Letter from William Blackwood H.E.I.C. (father of George B.) Lucknow 19 February 1835, to his mother about father’s death. (Received 23 July.)
Letter from General Napier to Stewart about appointment to vacancy, 2 November 1846.
G.F. Blackwood’s letter of appointment as second lieutenant in E.I.C. signed by Sir Colin Campbell, 11 December 1857.
Log of ship’s course (W.B.’s voyage out to India). No name or date. 15 June, Isle of Wight, to 24 September, Madras rounds, and 27 September – 6 October.
Small leather file containing regulations of the Queen’s Military Widow’s Fund 1873 and rules and regulations of the Military Orphan Society, Calcutta, 1866.
129 letters from George Blackwood to home 1857-65: starting from Addiscombe and then on voyage out, 12 March – 7 April 1858 on the Nubia; at Cawnpore 5 June 1858, Meerut etc. until Bareilly where he is acting Adjutant in the Artillery; his work and army life, his reactions to the country and natives, Gwalior 1861-64; in Peshawur, February 1864, as Adjutant to 19th Brigade; letter of 19 May 1864 includes the playbill of the Theatre Royal, Royal Artillery Lines, Peshawur; on 17 September 1864, tells mother he has not got into the Horse Artillery in India and is coming home to join H.A. and go to Woolwich; 28 December 1864 from Calcutta, writes to say he had been playing hockey on horseback i.e. polo; 6 January 1865 says he wishes he could return overland, and Government intends to send troops that way next year; last letter from ship April 1865.
Letters from Woolwich and Aldershot, mostly about horses and saddlery, about going to London and his days there – the letters of a young officer; his brother’s engagement broken off, tries to get leave, leaves December 1867 for India, last letter from Paris waiting to go to Marseilles 4 December 1867.
Ship Ceylon 6 December 1867; letter from Alexandria, Aden – by train from Alexandria to Suez where he gets another ship – until the Byculla hotel, Bombay, 28 December 1867; Meerut January 1868; sent to Meean Meer February 1868 which he dislikes intensely, at first in command on 22 June; tries to get transferred; Jullundur 20 September 1868; ‘Frontier business coming to a head’; does not get an Adjutancy – quotes letter from General Archdale Wilson; 14 March 1869, Shere Allie Ameer of Cabul visit to meet Lord Mayo at Umballa, staying at Lahore and the Mess house at Jullundur being done up for him to stay in. 7 April making preparations for Cashmere trip; wants a velocipede; Gap until 16 December 1869 still at Jullundur; 20 March 1870 decides to go to Cashmere for leave; 11 April leave refused; batch of letters in pencil in May 1870 from Cashmere on hunting trip; 24 October at Meean Meer looking after his deceased cousin’s affairs – lists of articles etc; letters to his uncle (deceased’s father) about this; in camp near Delhi, December.
Four letters 1871 from Nowgong, Bundelkund; four more letters written April, May, July and October 1872: the last from Umballa tells that he is a Brevet.
Packet of letters written on punitive expedition to the Looshai Hills, 1872.
