Opening Doors: The Untold Story of Cornelia Sorabji, Reformer, Lawyer and Champion of Women's Rights in India

Contents......Page 6
List of Illustrations......Page 8
Introduction......Page 10
Map of India......Page 19
Family Tree......Page 22
PART I: Preparation and Background from 1866......Page 24
1. Parents and Family and Move to Oxford......Page 26
2. The Oxford University of Benjamin Jowett 1889-1892......Page 45
3. London: Glamorous Introductions and Legal Experience, 1892-1893......Page 79
PART II: Ten Year Campaign for a Legal Position, 1894-1904......Page 88
4. Women's Rights in Princely States and Allahabad 1894-1899......Page 90
5. Love and Exile to England......Page 113
6. Life in Exile: Artists, Writers and London Society 1901-1904......Page 127
7. A Door Opens: The Times and the Secretary of State Against the Viceroy and the Rest 1904......Page 142
PART III: Legal Adviser for Women Behind the Curtain......Page 162
8. Four Early Estates, 1904-1906: Narhan, Tajhat, Churamaon, Kasimbazar......Page 164
9. Settling Down in Calcutta: Early Years from 1904......Page 191
10. The Ramgarh Rescue and The Expansion of Tasks, 1906-1922......Page 205
11. The Joys and Dangers of Travel......Page 224
12. Purdahnashin Attitudes: Cornelia's Learning Before Teaching......Page 232
PART IV: Friends and Foes: The Cost of Overriding British Officers and Retirement to England......Page 250
13. Two Self-Confessed Terrorists Rewarded, 1908 and 1914......Page 252
14. From Glowing Reports to Quarrels Behind The Curtain of the British Raj, 1913-1917......Page 261
15. Skulduggery over Terms of Employment for an Indian Woman 1914-1922......Page 276
16. Dick, Cornelia and Family, England Calling 1913-1922......Page 288
PART V: Return to India: The Bar, Social Work and Politics......Page 308
17. Barrister in Calcutta, 1924-1929: Misogyny, Sabotage, Failure and Success......Page 310
18. The Mayo Debacle, 1927......Page 326
19. Social Service, 1924-1931: The Innovation of Purdahnashins as Social Workers......Page 337
20. Cornelia's First Reactions to Gandhi and Relations with Other Nationalist Leaders......Page 348
21. Interest Groups at the Round Table Conferences: Gandhi Interviewed, Ambedkar Entertained, Princes and the Orthodox Represented 1930-1932......Page 364
22. Cornelia's Criticism of British Protection of Women in the Princely States, 1925-1938......Page 377
PART VI: Finale......Page 390
23. Second World War, 1939-1946: Ablaze in London's Inns of Court......Page 392
Retrospect......Page 402
1. Alice and Cornelia's other sisters......Page 410
2. Official Reports by the Court of Wards on Cornelia's Work, 1904-1909......Page 434
3. Structure of Administration in British India and Princely State......Page 436
Chronology of Cornelia's Life......Page 438
Cornelia's Principal Books and Abbreviations......Page 442
Glossary......Page 444
Notes......Page 446
Index......Page 500