Description

Microfilm Nos. 46 a, b and c

General Robert E Maclagan (1820-1894) was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Addiscombe. He entered the East India Company’s Army (Bengal Engineers) in 1839. He served in the Sikh War and later was appointed Principal of the Government Engineering College at Roorkee. From 1860-1879 he was Chief Engineer and Secretary to the Punjab Public Works Department.

The diaries consist of cryptic daily entries with some detailed descriptions, especially about the countryside. There is meticulous daily recording of the names of people met as well as letters sent and received.

The diaries make no effort to place the entries into the larger context of happenings in India, in his personal life or in his work. Events are simply recorded at the time they happen with no elaboration.

Reel 46a

• 1841 Sept. 1 – Dec. 27 Voyage described in detail. Scenes around Calcutta.
• 1842 Jan. 17 – Feb. 15 Travels on coal boat to Allahabad.
• Feb. 16 – Mar. 16 Marches to Delhi Cantonment via Cawnpore. Reports to Sappers and Miners. Troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan, but commence operations against Nepalese and Chinese.
• Oct. 15 – Nov. 8 March to Ferozepore. Difficulty with coordinating arrival of equipment each day. Plentiful food, scarce good water. Saw fort of Ranjit Singh with six guns and a garrison of 100 men.
• Formation of camp at Ferozepore detailed. Explains, with diagrams, how a pontoon bridge is built. Army of Reserve, Pollock’s and Scott’s forces out
• together for exercise under the Commander-in-Chief. Detailed account of troops by Governor General.
• 1843 Jan. 10 Assigned to Kalka, near General Pollock’s troops.
• 1844 Travels to Kamal, Kurmaul, Karachi, Sukkur. Repairs road, canals and surveys. Ill with fever many times.
• 1845 Nov. Assigned to Sir Charles Napier and later to Colonel Smith. Describes movement of troops in area.
• 1846 July 17 – Oct. 9 1847 Medical leave at Simla.
• Lists letters sent/received with dates and places: 1 Jan. 1842 – 30 Dec. 1846. Rough map of Palestine.
• 1847 Oct. 18 Laying out college site at Roorkee. Helped with bridges and canals in area.
• 1848 Aug. 21 – Dec. Service in college chapel for first time. Orders to form Beldar Corp and march to Ferozepoor. Sent on to Lahore. Ordered back to Roorkee. No reason given for march.
• 1849 Feb. 8 Arrived back at Roorkee. Mutiny among beldars; fire at the Baldock sheds.
• Mar. 15 Maharajah Dhuleep Singh camps at Roorkee.
• 1852 May 12 – Aug. 26 Travels on home leave from Bombay to Edinburgh through Cairo, Holy Land, Greece and France. Detailed description. Travels to Canada and the United States. Map of area covered. Detailed description. Letters sent/received are now entered daily. Arrives back in Glasgow Sept. 1853.
• 1853 Sept. Attends lectures at Edinburgh, especially in philosophy and religion. Records thoughts on religion in detail.
• 1854 June – Sept. Tours factories. Notes the tools, process and machines. Steel pens in Birmingham. Pottery in Lichfield. Locomotive engines and cotton spinning in Salford. Iron works and cotton mill in Manchester. Prisoners in weaving, shoe making and mat making in Leeds. On Isle of Man observes lead and zinc mines, flax spinning and sail cloth manufacturing. Flax mill in Belfast. Industrial training for orphans in Derry. Model farm in Dublin where 75 pupils receive general literary education as well as agricultural training. Sees model of normal schools where 800 children have teachers from county in training. Drove out to see Giant’s Causeway. Cholera, with many deaths reported during September in Larne. Observed Mr Richardson’s Bleaching Works, and Caulson’s and Sons Damask Works.
• Sept. 13 Receive 6 month extension of leave from India House.
• 1854 Jan. 31 In London for packing and shipping of geological collection to be sent to Roorkee for establishment of Museum at the College.
• 1855 June 7 Marriage in Derry. No name given for wife; later calls her Patricia.

