'Dunlop Smith Collection: Sir Charles Aitchison Album of Views in India and Burma'

Genre/Subject Matter:. The album contains landscape and architectural views of locations in India, the Persian Gulf, Burma, Florence, China (Yarkand in the latter-day Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), Zanzibar, the Andaman Islands, Balochistan, Scotland as well as group and individual portraits of indigenous groups, colonial administrators and families of colonial administrators. A number of non-photographic elements are also to be found in the album, including four ink and watercolour drawings, and several printed images. The prints are lightly mounted on the page, the majority captioned. They date from the 1860s‒1890s. The album forms part of the collection of Sir James Robert Dunlop Smith (1858‒1921), a British official in the Indian Army, but there are strong indications that it was compiled by Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchison (1832‒96), Foreign Secretary for the Government of India (1868-78), Chief Commissioner of the British Crown Colony of Burma (1878‒80) and, later Lieutenant Governor of Punjab (1882‒87), whose daughter Beatrice Clementina married Dunlop Smith. The photographs of the Gulf might have been taken in early 1873, when the Foreign Department of the Government of India took over responsibility for the Gulf from the Government of Bombay, and presumably Aitchison undertook a personal tour to become personally acquainted with this new area of responsibility. Elements:. 1) High Court Calcutta. 2) The Strand Calcutta. 3) Lall Dighi & Post Office, Calcutta. 4) Eden Gardens Calcutta. 5) The Maidan & Government House, Calcutta. 6) United Service Club, Calcutta. 7) The Outram Statue, Calcutta. 8) The Cathedral Calcutta. 9) The Post Office, Calcutta. 10) Lall Dighi & Post Office, Calcutta. 11) Looshais ‒ Captn Lewin. 12) Looshais. 13) Raja of Sikkim and suite ‒ Lt: Govr. of Bengal and suite [Darjeeling] Sir George Campbell. 14) Lt: Govr. of Bengal and suite with Raja of Sikkim and followers [Darjeeling] Sir George Campbell. 15) Lord Mayor's Tomb. 16) The Mall, Simla, in Winter. Below Gorton Castle. 17) Kennedy Lodge, Simla. 18) Military Department Office, Simla. 19) Simla from Jakko. 20) Road round Jakko, Simla. 21) Government House, Simla. 22) Government House, Murree. 23) Foreign Office, Simla, 1870. 24) Tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti,] Futtehpore Seekree. 25) [Panch Mahal,] Futtehpore Seekree. 26) The Taj, Agra. 27) Itmad-ud-Dowla's Tomb, Agra. 28) The Baillie Guard, Lucknow. 29) Hosseinabad, Lucknow. 30) Installation of Maharana of Oodeypoor with Star of India With Political Agent J P Nixon, 1871. 31) [Installation of Maharana of Oodeypoor with Star of India.]. 32) Entrance to Jeypor. 33) Entrance to Jeypor. 34) Entrance to Bushire Residency. 35) Bushire Resident's Country House. 36) Bushire, sea-side view. 37) Governor's House, Bushire. 38) Bahrein. 39) Old Portuguese Fort, Bahrein. 40) Ruffar Fort, Bahrein. 41) Telegraph Station, Jask. 42) Sultan's Palace, Muscat. 43) Muscat Consulate & Agency. 44) Town of Muscat from inland plain. 45) Fort Capitano, Muscat. 46) Fort Jellalee, Muscat. 47) Muscat Cove. 48) Minaret in Ormuz. 49) Bassidore Station. 50) [Viceroy and Council, (?) Simla.] Mr. E. Clive Bayley, Secretary, Home Department; Colonel C. H. Dickens, Secretary, War Department; Colonel W. H. Norman, Secretary, Military Department; Sir W. H. Muir, Secretary, Foreign Department; Mr. Whitley Stokes, Secretary, Legislative Department; Mr. E. H. Lushington, Secretary, Finance Department; Hon'ble Mr. W. N. Massey, Hon. Mem., Finance Dept; Hon'ble Mr. G. Noble Taylor, Hon. Mem., Public Works Dept; Hon'ble Sir W. Mansfield, Commander-in Chief; H. E. Sir J. L. M. Lawrence, Viceroy; Hon'ble Sir H. S. Maine, Hon. Mem., Legislative Dept; Hon'ble Sir W. Grey, Hon. Mem., Home Dept; Hon'ble Colonel H. M. Durand, Hon. Mem., Military Dept. 51) Lord Northbrook & suite with Maharaja of Puttiala ‒ 1875. 