sent to Churchill?
2. Which British politicians are depicted in the cartoon and which Indian?
3. What symbols are drawn on the shield and what is their meaning?
4. What does the motto at the bottom of the shield say and what does this mean?

Deeper level

Which of the inferences below can be made from this source?

	On a scale of 1-5 how far do you agree that this source supports this inference?	Which extract(s) from the source support your argument?
The Conservative and Labour Parties both supported Indian independence.
Gandhi was well respected by British politicians.
Many people believed Britain would be weakened if India became independent.
There is evidence that some people in Britain supported Indian independence.
There is evidence that some people in Britain opposed Indian independence.

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Need help interpreting the source?

• This cartoon was drawn by a former soldier in the Indian Army. Rybot had lived in India for over twenty years and fought with Indian soldiers in the First World War.
• Rybot left India shortly after the Amritsar Massacre in 1919 when General Dyer was blamed for shooting unarmed attenders of a religious festival where a political speaker was talking.
• Ramsay Macdonald and Stanley Baldwin were political opponents but had worked closely together in the National Governments of the 1930s. Macdonald and then Baldwin both held the position of Prime Minister and participated in the Roundtable Conferences.
• Both held the strong view that India needed a new form of government in one way or another.
• Churchill may have claimed that it was wrong to negotiate about India’s system of governments with Gandhi because he didn’t represent all Indians. But he may have also taken this stance because it suited him to undermine any negotiations on the issue.

Explore the guide to interpreting letters

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