Comprehensive reference to India Office records
This volume gathers the Records Relating to Agencies, Factories, and Settlements Not Now Under the Administration of the Government of India, offering insight into how historic documents were organized, preserved, and sometimes lost or destroyed. It serves as a key resource for researchers tracing the administration and correspondence of early British India.
The work traces the evolution of record-keeping from the East India Company days through later administration, highlighting changes in custody, cataloging practices, and the challenges of maintaining a unified archive. It includes discussion of missing volumes, the handling of journals and letters, and the impact of organizational changes on documentary history.
- Context on early record-keeping decisions and the founding of registries
- Discussion of gaps, losses, and attempts at reconstruction
- Illustrative notes on the administration of India Office records and related authorities
- Historical framing of how archival practices shaped available sources
Ideal for readers of historical records, archival studies, and researchers tracing the evolution of the India Office’s document custody and management.