John Cline and Ramesh Thakur

This pic with the lake, that has disappeared now, really brings back memories.
The two palm trees that had been forgotten by most of us are preserved here. The damage caused by a cannon ball in 1857 can be seen on the Lat. It was never repaired.
So many hours were spent on the bank when we were juniors, sailing boats and fishing with hooks fashioned from pins. The boats ranged from those made from paper to better ones from ice cream spoons with a mast, paper sail and piece of razor blade for a rudder. Summer evenings, especially on Saturday movie days, passing time at the lakeside waiting for the supper bell to ring.

Charlie Ford

Why Charlie you are looking great. I wouldn't have guessed why if it wasn't this particular pic. You've put on weight since you visited Lko but still look fit. Hope you find the Shangrila you so desperately seek. May be we'll join you. All the best!
George

A Nation Divided

With growing demands for smaller states I thought Mr SN Singh's view echoes what a large section of people think. Then there's the question: How has the creation of three new states, probably at the time this letter to the editor was written, helped the country progress?

Jan 23, 2001. From the letters column of the Times of India

Satya Narain Singh of Bhopal writes:-

This is with reference to article "Sizing up States - Federalism is the order of the day' Jan 11) by Ravindra Kumar. I disagree with Mr Kumar's view that the British reorganised states because they were pursuing a policy of divide and rule. The decision to map states, delineate their boundaries and the other two major policy decisions: separation of Bihar and Orissa from Bengal on December 12, 1911 and separation of Orissa from Bihar in April 1936 are not indicative of any mala fide intention on their part. In fact, even the partition of Bengal in 1905 on communal basis was reversed in 1911, al;beit under gr4eat pressure.
In fact at no time during their rule did the British try to create a linguistic schism in Indian society.Instead, the British must be credited with truly uniting - for the first time in Indian history the country's multilingual communities from Kashmir to Kanyakumari into a single modern state. Thus the British inadvertently founded the modern Indian state.
For a diverse multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country like ours to maintain its unity it is necessary that local, parochial and regional tendincies must be subservient to the nationalistic tendency.
However, the creation of small states on linguistic lines is slowly inculcating local and regional tendencies in people creating a crisis of identity. This is the reason why political instability is taking root in India and the reason why we lack a prominent national leader.
Instead of trucating states, the government should, with conviction, move to alleviate poverty, control population and provide employment opportunities. The mere creation of new states is not likely to tackle these problems, only concerted action will bear fruit.
Satya Narain Singh, Bhopal

Martin House 1964 (Cockhouse pic)

Ivan Shepherd in 1951

Lawrence Terrace c 1951
My dad and Mum with Keith and me (in arms) in front of 13 Lawrence Terrace. The other pic has (from left) my Mum, Tessy, dad's sisters Ivy Hourigan, Irene Mackenzie and her daughter Mary (Biddy) later Mrs Flynn and Keith and George the smaller one.

Nana in the centre

Nana sitting with Lauraine (great-granddaughter) on her left and Ann (grand-daughter) on her right with her daughters, a son, and sons-in-law. Behind her left shoulder is grand-daughter, Dorothy James. (Photo given by John Cline)

Old old pic of the Mart & lake

Friends always

Conrad Boardman, James Shepherd, Darryl Stears, Mozzie Parker and (now Late)Mervin Martin

A mixed bunch

Standing: ??Forgotten??, Mike Chater, Carlyle Ward, Ken Gray, ? Kapadia, and ?Joel?
Sitting is R.White, R.Marazzi and Hans Nagar.

No 1 Lawrence Terrace -- 1959.

Here we see Mr Archie Cline standing in front of what remains of no. 1 Lawrence Terrace sometime after April 1959. The house he had lived in for some years. (Photo: Johnny Cline email: burrababa@hotmail.com)

The Lat Oct 20, 2009

The lake remains dry most of the year. The strip of land dividing the lake from the river has narrowed owing to the river level being high. Note there is no wall on the
parapet surrounding the Lat.

