Durham County Record Office: the official archive service for County Durham and Darlington

Suggested Activities

1. Map Work

Use a map of the British Empire and modern maps to locate the different places that the McBains were baptised, and other locations mentioned in the unit. You could also investigate what these places are called now, as many of the names have changed.

2. McBain Family Tree

Produce a family tree for the McBains, using the information in the 'A DLI Family' section.

3. Indian Culture

We've looked at the traditions that the British took to India with them, but what about the native culture? See what you can find out about Indian culture.

4. Creative Writing

Imagine you are a DLI soldier in India. Write a letter home describing what you have been doing lately. You might mention sports, other British traditions or the weather.

5. Drama

On your own, or with a partner, produce a script showing interactions between a DLI family and their servants. Look at the Glossary or the 'Indian Servants' section to find out what sorts of servants the family would have had.