Reel 46b

• 1855 Sept. Returns to India through France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy. Boards “SS Beutwick” at Trieste. Kept navigational chart to Madras. Visits Major Maitland, Gun Carriage Factory and School; describes curriculum, faculty and schedule. Calcutta, Cawnpore, Agra, Meerut.
• 1856 Jan. 24 Arrives Roorkee.
• Mar. 8 Second anniversary, opening of Ganges Canal.
• Mar. 20 Begin road to Dehra at Hardwar.
• Sept. Month in Landour.
• Dec. 14 36th birthday.
• 1857 Jan. House alterations, live in tents.
• Mar. Commander-in-Chief inspects Sappers and visits College.
• April Month in Mussooree.
• May 12 One company of Sappers ordered to Meerut immediately; mutiny of native troops there.
• May 13 One of College Barracks burned. Disbanded Sepoys and their emissaries in area.
• May 14 Protective measures taken for College.
• May 15 Increased night patrols; women and children sleep in Workshop.
• May 16 2nd company of Sappers ordered to Meerut.
• May 18 Native officers dismissed the 3 European officers in each of Sappers companies. European officers came back to Roorkee. Some native troops returned and plundered regimental property.
• May 19 Men who had remained faithful returned; 110 enrolled.
• May 22 1st son born. The “Roorkee Garrison Gazette” started.
• May 24 Queen’s birthday. Use artillery in celebration to emphasise strength.
• May 25 Eed. Mohammadams concerned they might be fired upon by British as they worship.
• May 26 Detailed daily routine maintained during crisis.
• June 8 Patricia and son moved back to bungalow.
• June 11 Party from Bijnore arrived reporting insurrection there on 8th.
• 1857 June 18 Baptism of son; Charles Patrick Dalrymple.
• July Detailed reports of troops from Roorkee sent to surrounding villages to repel dacoits.
• Oct. 1 Move to new house.
• Oct. 4 College reopened.
• Oct. 19 Party of European soldiers arrived from Landour thinking there was an alarm in Roorkee; sent on to Nagul Ghat.
• 1858 Sept. Month at Landour. Charley has diptheria.
• Nov. 24 Birth of daughter.
• Dec. 12 Baptism; Alice Jane.
• 1859 July 4 37 Sappers and one College student gave in their names for discharge under Governor General’s notification on discontent among soldiers of E.I.C.
• Sept. Month in Landour.
• 1860 Oct. 1 Birth of a son. No baptism listed – later called Robin (initials RSM).
• 1861 Jan. 1 Transferred charge of College to ECSW.
• Jan. 9 Purchased house in Lahore.
• Jan. 19 Took charge of Office of Chief Engineer.
• Feb. Return to Roorkee; move family to Lahore. Inspection tours for several months.
• 1862 Mar. 1 Opening of Umritsri Railway at Umritsri Inspection tours.
• July 24 Birth of son; Philip Maxwell Gilmour baptised 17 Aug.
• Sept. Up to Murree.
• Oct. Back to Lahore; Missionary Conference in Dec.
• 1863 Jan. Considered Chumba Forest arrangement.
• Feb. Educational durbar.
• Mar. In Delhi to address question of railway entrance to Delhi.
• Apr. Meeting at Government House in Lahore concerning watercourse.
• Oct. Up to Murree.
• Dec. Sir John Lawrence appointed Governor General.
• 1864 Jan. Durbar for reception of native Chiefs in front of the Fort, Lahore Punjab Exhibition opened (closed Apr. 2).
• Feb. Two week consultation with W. Oldham from Calcutta about coal seams of Salt Range.
• Apr. Up to Murree.
• Aug. 25 Birth of 4th son; christened Edward Douglas.
• Oct. Back to Lahore. Reception of Viceroy. Private durbar for native Chiefs. Grand durbar in tent in front of the Fort.
• 1865 Jan. Go on home leave. Calcutta, Suez, Marseilles, Paris.
• Mar. Edinburgh. Father gravely ill. Placed older children in school.
• May Notes on visit to Paper Mill.
• June 7 Father died.
• Aug. and Sept. Holiday with mother in Callander.
• Oct. – Dec. Travel Nov. 6 – gives details on Factory of Armstrong guns in London.
• 1866 Jan. Children in school; Edinburgh.
• June 20 2nd daughter born; baptised Mary Mabel.
• June 29 Purchased house in Cheltenham.
• Aug. Alice and Charles commence school at Cheltenham; to live at home with aunt and nurse.
• Aug. 31 Rest of family return to India.
• Oct. Arrive in Lahore.
• 1867 Feb. Opening of Soldiers Workship Exhibition at Meean Meer.
• Mar. Purchase Gulliven’s house for Rs 12000 in Lahore.
• May Up to Murree. Patricia ill.
