The British In India

Tracing Your Roots > South Asian > Tracing South Asian Roots

On 31 December 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to a group of merchants that had incorporated themselves into the East India Company. (Details can be found in National Archives reference (PRO)C66/1553 MM 1-9.) These merchants were given monopoly privileges on all trade with the East Indies.

Another charter was granted by Elizabeth's successor, James I, nine years later; a third was obtained in 1657 from Oliver Cromwell, and a fourth in 1661 from Charles II. These were followed by other royal grants and by Acts of Parliament confirming the Company's privileges.

Until 1858 the affairs of British India were the responsibility of the East India Company and the Commissioners for the Affairs of India, otherwise known as the India Board or the Board of Control, who were first appointed in 1784.
In 1858, the powers of the East India Company were transferred to the Crown, and the Board of Control was replaced by the India Office, under a Secretary of State for India.
The company, the Board of Control, and later the India Office were responsible not only for India itself but also for relations with adjacent territories. This responsibility passed progressively to the Foreign Office or the Colonial Office between 1834 and 1934.
When India and Pakistan became independent in August 1947, the India Office was merged into the Commonwealth Relations Office, later the Commonwealth Office, and from 1968, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
When India gained its independence on 15 August 1947, it was divided into India and Pakistan, which was split into two wings, East and West Pakistan. In 1971 East Pakistan became the state of Bangladesh. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) now constitute the region of South Asia.

Details about South Asians that have been recorded in the various government departmental records are held in two major collections:

Read more about India Office Records at the British Library
Read more about the collections at the National Archives

Creators: Abi Husainy

On 31 December 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to a group of merchants that had incorporated themselves into the East India Company. (Details can be found in National Archives reference (PRO)C66/1553 MM 1-9.) These merchants were given monopoly privileges on all trade with the East Indies.

Another charter was granted by Elizabeth's successor, James I, nine years later; a third was obtained in 1657 from Oliver Cromwell, and a fourth in 1661 from Charles II. These were followed by other royal grants and by Acts of Parliament confirming the Company's privileges.

Until 1858 the affairs of British India were the responsibility of the East India Company and the Commissioners for the Affairs of India, otherwise known as the India Board or the Board of Control, who were first appointed in 1784.
In 1858, the powers of the East India Company were transferred to the Crown, and the Board of Control was replaced by the India Office, under a Secretary of State for India.
The company, the Board of Control, and later the India Office were responsible not only for India itself but also for relations with adjacent territories. This responsibility passed progressively to the Foreign Office or the Colonial Office between 1834 and 1934.
When India and Pakistan became independent in August 1947, the India Office was merged into the Commonwealth Relations Office, later the Commonwealth Office, and from 1968, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

When India gained its independence on 15 August 1947, it was divided into India and Pakistan, which was split into two wings, East and West Pakistan. In 1971 East Pakistan became the state of Bangladesh. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) now constitute the region of South Asia.


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