Cleo Redd Fisher speaker series program to delve into British East India Co.
LOUDONVILLE − The Cleo Redd Fisher Museum continues its speaker series with a look into the British East India Company and how it forged an empire out of a mutiny against its own government. The program is slated for 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20.
In the 19th century, British politicians and writers agreed Britain ruled India “by the sword.” But Britain’s metaphorical “sword” in India was unusual. Its armies in India were not under the control of the Crown. Instead, they were employed by the British East India Company, a private corporation turned colonial state. Restricted from enlisting men from the British Isles, the company relied mostly on Indian soldiers, called sepoys, who were in turn commanded by a tiny corps of white officers at the top of a highly segregated military system. Historians have long recognized this body as one of the most indispensable tools of empire, literally, the means through which it expanded and conquered.
Historian Dr. Christina Welsch will focus not on battlefield victories or slogging campaigns, but rather on a hidden history of disorder within the army. In 1809, over 1,200 white officers in southern India mutinied against the company’s civilian government. British onlookers were horrified, condemning the violence as an act of treason that would lead to imperial collapse. Yet, officers emerged from the chaos with increased power, while their opponents faced disgrace.
Understanding this drama requires a careful analysis of how the rebelling officers portrayed their role in the empire. The sepoys they commanded often had very different views on such claims of authority, but the officers’ self-aggrandizement proved convincing to many Britons.
Welsch is the associate professor of Britain and its Empire in the history department at The College of Wooster. Her first book, "The Company’s Sword: The East India Company and the Politics of Militarism, "1644-1858 (Cambridge University Press, 2022), explores how military actors influenced the ideology of the colonial state in India. Her second project is an examination of the wars between the British Company and the Indian state of Mysore.
The program is free and open to the public. The event will be held in the lecture hall of the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum, 203 E. Main St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.crfmuseum.com or call the museum at 419-994-4050.
Museum seeks volunteers
The museum is looking to recruit volunteers and will hold an open house at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, for those interested in becoming involved. It will include an introduction to the museum and the roles volunteers fulfill, such as interpreters, educators, collections assistants and more.
According to the museum’s curator, Kenny Libben, volunteers play an essential role in sharing the museum collections, exhibitions, research and programming. Volunteers are considered part of the staff, serving as stakeholders and help to shape the future of the museum.
“We’re always honored when someone is willing to join our team and share their time with us, adding new perspectives on history and how we can connect with our community,” he noted.
The museum welcomes about 10,000 visitors each year. The museum is not affiliated with the village and receives no public funding, instead relying on donors. Admission is free.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering but unable to attend is may visit www.crfmuseum.com/volunteer for information and to fill out a volunteer application form.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Loudonville's CRF Museum seeks volunteers, hosts speaker series