• June Details of medication prescribed by doctor for influenza. Many cases of cholera among troops at Peshawar reported.
• Nov. and Dec. Family accompany on inspection tour. R. Pindee, Jhelum, Buddhist ruins at Baghanwala, Kenra Salt Mines, down to plains at Buheer. Met at Sangala and escorted into Lahore, Dec. 15. Describes the countryside.
• 1868 Feb. and Mar. Tour. Umritsri; check bridge works over R. Beas. Jullundur, Adumpoor describes roads, bridges and rivers. Kangra, Dhurmsala; fruit trees and flax. Dancers from Bundlah. Cinchona plantation. Negrata; fruit trees. Tea plantation at Kangra Kotlah. Noorpour; weavers, fruits and flowers. Dalhousie, Madhopour, Ahmritsur, Lahore, 9 April.
• May Up to Murree.
• Oct.-Dec. Accompanied Lieutenant-Governor to Huzan, Attok, Kohot through Salt Ranges. The Lieutenant-Governor has invited the Ameer, Shar Ali to meet him in Peshawer but did not come. Details the tapography, ancient ruins.
• 1869 Jan. Public meeting in Delhi concerning Famine Relief.
• Mar. 15 Lahore. Ameer of Cabul, Shaw Ali Khan met by Lieutenant-Governor. The Ameer takes up residence in the Fort.
• Mar 27 Durbar in Umbala. Viceroy and the Ameer have private negotiations. Lasts until April 5.
• 1869 May Up to Murree. Patricia ill with fever July and Aug.
• Nov. Back to Lahore.
• 1870 Feb. To Umritsri with Lieutenant-Governor to meet Duke of Edinburgh; escort to Lahore. Brief description of three day visit.
• Apr. Viceroy durbar. Announce new Lieutenant-Governor is Sir Henry Durand.
• May. Up to Murree.
• July Details of French-Prussian war.
• Nov. Patricia and children go home to England. Accompany Lieutenant-Governor through Puklee valley, observed Mule Battery at shell practice on Soosul Pass, Chumba, Raneegutt, onto plains at Shahbazgurkee. Notes on ancient ruins at Jamalgurkee and Sawal Dehr. Check on canals at Peshawar; visit cantonment, inspect Cabul River water supply and irrigation. Over pass at Eimal Chabootra to Kohat. Check site for new fort of Adhummee. Visit Koorum Post; detailed description of Koorum Canal built by Abd’oor Raheem Khan. At Pezoo (Dec. 3) receive telegram that MutCerris tunnel is through.
• 1871 Jan. 1 Lieutenant-Governor Sir Henry Durand was killed when howdah was crushed as elephant passed through a low gate at Tonk. Take body to Dera Ismal Khan for burial.
• Check on possible rearrangement of posts so the pass at Tonk can be better defended.
• Jan. 17 Back to Lahore. The new Lieutenant-Governor is W. Davies.
• Feb. Accompany Lieutenant-Governor to Mittura Kote for a conference with the Commissioner of Sind concerning the handling of tribes on frontier. Checked artesian boring in area of Subzulkote.
• Feb. 17 Home leave. Bombay, Cologne, Antwerp, Cheltenham. Notes on family for year.
• 1872 Feb. 6 Return to India, leaving Patricia and family in England. Paris, Turin, Suez, Bombay, Delhi. Visited Roorkee and was saddened by neglect of College and grounds.
• Mar. 15 Return to Lahore.
• May 15 Government moved up to Simla this year.
• June Charley is at Haileybury. Alice at Belsted. Phillie and Bobby at Bengeo. Eddie at Miss Hill’s.
• 1872 Sept. Cholera extending to many stations. Troops have been moved out. 70 deaths among the 37th regiment at Meean Meer. Doctors recommend Patricia stay in England for a longer term.
• Oct. 1 Down to Lahore. Visit to cotton plantation at Shahabad.
• Oct. 21 Viceroy’s levee at Government House and Durbar.
• Nov. Accompany Lieutenant-Governor to Gogaira and Montgomery stations; falling into ruins. Check on site for Lahore College; must first remove dispensary building. Down left bank of Indus; visit Bunnoo District, Jhelum District. Lieutenant-Governor gives reception at Hassim Abdal for envoy of Atallg Ghazee of Yakand who is on his way to see Viceroy. Military skirmishes in area; doesn’t give reason. Lieutenant-Governor gives reception for Nawab of Bakawulpour and large number of Frontier Chiefs.
• 1873 Feb. 26 Back to Lahore.
• March Patricia and Mary return to India. Up to Murree.
• Oct. Down to Lahore.
• Dec. 6 Inspection tour with Lieutenant-Governor into Bahawulpour territory down Sutlej to Montgomery District. Met Raja in palace at Jheend. Paniput, Shahabad, met Maharaja at palace in Pulliala, Jullundur, inspection of Government buildings and Durbar of Hill Chiefs at Dhurmsala.

