Description
Mrs. Lucy Elinor Lyall Grant, nee Hardy
Given by Mrs. B.L. Bayley.
Kashmir: 1901 – 1909
- Memoir written by Mrs. Grant on her life in India, in about 1950 but unfinished. TS 12 pp.
- 1900 October. To Umballa to stay with her brother and sister-in-law. A gay winter. Simla. No big entertainments in January 1901 because of Queen Victoria’s death. July to Murree to stays until October 1901 (year’s return ticket). Engaged.
- 1903 September. Her fiance, William Grant, appointed Second Officer with Kashmir Mountain Artillery. She goes out February 1904
- 1904 Marriage took place 5 April 1904 in Attock. (Last marriage in the church 1867, none afterwards up to 1950). Amusing incident of bolting tonga. Gupkar for honeymoon – by Dal Lake. Very beautiful in April.
- Husband goes on tour of Gilgit Agency – she remains in Nedou’s Hotel as she is expecting a baby, until a companion arrives and they live in a houseboat. Baby arrives early in snowstorm. Midwife’s father had been killed at the Relief of Lucknow.
- Summer leave in Forester’s hut, Gulmarg, which was a small place at that time.
- Voyage home with the baby difficult, no amenities.
- 1906 April – Sails back to India with second baby, taking a professional travelling ayah for the voyage. Describes journey to Murree with two babies and being ill.
- Summer in H.H. State but in Gulmarg. Posted to Gilgit in September. Description of the elaborate preparations and supplies necessary for staying there a year. First day – delayed start – dirty rest-houses. Rest of journey along 9ft road with no parapet to precipice. Across Komri Pass to Ruttu and then path narrowed to 6 ft. 15 miles of mountainous walking. Second day – snow (September 21) 26 miles done in two parts.
- Arrive at Ruttu (10,000 ft.) with the Mountain Battery, in officer’s hut for a month, checking stores and arrangements. Move to bungalow in Gilgit 37 miles further on for winter. Over Borzil Pass (13,500 ft.) with battery mules as pack animals, otherwise walking. Arrived in Gilgit. Narrative ends here owing to illness of the writer. She and her husband remained in Gilgit until 1909.
