To members of the RAJ List - I should have sent my request to this List rather than the India List which is in the main, for people chasing their genealogy. The email below was sent to another List got up by John F and which concerns our two schools vis Dow Hill and Victoria. Sally Stewart > Hello ! > > I so thoroughly enjoyed the following account. I hope you will too. I > wrote to Moira expressing my appreciation and saying that I hoped with, > co-operation from other people, to compile a collection of train travel > experiences from those of us who 'enjoyed' the magic of steam train travel > in India of the years mentioned in the subject heading. > > Moira was gracious in her response and said that I could use her little > story explaining that she travelled third class because her mother, a > single > parent, earned a very modest income as a teacher in 'those' days. Moira > now > lives in the USA. I hope to glean more train stories from her. > > I hope very much that I'll get more responses as those of our generation > which fit the period, are 'er .... still taking journeys - one way (!) and > the opportunity to record our rather unique experiences will be lost. > > Any little yarn submitted can be edited and returned to you for final > approval so that your own unique style will be, in the main, retained. > P.S Those of us who used the Darjeeling Hill Rly will each remember their > own and unique > response to the same journey taken and it WILL be of interest. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Moira Breen" <moirabreen@sbcglobal.net> > To: "India" <india@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 7:50 AM > Subject: [INDIA] Train Travel in India in the 20's, 30's and 40's > > >> The South Indian railway had 4 classes! First, second, intermediate and >> third. As school children we travelled together in groups of 20 escorted >> by one woman in an enormous third class compartment. It had wooden >> benches >> and lots of room for all of us. We left Madras in the evening and sat up >> all night; next morning we were given a sandwich by our escort before the >> train arrived in Mettapalyam where we transferred to small compartrments >> in the little hill train, now considered one of the wonders of the world. >> Three hours later and over 7000 feet high, we were in Lovedale and all >> the school children tumbled out of the little carriages with our small >> suitcases and walked up the hill to to the school hospital where we were >> examined by the school doctor and nurses to make sure we did not have >> scabies or lice and then allowed to proceed to our schools - girls and >> boys being housed separately. The matron met us in school where we were >> given clean clothes and hot baths. Ten >> months later we went home ands the reverse took place. Again we had a >> sole >> woman escort and a group of about 20 children. >> As a young woman and adult I often travelled alone on the Indian >> railways >> and always third class. On each train there was just one woman's third >> class compartment - which was clearly marked showing an Indian woman in >> Indian headress. The rest of the third class carriages were for men. >> Second and First class carriages were few in number. Whole families >> travelled together going to a fair or festival or a family wedding. While >> waiting for the train, muslim women would be covered completely from head >> to toe in a white bourka which had slits for their eyes. All the women >> and >> children and the baggage would be put into the one woman's compartment on >> the train where we were packed like sardines. The men of the family >> would >> make sure their women and children were safe and then they went to the >> bigger men's compartments where they sat in comfort - no babies and no >> baggage. But when the train stopped at the next station, they would come >> to check on their women-folkd and children >> in the women's compartment. As soon as the train left the station, off >> came the white bourkas and I would see the women dressed in gorgeous >> Indian costume, and wearing the most exquisite jewellery - necklaces and >> bangles . Hindu women did not wear the bourka. If I was on an overnight >> trip from Madras to Banagalore, I sometimes was able to clamber up onto >> the luggage compartment and spend the night there overlooking the >> crowded >> passengers on the seats below. If I was on a short trip of a couple of >> hours, I often went into the third class carriage - for both men and >> women - as there was much more room and I sat with the men who were >> always very polite.But no Indian woman would be in the compartment with >> the men. >> I often wonder why the South Indian Railway only had one woman's >> compartment on the whole train as it was always crowded, with women, >> children, babies and baggage. Of course there was no air-conditioning and >> no fans! >> Moira Breen >> USA