Reel 46c

• 1874 Apr. 26 Back to Lahore.
• May 1 Morning at Railway Workshop with Colonel Pollard. Up to Murree.
• July Decision that railway gauge will be Indian Standard on Peshawar Railway; no break of gauge at Lahore then.
• Nov. Check reservoir ducts for water supply, aquaducts, etc. at Peshawar. Move down to Lahore.
• 1875 Jan. 3 Lord Napier arrives. A march past at Meean Meer.
• Mar. 12 To Delhi for Viceroy’s Durbar.
• Mar. 17 Reception of the Viceroy.
• Mar. 18 Visits of the Chiefs to Viceroy.
• Mar. 20 Evening party at the Viceroy’s.
• 1875 Mar. 23 Durbar at viceroy’s Camp; Chiefs received in revenue order of precedence.
• Mar. 24 Evening party at Viceroy’s.
• Mar. 27 Return to Lahore.
• Apr. 3 Maharaja of Kashmeer arrives for four days.
• Apr. 13 Up to Murree. Railway to Wozeerabad opened today. Trains run only by day.
• Apr. 25 Inspect jail and new bridge at Jhelum.
• May 16 Great fire in Peshawar. Fire in Murree.
• June Charley passed into Exeter College; to take private tutor.
• Aug. Extraordinary floods in Lahore and Umritsri; much damage.
• Sept. Heavy floods at Delhi.
• Oct. Holiday in Kashmeer along Jhelum River. Describes ancient ruins, countryside, people. Maharaja insists they are his guests while in Kashmeer and passes them on to Raja Mote Singh of Poonah as they leave.
• Nov. Back to Lahore.
• Dec. 8 To Delhi for reception of Prince of Wales. Receives news that there are difficulties over evening entertainment plans in Lahore when the Prince visits later; the Commander of the Military at the Fort does not want natives in the fort at night.
• 1876 Jan. 11 Prince arrives in Delhi. Describes procession, camp march past and staged fight between General Harding and Sir C. Reid on Delhi Ridge.
• Jan. 18 Prince at Lahore. Procession from rail station to Fort; opened Soldier’s Exhibition at Meean Meer.
• Jan. 20 Dinner and fireworks at new Palace.
• Jan. 21 Prince went shooting, watched polo, visit to hospital. Dinner at Old Palace (questions the need for the Maharaja to build the new one). Evening’s entertainment – Tibetan dancing.
• Jan 22 Dinner and entertainment by the Native Gentlemen in the hall of the unfinished Lahore College of Wazeerabad. This was the planned entertainment for the Fort which had to be postponed because of the objections of the General and Commander-in-chief.
• Jan. 24 To Umritsri by train with Prince. Demonstrate the method of carrying an entire battery of guns on board.
• Mar. Home leave. Bologna, Paris.