Table of Contents

Foreword Irwin Allan Sealy
Preface
Introduction
I: IDENTITY
Angeline: Typically Anglo-Indian
Essay: Culture and Identity
Irene: Questions of Identity
II: FAITH
Dulcie: The Kindness of Strangers and an Everyday Faith
Essay: A Christian Community in Changing Times
Jane: God-given Opportunities
III: EDUCATION
Peter: The Less the Education the Fewer the Opportunities
Michael Robertson: Education and the Community
Essay: Reflections on Dilemmas in Education
Philip: With Education Comes Success
IV: COMMUNITY CARE
Philomena Eaton: Social Service Convenor Extraordinaire
Essay: Community Care and Consolidation
Barry O’Brien: Charismatic Politician
Meryl: Life, Last Days and Care
Final Words: Reflections on Research and the Community
Bibliography
Index

About the Author

Robyn Andrews is a Senior Lecturer in the Social Anthropology Programme at Massey University, New Zealand. She completed her PhD in 2005 which was based on ethnographic research of Calcutta’s Anglo-Indian community. The author’s main research interest is in Anglo-Indian studies. She is a recipient of several grants from the University towards this area of research. She continues in her research involvement with the community with a focus on the diaspora, life-story collection and ageing in particular. She was awarded a Massey University Women’s Award in 2009. Andrews has published numerous articles in prominent journals and has several published articles in edited volumes.

Reviews

Interweaving stories and reflection, this book vividly conveys what it means to be an Anglo-Indian in Calcutta, both for individuals and the wider community. Through her evocative description of lives and experiences, Robyn Andrews captures the vibrancy of the Anglo-Indian community and provides a compelling account of why Christmas in Calcutta is so special.
*Alison Blunt*

Christmas in Calcutta... has touched upon a wide range of topics—culture, religion, beliefs, people, places, perceptions and much pertaining to the community and its surroundings.… Characters, events and situations come to life as one reads through. The book showcases the Anglo-India community in all its shades, complexities and uniqueness.
*Allen Brooks*

Christmas in Calcutta is one of those books that linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page…. Andrews offers a pragmatic, compassionate and upbeat summation on the Anglo-Indians as they are today.
*Co-owner of Travel Writers’ Tales*