By Dorothy Nixon

European Women in Malaya: I consulted a number of accounts, academic papers, books about the European women's experience in Malaya and India for this scene,since I have no first hand info about my grandmother. This area is just beginning to be studied and up until now, Somerset Maugham (and a number of cheesier authors) have had the final word about their experiences. Bruce Lockhart, in "Return to Malaya" discusses the changes he's seen in Malaya between 1910's and 1930's and states outright that the worse change of all is the arrival of white women! They are accused of being lazy (for they have many servants) shallow, and divisive with their race prejudices. They are accused of raising the cost of living for planters with their need for security and comfort.

Even Giles Playfair in his book Singapore Goes off the Air, 1943, a first hand account of the fall from the perspective of a radio producer at the MBC (and an excellent read) has some mean things to say about some colonial women who are not –in his view – doing their fair share during the siege. (My grandmother worked at MBC and he writes about her in the book, describing her courage and obstinance.)

Of these colonial women he says Page 89 “They have possessed (or still possess)all the advantages of wealth but never been trained in the responsibilities,”leadership and courageous example.” He says these women come from the Scottish and English middle classes and (had they stayed at home) would have been sweeping out a four bedroom villa. But in Malaya they have servants and are chauffeured around in large cars. “They are pampered and admired all out of proportion to their desserts in an open market.”

They don’t even have to look after their own children he writes. To be fair, this is a diary and Mr. Playfair’s book shows no signs that he is in any way a misogynist, quite the opposite for he speaks admiringly of his female co-workers at MBC. But this is a perfect example of how colonial women were generally described, even outside of the war context. (Few understood that they didn’t have much choice in this matter.)

My grandmother became a librarian and other women took on other social roles, but they did so at the risk of looking like they were interfering in the ‘social order.’

Ironically, in my play, I have my grandmother say the same words about an American in Changi, who didn’t want to join any of the committees. My grandmother, middle class or whatever, had been taught about ‘duty’ that’s for sure.

Of course, the 1942 Occupation saw many diaries destroyed.Jane Teasdale has written a book "Facing the Bow: European Women in colonial Malaya" which has the story of a number of women including Cecily Williams. (Not my grandmother,tho!) And Hillary Callan and Shirely Ardener have edited The Incorporated Wife. I also had the very real pleasure of perusing a unique - and very vivid - diary of a Canadian bride who went to Malaya in 1914 (prior to war) and this diary inspired the 'back story' of the Canadian cousin.Another book I read was The White Woman's Other Burden by Kumar Jayawardena.