By way of PTI
KOLKATA: Tucked away in a store-room within the labyrinth-like corridors of a Secretariat construction in Kolkata is an extraordinary treasure trove of Nineteenth-century pictures, sketches, mementoes and paperwork whose discovery has became the ignored room into an Antiquarian’s ‘Alladin’s cave’.
Black and white pictures of a three-decker, steam-driven, tram at the roads of the second one town of the British Empire and any other of a pontoon bridge which preceded the long-lasting Howrah Bridge over the Hooghly, a certificates issued to Paul Gregory Melitus, the 1880 topper from Bengal Presidency of the coveted ICS exam, an ivory reproduction of the Holwell Monument, but even so a 1919 guide on public hygiene written via an Indian physician throughout the outbreak of the Spanish flu contagion, are a few of the treasures found out and now being moderately restored via the Administrator Common and Reliable Trustee of Bengal.
A British-era legislation courting to 1849 created the place of job which takes care of the valuables and results of any citizen who dies with out an inheritor or subsequent of family. Maximum of the ones whose homes got here beneath the Administrator’s rate have been Britons who died whilst operating or doing industry right here and had nobody who got here ahead to assert their property.
The legislation continues until date with adjustments in 1902 and 1913 and has created an enormous depository of private results which might turn out to be a selection of exceptional worth for each antiquarians and for historians taking a look to flesh out their working out of social existence in Nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Biplab Roy, the present Administrator Common who has been operating exhausting to keep this distinctive treasure, instructed PTI, “When we stumbled throughout those gadgets within the storeroom, our subsequent line of motion used to be dusting and cleansing. We then began cataloguing and documentation … Recovery is being finished systematically, however the sheer quantity and number of such pictures, letters and paperwork is overwhelming. The paintings undertaken via Roy and his staff is rather monumental. 1000’s of sepia-tinted pictures which date from the Nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, most commonly taken via Britishers at the side of tones of paperwork and artefacts stashed away in leather-based folios and trunks are being taken up for recovery paintings. Round 1,000 pictures have already been restored and at the moment are within the secure custody of the dep.,” Roy mentioned.
Biplab Roy, the present Administrator Common and Reliable Trustee of West Bengal, displays restored uncommon gadgets, pictures of British-ruled India, in Kolkata, on July 19, 2022. (Picture | PTI)
He pointed to a guide – Hygiene and Public Well being via Dr Jahar Lal Das, revealed in 1919, throughout the Spanish flu outbreak which he identified might dangle clues for tackling the Covid contagion.
Das had prompt dressed in mask and indexed techniques to organize a masks within the guide and defined why mask must be worn in sure eventualities and “used to be the primary physician right here who had mentioned this. We’re fortunate to have his writing at the factor of pandemic with us,” Roy mentioned.
His staff is making an attempt to search out photographic proof of the Spanish Flu as additionally different vital landmark happenings.
There are pictures of the river ghats alongside Hooghly, small ships, New Marketplace and Nice Japanese Resort within the Nineteenth century in addition to non-public albums of many British military officials.
Firearms from the Nineteenth century at the side of ammunition have additionally been discovered hidden within the lots of personal results within the room.
“We wish to arrange a museum in our construction storing some of these gadgets after they’re absolutely restored. We additionally wish to introduce a virtual contact display the place a customer can see the pictures via the contact of a display, Roy mentioned.
He mentioned if allowed via the federal government, copies of the restored pictures and paperwork may also be promote it available in the market via his division and this can be a new flow of income for the state.
KOLKATA: Tucked away in a store-room within the labyrinth-like corridors of a Secretariat construction in Kolkata is an extraordinary treasure trove of Nineteenth-century pictures, sketches, mementoes and paperwork whose discovery has became the ignored room into an Antiquarian’s ‘Alladin’s cave’.
Black and white pictures of a three-decker, steam-driven, tram at the roads of the second one town of the British Empire and any other of a pontoon bridge which preceded the long-lasting Howrah Bridge over the Hooghly, a certificates issued to Paul Gregory Melitus, the 1880 topper from Bengal Presidency of the coveted ICS exam, an ivory reproduction of the Holwell Monument, but even so a 1919 guide on public hygiene written via an Indian physician throughout the outbreak of the Spanish flu contagion, are a few of the treasures found out and now being moderately restored via the Administrator Common and Reliable Trustee of Bengal.
A British-era legislation courting to 1849 created the place of job which takes care of the valuables and results of any citizen who dies with out an inheritor or subsequent of family. Maximum of the ones whose homes got here beneath the Administrator’s rate have been Britons who died whilst operating or doing industry right here and had nobody who got here ahead to assert their property.
The legislation continues until date with adjustments in 1902 and 1913 and has created an enormous depository of private results which might turn out to be a selection of exceptional worth for each antiquarians and for historians taking a look to flesh out their working out of social existence in Nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Biplab Roy, the present Administrator Common who has been operating exhausting to keep this distinctive treasure, instructed PTI, “When we stumbled throughout those gadgets within the storeroom, our subsequent line of motion used to be dusting and cleansing. We then began cataloguing and documentation … Recovery is being finished systematically, however the sheer quantity and number of such pictures, letters and paperwork is overwhelming. The paintings undertaken via Roy and his staff is rather monumental. 1000’s of sepia-tinted pictures which date from the Nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, most commonly taken via Britishers at the side of tones of paperwork and artefacts stashed away in leather-based folios and trunks are being taken up for recovery paintings. Round 1,000 pictures have already been restored and at the moment are within the secure custody of the dep.,” Roy mentioned.
Biplab Roy, the present Administrator Common and Reliable Trustee of West Bengal, displays restored uncommon gadgets, pictures of British-ruled India, in Kolkata, on July 19, 2022. (Picture | PTI)
He pointed to a guide – Hygiene and Public Well being via Dr Jahar Lal Das, revealed in 1919, throughout the Spanish flu outbreak which he identified might dangle clues for tackling the Covid contagion.
Das had prompt dressed in mask and indexed techniques to organize a masks within the guide and defined why mask must be worn in sure eventualities and “used to be the primary physician right here who had mentioned this. We’re fortunate to have his writing at the factor of pandemic with us,” Roy mentioned.
His staff is making an attempt to search out photographic proof of the Spanish Flu as additionally different vital landmark happenings.
There are pictures of the river ghats alongside Hooghly, small ships, New Marketplace and Nice Japanese Resort within the Nineteenth century in addition to non-public albums of many British military officials.
Firearms from the Nineteenth century at the side of ammunition have additionally been discovered hidden within the lots of personal results within the room.
“We wish to arrange a museum in our construction storing some of these gadgets after they’re absolutely restored. We additionally wish to introduce a virtual contact display the place a customer can see the pictures via the contact of a display, Roy mentioned.
He mentioned if allowed via the federal government, copies of the restored pictures and paperwork may also be promote it available in the market via his division and this can be a new flow of income for the state.