52) [Newspaper cutting with caricature of Sir Richard Temple]. 53) Burra Dick on The Great Tribulation! See Vanity Fair ‒ Jany. 1881. 54) Chief of Western Karennee & his Wife [Burma]. Ink and watercolour on paper. 55) Red Karen, Mounted [Burma]. Ink and watercolour on paper. 56) Red Karen Woman [Burma]. Ink and watercolour on paper. 57) Bald-headed Karens [Burma]. Ink and watercolour on paper. 58) Sambhur Lake. Extraction of Salt from Bed of Lake. 59) Measuring Labourers' Work and Storing Salt [Sambhar Lake]. 60) Filling Salt into Bags and Weighing the Salt [Sambhar Lake]. 61) A Katar or String of Camels taking away the Salt. 62) [Courtyard of Museum in Florence, with statuary arranged in colonnade.]. 63) [View of Florence, looking across the Arno towards the Duomo.]. 64) Investiture of Maharana of Oudeypour as a G.C.S.I. 65) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 66) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 67) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 68) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 69) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 70) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 71) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 72) Camperdown Pressing Coy. ‒ Calcutta. 73) The Hooghly above Calcutta. 74) The Hooghly above Calcutta. 75) [Apollo Bunder Pier, Bombay. Incorrectly captioned:] Railway Jetty, Howrah, Calcutta. 76) Interior of the Union Church, Simla. 77) Thakoor Mawjee Bathee ‒ Oudeypoor. 78) [Portrait of an unidentified European woman.]. 79) Haileybury civilians at Simla in 1880. 80) The Chumba Durbar Accession of Raja Sham Singh 1873. 81) Yarkund Mission, 1873 ‒ After rain. Dhul Canal, Cashmere. 82) Yarkund Mission, 1873 ‒ Camp. Srinuggur. 83) Yarkund Mission, 1873 ‒ Camp. Tara Sing, Monshee, etc. [Srinagar]. 84) Yarkund Mission, 1873 ‒ View at Srinuggur. 85) Yarkund Mission, 1873 ‒ Camp View. 86) Yarkund Mission, 1873. Fair ones of Ladak!. 87) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Indus Valley, Leh. 88) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Palace and Monastery, Leh. 89) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ View in Bazar, Leh. 90) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ View in Bazar, Leh. 91) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Group at Leh. 92) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Raja of Ladak and Ranees [Leh]. 93) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Nubra Valley from Panamik. Boodhist Chortuns in the foreground. 94) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ The gods of the Boodhists [Panamik]. 95) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Hot breakfast in Sasser Pass! Elevation 17,000 ft. 96) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Kirgiz Akoe. Our smoking Divan [Xaidulla]. 97) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Group at Kurgallik. 98) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Yoozbashees. Attendants. 99) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Medical influence [Yarkand]. 100) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Street hawkers, Yarkund. 101) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Dastarkhwan [Kargilik]. 102) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Artillery of the Guard [Yarkand]. 103) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Verandah of Audience Hall, Yarkund. 104) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Akhoe [tent] extraordinary. 105) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Letter and presents from the Queen of England to the Ameer of Yarkund. 106) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Presents to the Ameer [of Kashgar]. 107) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Oves Poli [Kashgar]. 108) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Chinese [sic for Tungani] troops [Kashgar]. 109) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Chinese [sic for Tungani] troops [Kashgar]. 110) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Oves Poli [Kashgar]. 111) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Party leaving [Kashgar] for Cabool [Kabul]. 112) Yarkund Mission, 1873. ‒ Andijani merchants [Kashgar]. 113) [Lama Yuru, Ladak. Buddhist Monastery and Chortens.]. 114) Hon'ble Terence Bourke 1872. 115) The Pseudo Nana Sahib as apprehended ‒ 1874. 116) The Pseudo Nana Sahib shaved & in Mahratta dress. 117) Thugs. 118) Thugs. 119) Foreign Office. Simla 1875. 120) Zanzibar 1875. 121) Clement Park, Lochee [Dundee]. 122) Foreign Office. Simla. 123) Sketch of the Gateway at Tank [Tonk] in the Punjab. The scene of the fatal accident to Sir H. M. Durand, K.C.S.I., &c. &c. 124) Port Blair, Andaman Islands. The scene of the assassination of the Viceroy of India. 125) View of the Jetty at Hope Town, Port Blair, the Scene of the Assassination of the Viceroy of India. 126) Port Blair from Ross Island [Andaman Islands]. 127) Port Blair from Ross Island [Andaman Islands]. 128) Viceroy of India & Council. Simla, 1874. 129) Secretaries to Govt. of India. Simla 1874. 130) Clement Park, Lochee [Dundee]. 131) Wedding Party. Simla 1875. 132) [Major Sandeman & Belooch chiefs.]. 133) Major Sandeman & Belooch chiefs. 134) Belooch chiefs. 135) Pressing Mill. Cossipore [Calcutta]. 136) Cossipore [Calcutta]. 137) House at Cossipore [Calcutta]. 138) [House at Cossipore, Calcutta.]. 139) Group at Cossipore [Calcutta]. 140) [Group at Cossipore, Calcutta.]. 141) Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 142) Cardean House, Meigle [Scotland]. 143) Cardean House, Meigle [Scotland]. 144) Views at Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 145) Views at Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 146) Views at Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 147) View at Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 148) Views at Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 149) Views at Cardean [Meigle, Scotland]. 150) Chief Commissioner's House, Rangoon. 151) New Government House, Rangoon. 152) [Chief Commissioner's House, Rangoon.]. 153) Chief Commissioner's House, Rangoon. 154) 'Irrawaddy', Chief Comr's River Steamer [Burma]. 155) [Views of the Town Church, Rangoon.]. 156) Views of the Town Church, Rangoon. 157) St. John's College, Rangoon. 158) District Courts & Public Offices, Rangoon. 159) [View of Merchant Street, Rangoon.]. 160) View of Merchant Street, Rangoon. 161) Recorder's Court, Rangoon. 162) [Shwe Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon]. 163) Pagodas at Rangoon [Shwe Dagon Pagoda]. 164) Public Gardens, Rangoon. 165) Shwe Dagon Pagoda, Rangoon. 166) Royal Lakes, Rangoon. 167) Public Gardens, Rangoon. 168) Approach to the Great Pagoda, Rangoon. 169) Fancy Costumes. Rangoon, 1879. 170) [Rangoon Groups]. 171) Rangoon Groups. 172) Pilcher's House. Thayetmyo. 173) Prome. 174) The Great Pagoda, Prome. 175) Entrance to Great Pagoda, Prome. 176) [Group of Charles Umpherston Aitchison, Chief Commissioner of Burma, with Photographic Department of St Peter's Institute, (?Rangoon.]. 