14 February 2017
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The new East India Company digital archive can be accessed at British Library sites and via academic libraries and institutions. Image © British Library Board
A newly digitised archive, available to researchers at the British Library and academic libraries and institutions, is revealing the incredible history of the East India Company
A newly digitised archive reveals the colourful history of the East India Company (EIC), from its trade origins and rise to become de facto ruler of India to its demise among allegations of greed and corruption.
The online collection is from Adam Matthew, an imprint of SAGE Publishing, in partnership with the British Library (BL) and gives students and researchers access to the vast collection of primary source documents from the BL’s India Office Records covering the EIC’s rich history – from its formation in 1600 to Indian independence in 1947.
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Researchers can access the digital collection on site at the BL in London and Boston Spa and it is also available to libraries of universities, colleges and academic institutions worldwide.
Penny Brook, BL Head of India Office Records, said: ‘The archives record the history of Britain as trade and empire permeated our society, and encompass all manner of historical themes, and record the experiences of the many people whose lives were touched by the activities of the Company and the India Office. The content of this multi-module project constitutes the “backbone” of the Company’s extensive records.’
Module 1 of the EIC database, ‘Trade, Governance and Empire, 1600-1947’, is available now, with two more modules due in 2018 and 2019. Trial access is open to anyone affiliated with an educational institution, they can contact their library for access. Find out more at the website.
