Very few British Indian historians have documented the darker shades of The Empire as an anti-dote of the rose-tinted version presented in mainstream media. Fewer have succeeded in writing best-selling novels around those forgotten heroes when even the British history curriculum failed to teach Britons about these icons. London based journalist-historian Shrabani Basu has accomplished both ends by weaving together her passion for telling lesser-known stories and her love for history in her immersive writings. Asian Voice caught up with the biographer ahead of her upcoming publication 'The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer'.
Q: How did you embark on your upcoming title 'The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer'? Can you please shed some insight into the process of unearthing facts, sifting through pre-existing literature including investigative reports among others?
A: I have always been interested in uncovering the hidden stories of Indians in Britain. My previous books include Spy Princess, on WWII heroine Noor Inayat Khan and Victoria & Abdul about the relationship between Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim.
I have always been a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle and the Sherlock Holmes stories, and I did know that he had donned the hat of Sherlock Holmes to investigate only one crime himself. The fact that this crime involved an Indian made it all the more fascinating. I began my research into the story in 2015, as I discovered some new material on the subject.
My books are all non-fiction, so I believe in extensive research into private papers, archival material, newspaper reports. It takes me many years to write each book. I like to travel to the area I am writing about. Often it includes covering different countries, so it’s all a labour of love. I like to combine by journalistic skills along with historical research.
Q: Institutional racism has been a focal point of debate in the western society more so, in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protest and following George Floyd's death. How does George Edlaji's story illustrate his struggles around race, religion and class?
A: George’s story is set in the period between the late Victorian period and the early Edwardian era, yet it is strikingly relevant today. Here was a man, who became the victim of racial prejudice in a small mining town in the Midlands. His was the only Indian family in the village. It led directly to his arrest and conviction. It reveals racism in the police forces and how the establishment closed ranks to protect their own. Yet, no less than Arthur Conan Doyle jumped in to fight George’s case.
It is a fascinating story of racial prejudice at the time of Empire, but also looks at those who stood by George to fight it.
How is this book different from your previous works around Noor Inayat and Victoria and Abdul?
A: The characters are totally different. Noor Inayat Khan is a brave young woman of Indian origin who made the highest sacrifice in the fight against Fascism. She was a writer and a musician and was posthumously awarded the George Cross, but her story and contribution had been forgotten over the years. Victoria and Abdul is about an unusual friendship between the English Queen and her Indian servant.
The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer is about a crime and trial that takes place in the Midlands in 1903, and the subsequent investigation by Arthur Conan Doyle.
The only thing similar about Abdul and George are that they both face racism. Their circumstances are totally different. Abdul is a humble clerk from Agra, arrives for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and stays on at her will. He moves in Royal circles and is given titles and land by the Queen. George is born in a village in the Midlands. He is the son of a Vicar. His father is a Parsee convert to Christianity and his mother is English. He himself is a successful lawyer till his world turns upside down.
They are all different people from different backgrounds, inhabiting different worlds. But they all made a significant contribution to the history of Britain.
Q: There hasn't been much historical literature on the legacy of the Parsees and their migration to the UK, at least not quite in the mainstream media. How do you believe this book will alter the genre?
A: Parsees have played a major role in British history. The first Asian MP, Dadabhai Nowrojee was a Parsee. He was followed by two other Parsee MPs, Mancherjee Bhownagree and Shapurji Saklatavala. Cornelia Sorabjee was the first woman to graduate in law from Oxford in 1892. In Britain today, the Tatas own Jaguar Land Rover and TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) are major employers. Karan Bilimoria of Cobra Beer, sits in the House of Lords. It would be good to raise awareness of Parsees in Britain and their rich legacy.
