Old Lahore: Reminiscences Of A Resident

February 7th, 1924.

Many who like myself, have read with pleasure the articles on "Old Lahore" which have appeared from Colonel Goulding's pen in the Civil and Military Gazette during the last two years, will greatly appreciate having these articles in pamphlet form for reference, and I hope that, in this form, the articles may reach a wider public.

To me these reminiscences are particularly interesting, as my own earliest recollections of Lahore somewhat hazy recollections, I must admit- go, back to 1870, and my family connection with Lahore goes back to 1846, when my father, as a young Engineer officer, occupied quarters over the Hazuri Bagh gate of the Fort. The "Old Lahore" of which Colonel Goulding writes is mostly of later date than this, and much of his recollections deal with things of a comparatively recent past. But our memories of what has happened even in our own times are very short-lived, and Colonel Goulding has done a great service to lovers of Lahore by placing on paper the information he has given us, more especially that relating to the European community stationed in this place. He has always taken a special interest in the early documents of our Government offices, and he has himself, by his long connection with the Volunteer movement and with the official and municipal work of Lahore, played for many years a prominent part in the social and official life of the place. There is already a road in the Civil Station named after him, and this little pamphlet will also, I hope, serve to link up his honoured name with the history of the station in which he has lived so long.

E. D. MACLAGAN

When the first of these "Reminiscences" appeared in the issue of the Civil and Military Gazette date September 22, 1922, it was not my intention that they should be continued as a series, nor had I the ambition to see them reprinted in pamphlet form; but, encouraged by the hospitality of the Editor, I went on jotting down my recollections of "Old Lahore" in the rambling form in which they appeared from time to time in subsequent issues of the Gazette. They were written entirely from memory, except where references have been given to official records, historical works and diaries.

Now that it has been decided to reproduce the "Reminiscences" in pamphlet form, they have been slightly amplified in some places, and certain articles which appeared separately have been inserted in their appropriate surroundings, e.g., the full account of Anarkali's tomb, particulars in regard to the Lawrence statue, the Badshahi Mosque and Buddhu-ka-Awa.

To make the pamphlet something more than a mere record of gossip about old times, chapters have been added, containing concise historical and descriptive accounts of Lahore written by Mr. T. H Thornton, B.C.S., a distinguished official of olden days, who was for many years Secretary to the Punjab Government. Printed in 1860 for private circulation, these excellent summaries of the history of Lahore were embodied, in 1876, in a guide-book, the joint work of Mr. Thornton and Mr. J. Lockwood Kipling, then Principal of the Lahore School of Art. This useful little book, which was published by the Punjab Government Press, has been long out of print.

A map of Lahore, the latest official map published by the Survey of India, Map Department, will be found in the pocket of this pamphlet.

H. R. G.

Lahore:

11th March 1924

————————————