[GANDHI MAHATMA]: (1869-1948) Indian Political and Spiritual Leader during the Indian Independence M

[GANDHI MAHATMA]: (1869-1948) Indian Political and Spiritual Leader during the Indian Independence M

‘You will also have the luxury of vegetarian food’

[GANDHI MAHATMA]: (1869-1948) Indian Political and Spiritual Leader during the Indian Independence Movement. A.L.S., M M Gandevia, by the Honourable Secretary of the Indian Volunteers Committee, one page, 4to, Trebovir Road, Earl's Court, London, 7th June 1917, to Mr. Venkatraman, a fellow executive member of the Indian Volunteers Committee. Gandevia states that he was pleased to receive his correspondent's note and looks forward to having the pleasure of meeting him, further explaining 'Our friend Mr. K. S. Jassawalla (also an executive member of the Committee) is now running my house and is through his interest and devotion to the business, giving very good satisfaction to visitors who seem to be all pleased with his able management and pleasant and affable disposition' and also adding 'I have not the slightest doubt that he will make your and your friend's stay a very pleasant one. I have handed him over your letter and he will gladly provide accommodation to you & your friends. You will also have the luxury of vegetarian food, if you are still a vegetarian'. In a postscript, signed with his initials MMG, Gandevia remarks 'You know Mr. Jassawalla very well. He was the oldest member of our Indian Volunteers Corp to which he was a Corporal'. Together with a printed folio sheet issued by the Indian Volunteers Committee based at 60 Talbot Road, Bayswater, London, c.1914, listing the Honorary Members of the organisation (including the Aga Khan) and the Executive Members (with Mahatma Gandhi as Chairman and M. M. Gandevia as Honorary Secretary) including Venkatraman and Jassawalla. Both pieces are laid down, the letter with extensive splits to the central horizontal fold and the folio sheet with heavy creasing and tears to the folds. Only FR, 2 Gandhi studied law at University College London between 1888 and 1891, during which time he joined the London Vegetarian Society and was elected to its executive committee. Following some time in South Africa, Gandhi returned to London in 1914 where he stayed at first in the 'ageing rooming house of his student days' at 60 Talbot Road, Bayswater, and later, in early October, he moved to M. M. Gandevia's hostel at Trebovir Road, from where the present letter was written.