Turnbull, Christine Hazel, The Viceroyalty of Lord Reading, 1921 to 1926: with particular reference to the political and constitutional progress of India, PhD thesis, Council of National Academic Awards (UK), 1989/ “The viceroyalty of Lord Reading, 1921-26”, 1990, Ph.D., CNAA, Polytechnic of North London, 40-5012**. Brief summary.

Note – This is the key source on Reading’s viceroyalty. It should be reads together with Tomlinson 1979, Basudev Chatterji 1992, Rothermund 1988 and Rothermund 1983.

“This thesis will investigate and evaluate the Viceroyalty of Lord Reading, from 1921-26, with particular reference to the constitutional and political progress of India during that time. Reading faced political unrest from two organisations, the non-co-operation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, and the Khilafat movement, under the Ali Brothers, which were temporarily united in opposition to the Government.... Reading's handling of political unrest was regarded by some of his Provincial Governors as unsatisfactory. This brought the Viceroy and three of his Governors into conflict. The causes and consequences of this conflict will be examined, as will be the conflict between the Viceroy and three Indian princes who were unwilling to accept the overlordship of the Raj. In the area of constitutional change Reading was to be responsible for the introduction of the reforms laid down in the Government of India Act 1919…. The Indianization of the services was also to be introduced…. After a series of unbalanced budgets, India was facing severe economic problems in 1921…. In foreign affairs two areas caused concern, the problems of Indians living in southern Africa, and the threat of Russian involvement in Afghanistan…. Finally, as a member of the British judiciary, Reading's influence on the Indian legal system was significant, and the Viceroy was to regard it as his most valuable contribution to India.” From the abstract.