European and Anglo-Indian Defence Association facts for kids
The European and Anglo-Indian Defence Association was a special group formed in British India. It was like a club that tried to influence decisions. The person who started it and was its leader was a businessman named John Johnstone Jardine Keswick. Many people described this group as the main political voice for British people in India who were not part of the government.
The Association became very well-known because it strongly opposed something called the Ilbert Bill. Some people even called it a "Defiance" Association because of how strongly it fought against the bill. Many people who owned tea and indigo farms were members of this group.
What Was the Ilbert Bill?
The Ilbert Bill was a new law proposed on February 2, 1883. This happened when the Marquess of Ripon was the top British official, called the Viceroy, in India. The bill was written by Sir Courtenay Peregine Ilbert. He was a member of the Governor-General of India's special council that made laws.
The main idea of the Ilbert Bill was to let Indian judges or magistrates try cases involving European people in British India. Before this, only European judges could try Europeans.
Standing Up Against the Bill
Because of the Ilbert Bill, the European and Anglo-Indian Defence Association held its first meeting. This meeting took place on March 29, 1883, at the Town Hall in Calcutta. The Association said its goal was to "watch over and protect the interests" of several groups in India. These groups included Europeans, Anglo-Indians (people of mixed European and Indian heritage), Americans, Armenians, and others who shared similar interests with Europeans.
The Association had goals that went beyond just the Ilbert Bill. They wanted to achieve political, helpful, and economic aims. However, they said they formed because the Ilbert Bill was introduced without asking them. They felt it would take away one of their "most cherished rights."
At the meeting, Keswick explained why he was against the bill. He believed that Indian judges should not have the power to try Europeans until Indian society had changed more. He thought that when Indian women could openly participate in court and mix with British society, then the government could think about giving Indian judges this power.
In the end, the Association's efforts worked. British and European people kept the right to be tried by a jury made up of people from their own country. Years later, a judge named Sir Hugh Rahere Panckridge said that no other non-official European had ever been trusted by his community as much as "King" Keswick.
What Happened Next?
The Association continued to exist even after Keswick passed away in the early 1900s. In 1908, British farm owners in India asked the Association for help. They wanted the Association to defend their interests. According to Sir Henry Cotton, the Association was working to defend British farm owners. These owners were accused of mistreating Indian workers. This situation caused bad feelings between different groups of people.
In 1909, the Association spoke out against Indian nationalists. These nationalists were trying to get people to stop buying British goods. In 1912, the Association changed its name to the European Association. Many important Englishmen became members of this group.
Even after dropping "Anglo-Indian" from its name, the Association still supported Anglo-Indian employees. They campaigned for a certain percentage of Anglo-Indians to work in the railways in India. In 1931, the president of the Association spoke at Chatham House, a famous place for discussions. He said the Association was the only official group that represented the political views of non-official Europeans in India. He also mentioned that they had the official right to talk directly to the Government of India and the Viceroy.