177) Bassein River with Chief Comr's steamer 'Irrawaddy'. 178) Entrance to the Pagoda at Bassein. 179) Entrance to the Pagoda at Bassein. 180) [Elephant Battery, Tonghoo.]. 181) [Elephant Battery, Tonghoo.]. 182) Elephant Battery, Tonghoo. 183) [Views at Tonghoo.]. 184) [Views at Tonghoo.]. 185) Views at Tonghoo. 186) Ancient image of Gaudama, Zaing-ga-naing. 187) Interior of caves at Paghat [Kawgun Cave]. 188) Alguada Reef Lighthouse. 189) Kyaik-than-lan or Than-lan Pagoda, Moulmein. 190) View on the Salween. Duke of York's Nose. 191) Group at Tharrawaddy, British Burma. 192) Court House at Tharrawaddy. 193) Boodhist Monastery at Rangoon. 194) Boodhist Monastery [Burma]. 195) [Burmese pagoda]. 196) Pagodas and Monastery [Burma]. 197) Pagodas and Monastery [Burma]. 198) Pagodas and Monastery [Burma]. 199) Pagodas and Monastery [Burma]. 200) A Karen Village [Burma]. 201) Queen of Eastern Karennee [Burma]. 202) A group of Shans [Burma]. 203) A Boodhist Priest [Burma]. 204) A Boodhist Priest [Burma]. 205) Burmese women selling fruit. 206) Burmese women. 207) Burmese men. 208) Karen women. 209) Burmese woman. 210) Punjab Officers [at Simla]. 1884. 211) The Punjab Government, [Barnes Court, Simla,] 1882. 212) [Aitchison family group, Barnes Court, Simla.]. 213) Barnes Court, Simla. 1882. 214) [Burmese Embassy at Simla]. 215) [Letterpress key to sitters in Photo 355/1/214]. 216) [Burmese Embassy at Simla]. 217) Dancing women of the Choráha — Hills between Chamba and Pangi. 218) Women of the Choráha. 219) Men of Pangi Valley. 220) Men of Chamba-Láhul. 221) Gaddi Band. 222) Gaddis of Barinaur. 223) Senate Hall. Lahore. 224) Government College. Lahore. 225) The Mosque of Wazir Khan, Lahore. Fresco decoration, of the Interior XVII century work. From a drawing by Mohamed Din, Allah-ud-din and Amir Baksh, students of the Lahore School of Art. 226) Missionary Conference, Amritsar, 1883. 227) [Unidentified group, India]. 228) [Group of Viceroy and Lady Ripon and staff, Simla, 1884]. 229) [Barnes Court, Simla]. 230) [Barnes Court, Simla]. 231 [Unidentified Church, (?)India]. 232) [Group of Sir Charles Aitchison and staff, Multan, Feb. 1884. Names given at Photo 355/2/19]. [The following are loose photographs:]. 233) Group of two natives of Hunza and two from Nagyr in hostile attitude, a native of Agasin being the umpire. They all speak the same language and belong to the same race, but Hunza and Nagyr are hereditary foes, only combining against a foreign enemy. A river divides the countries of Hunza and Nagyr, a Hunza fort being ever confronted with one of Nagyr on the opposite bank. 234) Group of Nagyries now at Srinagar. On the right seated in a chair is Raja Habibulla, son of the ruling Tham of Nagyr. On the ground is a Nagyr Sayad of good position and some Education in Arabic & Persian. He is one of the bi-ennial hostages sent from Nagyr to Kashmir. 235) Group of Chitrali players who generally precede a procession of the Chief. In the midst is Taighum Shah, a Court singer and player of reputation. The Chitrali melodies are singularly beautiful and the poetry shows much appreciation of nature. 236) Christ Church Simla, in snow. Inscriptions:. Spine, gold emboss: 'Album'. Throughout the album captions are hand-lettered in black ink. Further notations in pencil have been added later by cataloguers and album owner alike.

A cover letter from the Political Agent, Muscat, to the Government of Bombay, dated 17 Sep 1869 is included in IOR/L/PS/9/50 and mentions a series of 'photographic views of Muscat' taken by a Captain E Elton, commander of HMS Clyde. It is possible that these could have been forwarded on to Charles Aitchison as Foreign Secretary to the Government of India.

Unrestricted.