Some email contacts from John Cline's letter.

From: hodsonhouse@westnet.com.au
To: bruce.abrahams@freogroup.com.au; ali2azimi@gmail.com; conradboardman@optusnet.com.au; burrababa@hotmail.com; cookesahib@yahoo.com; lionelcoulter@hotmail.com; w.cox@ntlworld.com; Rjordan@universalmagazines.com.au; bkohli00@cox.net; EXCELMS@aol.com; vijaymohan.kohli@gmail.com; bustermac@uwclub.net; gladnel@omantel.net.om; awms@bigpond.net.au; nopet@hotmail.com; peterquieros29@hotmail.com; kaizeroka@yahoo.co.in; arsharpe@westnet.com.au; dsimeons@gmail.com; rodney.simeons@det.wa.edu.au; edgar.tuck@gmail.com; kochinwu@gmail.com; rosieljai@clara.co.uk
Subject: The Last raid by Old Boy Desmond Cummings written in 1990. reminds us all of our own escapades

Staff and Students 1963

Members of Staff in 1963.

Standing far left (top) Maj H Towning, below Mr ? Azim, Also standing a little lower is Tessa Dignum.

Sitting from left: Mrs N Gardner, Mrs Lewis, Mrs P Tuck, Mr E Tuck, Mr Hugh Homan, Mr H Rodrigues, Mr M Bell, Mr John C Das, Mr ? Sharma, Mr A Flynn, Mr R Vidyarthi, Mr F D’Souza (VP), Mr M Doutre (Principal), Mr V Rayner, Mr P Penn-Berkeley, Mr K Shukla, Mr N Gardner, Mr BK Roy, Mr B Agnihotri, Mr D D’Gama, Mr EJ Shepherd, Mr S Lewis, Mr O Henderson, Mr H Dignum, Mrs B Dignum, Mrs L Towning, Mr S Ruck. Standing far right if Mr Ali. (Photo: John Cline

The Lat

The Gomti river level was high for October owing to the late rain we had this year. The good part is that the lake has water. For most of the year, over the last several years, it remains dry. This has allowed vandals to carry away the bricks that formed a parapet. Even the flat stone slopes at the side of the steps, for those who have forgotten, where the croc came up to dry, have been swiped. You may recall Mr Lewis taking a shot at it.

Brain-racking 1948 or 1950 or...

Click on George to see the pic in question. If the little chap is Allan James then the year 1948 is wrong because he is at the most a year older than me and I am July '50 born. How does it matter...

George

Got Mum to id the ankle biters from 1948. In the photo, from the left is Leslie James, Mildred Cline, John Cline, Bert Kings’ sister[ her name slips for the moment - lives in Kashmir], Dianna Powell, (in the lap is Allan James), Marlene King [Bert’s cousin - Bert's father Ivan had a brother "Albert"]]
John Cline

Is this from 1967?

I've got to do some guesswork here: From left Maharaja Cedric Innes (master) Mr Sharma, Carlyle Ward at the back, and far right is 'Beefty' Brian Chater. The Tom Brown looking boy must be 'Lala' David Sealey. I'm sorry that I cannot name the others though I remember the faces. Johnny Cline who supplied the pic may be able to help.

1909-2009

August 3, 2009.

The police station at Hazratganj, Lucknow built in 1909 was demolished in July (last month) to make way for a multi-storied parking lot. The fire station adjacent to it will soon follow.

Who is hungry?

zxz

La Martiniere College, Lucknow

The grave of John Spence in whose name Spence Hall at the Mart was named. The grave st the Nishatganj cemetery, Lucknow is in decent condition considering the fact that no one does anything for its upkeep. However, owing to the lack of space for burials old graves are being systematically levelled for fresh burials. This is done selectively. The Martiniere should show some interest here maybe by having the grave tended to for All Souls Day.
The grave of John Spence

This pic was taken from the embankment that has separated what was the lake from the school. The lake area remains dry most of the year.