Popularizing Empire at homemaking a nation

How was it perceived at home/cultures of empire?

And by whom?

And how do we know?

Defense of the Realmin general terms

• small army

• relatively small military expenditures

• larger, important navy: protect commercial interests

facilitate new trademove troopsblockade portspolice the Channel and the

North Sea

• ensures → isolationism

Did Empire pay? ….Cyprus: too shallow harbor

not adequate protectionembroiled in local politics (to today, in fact)

Egypt: ensured Canal access butembroiled in local religio-national conflictscostly wars further southsoured relations with French and others

Africa (elsewhere): S. Africa enriched individuals and Co.

deteriorating relations and costly

India: soured relations with Russia – costly wars

No more than the imperial attitudehad earlier in the century

India: territories grabbed (i.e. Sindh) PECCAVI

in fact not cheap to maintain, necessarilyfurther expansion to protectinitial war against Muslim Princesreturned to subdue Sikh ‘rebellion’discontent contributed to 1857 Mutiny

Charles James Napier (1782-1853)

White dominions: settlers cause problemsIlbert Bill (1883) in India

Empire popularity: so what does turn people on to Empire?patriotism, nationalism and militarism• leisure time• literacy

• reading material:

The Bow Bells (families)popular news ‘penny dreadfuls’boy’s literature

prize books

and, there’s lots of it…

and even for girls

Empire popularity: how ‘real’ was it?• popular songs and hymns

“red and yellow black and white,

they are precious in His sight…”

• lantern slides

• music performances

• sport ‘it’s cricket’

“the Ashes”

Empire popularity: how ‘real’ was it? product marketingnineteenth century British industry needed Empire

FORraw materials consumers(we’ve seen)

Trocar (medical tool)ivory

and it sells

‘empire building work of the best kind’

Empire as valve: 10 million people 1870-1914

• poorly paid labourers with chance for better wages elsewhere

trade unions encouraged and aided• Dr. Barnardos and other charitable organizations• female emigration ‘schemes’

• more able and discontent – transformed into British expats

• military, missionaries, scientists, sport

• public school administrators• ‘remittance’ men

An Empire Christmas Pudding:

5 lbs. of currants—AUSTRALIA 5 lbs. of sultanas—AUSTRALIA5 lbs. of stoned raisins—SOUTH AFRICA 1½ lbs. of minced apple—CANADA5 lbs. of bread crumbs—UNITED KINGDOM5 lbs. of beef suet—NEW ZEALAND2 lbs. of cut candied peel—SOUTH AFRICA 2½ lbs. of flour—UNITED KINGDOM 2½ lbs. of demarara sugar—WEST INDIES 20 eggs—IRISH FREE STATE2 ozs. ground cinnamon—CEYLON1½ ozs. ground cloves—ZANZIBAR1½ ozs. ground nutmegs—STRAITS SETTLEMENTS 1 teaspoonful pudding spice—INDIA 1 gill brandy—CYPRUS 2 gills rum—JAMAICA2 quarts old beer—ENGLAND

Translating the idea of Empireinto action• regular army• Volunteer Corps (1859):¼ million men in 1880s

70% working class by 1900

• Youth organizations: cadet corpsBoy’s Brigade (1883)Church Lad’s Brigade (1891)Boy Scouts (1907)Girl Guides (1910)

Lord Baden-Powell and Mafeking Scouts

Exporting a military- national identity

Chinese Presbyterian Church, 1930

(Victoria)

HMS Crichton

Easy todayto find a critical voice

but don’t try to get rid of the busbies …