Photograph of Babette, Kathleen, Daphne (Paulette) and Nanette de Flondor, by unknown, black and white gelatin print, India, February 1941

Black and white snapshot photograph of four women (Babette, Kathleen, Daphne 'Paulette' and Nanette) outside. There are all wearing dresses apart from the girl on the far left who is wearing a blouse and skirt. On the back written in pencil is "23-3-1941"

Given by Christobel Mary Spencer

Donor's note: "14. Left to right Babette, Kathleen, Daphne and Nanette-23rd February 1941"
As the three de Flondor girls get older, they are sent to boarding school in a convent up in a place called Muree Hills. One year, when they are returning home for the holidays, the find that their father (Paul de Flondor) is no longer at home.
It was later found that Paul de Flondor had become an agent for a company shipping a drug grown in Kashmir. Later, it was exposed that he had made arrangements for the shipment of this drug with a Bengal Official in addition to embezzlement. Found out, Paul de Flondor fled Kashmir traveling to Europe and the United States, but was eventually caught and extradited from Italy.
After being extradited, Paul was taken to court in a case called “The Emperor v. Paul de Flondor,” which took place on March 24th, 1931. He defended himself by stating he could not be tried in Calcutta for an offence committed in Kashmir, so they subsequently let him go. Meanwhile, Kathleen de Flondor approach the Government of Bengal’s Political Department for a set of visas so that she could follow her husband to Romania via Ceylon, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore.

This collection of photographs and items come from generations of the de Flondor women. They tell the story of an English family in early 20th century India and their eventual migration back to Britain. Through these objects, a historical and personal account of this time period emerges.

B.42-2014