The Fishing Fleet cover art

The Fishing Fleet

Husband-Hunting in the Raj

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The Fishing Fleet

By: Anne de Courcy
Narrated by: Greta Scacchi
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About this listen

 From the late 19th century, when the Raj was at its height, many of Britain's best and brightest young men went out to India to work as administrators, soldiers and businessmen. With the advent of steam travel and the opening of the Suez Canal, countless young women, suffering at the lack of eligible men in Britain, followed in their wake. This amorphous band was composed of daughters returning after their English education, girls invited to stay with married sisters or friends, and yet others whose declared or undeclared goal was simply to find a husband. They were known as the Fishing Fleet, and this book is their story, hitherto untold.

For these young women, often away from home for the first time, one thing they could be sure of was a rollicking good time. By the early twentieth century, a hectic social scene was in place, with dances, parties, amateur theatricals, picnics, tennis tournaments, cinemas, gymkhanas with perhaps a tiger shoot and a glittering dinner at a raja's palace thrown in. And, with men outnumbering women by roughly four to one, romances were conducted at alarming speed and marriages were frequent. But after the honeymoon life often changed dramatically: whisked off to a remote outpost with few other Europeans for company and where constant vigilance was required to guard against disease, they found it a far cry from the social whirlwind of their first arrival.

Anne de Courcy's sparkling narrative is enriched by a wealth of first-hand sources - unpublished memoirs, letters and diaries rescued from attics - which bring this forgotten era vividly to life.

Read by Greta Scacchi.

(p) 2012 Orion Publishing Group©2012 Anne de Courcy 20th Century Asia Europe Great Britain India Modern South Asia Marriage England Middle East Africa

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All stars
Most relevant
Found this book so interesting. A friend had told me about the girls, the most unattractive ones being sent there for husbands and I found this book so interesting on detail. Also explained my mothers attitude to life. She was not there but she was so imperious in the way she talked down to people she thought were below her. Same as some in this book. Dismissive of certain class of people, and unfortunately people were like that. Loved the visiting cards having to be presented before an invitation would be given. Must reread this book again sure many facts will appear that I did not register first time round!!

The day of the Raj

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An interesting insight into life in India for British people mainly in the early 20th century. It does not contain one continuous tale but a series of vignettes about certain people living at the time. In this sense it is more of a documentary on life as lived then rather than an in depth study of one particular family. If the reader is prepared for this then they would find it enjoyable but if you were looking for a good but true yarn you could be disappointed.

The Fishing Fleet

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Where does The Fishing Fleet rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?


I enjoyed this book but, unusually, might have preferred a print version (see below).

Some of the stories, diary extracts etc were fascinating glimpses into the lives of women in the Raj, and pointed up the striking contrasts between the physical privations and the unimaginable grandeur the yendured and witnessed.

If you’ve listened to books by Anne de Courcy before, how does this one compare?

This was my first Anne de Courcy book

Have you listened to any of Greta Scacchi’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I only know Greta Scacchi as an actress, but thought she was perfect for this book

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

See title above

Any additional comments?

As I was listening I longed to see photos etc., so am now buying the illustrated print version of this book.

Go east, young woman...and they did!

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This is a thoroughly researched and sweeping account of the lives of the Raj's memsahibs spanning three centuries. As with others of this author's books, this one takes time to give historical context and descriptions of contemporary events in addition to descriptions of huge privilege tempered with not a little fortitude in the face of privations. Views are often 'of their time' but that's as it should be in a true telling' often sweetened by surprising insight too). Well written and equally week read (Greta Scaachi is an ideal choice for the subject matter) I was, as others have said, occasionally distracted by the non-chronological, thematic structure frequently employed, but always entertained.

Heat, Dust & Keeping On

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This is border-line 3 stars overall for me, but it is well read and very detailed so I'm giving it 4. I think the reason I wanted to give 3 stars only is because of the at times, racist and cruel content. But this is reflective of its era, I know, so though it is unpleasant in places, it is accurate.

I didn't know about the phenomenon of 1000s of young British women sailing to India, looking for a husband. It seems really extraordinary now, but there we are - they flocked over to India from the mid-1800s right up to the 1940s. There were few 'suitable' women (that is, white, middle-class, young) for the British men who were busy out there ruling this part of our so-called Empire, to marry, and so a brisk trade in marriageable - generally VERY willing - young ladies began. It went on for so long, generations of women in the same family undertook the same journey. Often, the outcomes, though usually born of business-like agreements and settled within days or even hours, were reasonably happy.

It's a factual, and as far as I can tell, well researched book which follows the fortunes of a wide range of women. The human interest keeps it from feeling academic. There are so many really fascinating insights into this now past world: the voyages, the social rigours, the food, the climate, their seemingly (to us, now) bizarre values, dress-codes, vile illnesses, young deaths - all presented in a matter-of-fact way via memoirs, letters, records and a few interviews.

The often casual and deeply ingrained racism is shocking. So is the killing/hunting. I knew of it. Why is it shocking? I think because it is voiced by girls and women aged 17 - 30 just as a natural part of their lives. Few voices are raised against the treatment and exploitation of the Indian population, or the mass slaughter of the tigers and elephants. It is presented as it was: normal.

Well read too.

Very accessible social history, which I really enjoyed.

Interesting Glimpse of an Unknown World

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