Description
The collection consists of 46 letters, written in India by Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates Robertson. The letters are primarily
to her grandmother Lady Frankland, her aunt Harriet Frankland, and her brother Sir Edward Charles Whinyates. The letters describe
social life and conditions in British Colonial India. In addition, there are two documents concerning her father's estate
in India. The materials date from 1806 to 1808.
Background
Against her family's wishes, Sara Anne Catherine Whinyates married Lieutenant James Robertson of the Bengal Engineers in 1803.
Her grandmother, Lady Frankland, her Aunt Harriet, and her brother Edward Charles were the only family that supported her
and wrote to her. Sara and her husband initially resided at Fort William. Situated on the eastern banks of the River Hooghly,
the major distributary of the River Ganges, Fort William was an important stronghold and the major trading hub for the East
India Company. From the time of their marriage until 1805, British and Indian soldiers clashed in the Second Anglo-Maratha
War – Britain's sixth conflict with India since 1766. British forces managed to maintain control of Fort William, but, by
1806, the region still experienced some violence.
Extent
0.4 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Restrictions
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.