‘A tryst with destiny’: the Partition of India and the end of the British Empire
Stephen Goss
- Regions:
- South East, London, South West, Northern Ireland, East of England
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Professional historian
- Fee:
- Paid: £95.00
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 16th September 2026
- Tagged:
- 1940S | 20Th Century History | India | British Empire
On 14th August 1947 the Raj came to an end as the sub-continent was partitioned into India and Pakistan. The hurried drawing of borders triggered one of the largest migrations in history and violence on a catastrophic scale. On the 80th anniversary of India and Pakistan’s independence, this talk explores why Britain, victorious yet exhausted after the Second World War, accelerated the transfer of power and why Lord Mountbatten’s compressed timetable produced such profound consequences.
The loss of the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ marked the beginning of Britain’s broader retreat from empire. The talk traces the subsequent wave of decolonisation across Asia and Africa, the shock of Suez as a moment of imperial reckoning, and the gradual transformation of Britain from imperial power to post-colonial state. Placing Partition within the larger story of imperial contraction, it examines how that retreat reshaped Britain’s politics, economy, and global identity.
Views: 16 | Enquiries: 0About Stephen Goss
An academic historian published in peer-review journals who has been a popular speaker for 15 years.
With me you get history based on the highest standard of research and analysis - presented in an engaging, witty, and enjoyable way. I tailor my talks to suit your audience; I guarantee you will be fascinated with the insights and hear humorous anecdotes which will stay with you.
Please see my website for my latest list of talks and to read my blog: www.stephengosshistorian.com
Each of my talks are accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation. I can provide laptop, projector, and speaker if necessary.
Other Talks on SpeakerNet by Stephen Goss
- The war that no one wanted: the origins of the First World War
- The Secret history: Britain and the Cold War
- ‘This is not a peace. It is an armistice for twenty years’: the origins of the Second World War
- From Domesday Book to listening in for doomsday: Caversham Park’s 930 years at the centre of history
- 'This is the room from which I will direct the war': Churchill and the Cabinet War Rooms
- From Partition to Protocol: the history of Northern Ireland
- No tolerance of undeserving rank and splendour: the wit and satire of Gilbert & Sullivan – Act I
- I’ve got a little list of society offenders': the wit and satire of Gilbert & Sullivan – Act II
- The Titanic and her times
- A Study in Sherlock: the Secrets Behind the World’s Most Famous Detective
- ‘A terrible foe has been cast on the ground’: the path to victory and VE Day 80 years on
- ‘America is lost!’ On the 250th anniversary, American independence from the British perspective
- Cliveden House: power, politics, and Profumo
- Opulence, Innovation, and Intrigue: the history of the Orient Express
- P.G. Wodehouse: satire, class and the making of modern Englishness
- Sir William Orpen: Society Portraitist and Official War Artist
Send a message to the speaker
If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form: