The Vincents in Calcutta

Lauraine  and  Brenda with their mother, Noreen in Calcutta cir 1971.

Brenda I put this picture up for you. I got the message on Google circle or whatever that is called and I replied and heard nothing more.
I was happy seeing your message because, though I'd tried to find you on Facebook, I had no luck. I took it that you may not be on FB or you are using another name. Lauraine prefers keeping to herself.
You could have got my email from
my blog: georgeshepherdlkw@gmail.com

George Herbert Shepherd's diary 1921-25

The diary is a record of monies handled by Mr G.H. Shepherd after he moved to Lawrence Terrace. I have no record of his designation but the letters are to the municipal board officials and to residents and some who had shifted. Since LT only accommodated 19 families his jurisdiction, it would appear, extended to the main road opposite LT known then as Outram Road (later renamed Ashok Marg).
The diary also holds copies of letters written to the district magistrate and Hashman & Sons, Auctioneers.
 There are approx two entries that place him in house No. 4 from where he moved to the largest accommodation No 13 LT where he lived till he passed away in 1928. The Shepherd family also stayed at No 17 LT where my father Ivan Douglas Shepherd was born in 1918.
The family retained this accommodation till the new blocks of flats (A & B Blocks) were completed in April 1959. The pic here of a diary entry is a letter to Mr W.F.Hilton, 13 Outram Road. Dated 30th March, 1923 the letter is to remind Mr Hilton that he had to pay Rs 100 for January and February - Rs 50 per month.

Mart 1976 & 2013

Photo taken in 1976 by John Cline

Pic taken in 2011

Aug 27, 2013

Aug 27, 2013

Dr Mrs MC Shave, MLC, Punjab

Dr Mrs MC Shave, Representative of the European
and Anglo-Indian Communities in the Punjab Legislative
Assembly, Fourth Council (October 24, 1930 to 
November 10, 1936).
(This pic was cut from a newspaper or magazine
and preserved for more than 70 years in a photo album.)
People spend their lives collecting photographs and other keepsakes that are discarded after they're gone!
 I was going through an album that belonged to Mr Denzil
D'Gama that was passed on to my parents when
my dad's widower brother-in-law decided to shift to
Bangalore at the end of the '70's. Mr D'Gama had
 married my dad's widowed sister-in-law, Nora nee
Dubois when her husband, George Percival Shepherd
passed away. 
I wonder whether Mr D'Gama knew Mrs Shave or why would he have her pic in his album - well many years ago I stuck a picture of Ali MacGraw in my album!

Vilayatibagh ruins, Lucknow

Pics taken on Sunday July 21, 2013

Vilayati Bagh was built by Ghazi-ud-din Haider
 (b. c. 1769 – d. 19 October 1827) was the last^[1] nawab wazir of Oudh from 11 July 1814 to 19 October 1818^[2] and first^[1] King of Oudh from 19 October 1818 to 19 October 1827, for an European of his on the right bank of the River Gomti not far from the Dilkusha Palace.
The Archaeological Survey of India has been working on its preservation after decades of neglect. 
Three European graves within its precincts have been repaired but remain nameless!

 

The two little pyramids put on one grave are, perhaps,
 remnants of the original grave or wall that surrounded it! 

Hussainabad Clock Tower gate

 

The top picture was taken in May 2011: Roaming around the Hussainabad Clock Tower in Lucknow,  notRumi Darwaza I noticed this iron railing with a crescent. I couldn't believe that it had survived

far from the

when all the rest of the fencing had long gone; replaced by a poorly finished angle-iron fencing. I again visited the place on July 14, 2013 and was disturbed to find labourers digging around and I thought this would be the end of that old fence. Anyhow on closer examination I discovered that this was actually the original gateway to the clock tower. The pictures here are of two iron pillars with the two gates intact. One is hidden by the earth that has been piled against it. Most of the gate had been hidden by bushes most of the time. I went on to an Archaeological Survey of India facebook page thinking I'd draw the attention of the authorities to it. The reply I got from there disappointed me: The page is the ASI's 'fan' page!! Now how long will this survive is anybody's guess! Several years ago the changed the original pre-Independence fencing around the Sir Harcourt Butler Park in Kaiserbagh, Lucknow. What the use today as fencing needs repairs every couple of years. Iron is twisted a wrenched off by people who sell it to scrap dealers.

November 2014 the original gateway to
the Hussainabad clock tower was
smashed as I'd feared three years earlier.

This is how the Archaeological Survey of India
preserves heritage sites and artifacts!

End of November 2014

Old pic taken some months ago (2014)

Hendy has passed on!

The news Friday night (April 26, 2013) that Mr Oscar Henderson has passed away saddened me. I came home from work after midnight and discovered the news on facebook.

This is the letter Mrs Henderson has put out to all Martinians and others who knew him:

Dear Friends,
Greetings to you from the Henderson family in Tampa, Florida excluding your very dear friend Oscar, who is no more. Yes, Oscar left us all for his Heavenly Abode, yesterday, Thursday 25th April ’13 at 1.15 pm.

It is with great sadness that I write about Oscar, my precious husband, the love of my life for the last 54 years, my best friend, my All! Even though he was pretty unwell for the past couple of years, by the Grace of God, his final moments were very quick with little struggle. This was so because he was a good man and well blessed by our Heavenly Father.

Oscar as you know lived and enjoyed his life to the fullest, putting others’ needs before his own, and at all times doing his very best for all he interacted with. Each endeavor he undertook was with sincerity and honesty. Where ever he went he spread happiness and cheer all around. It is for this very reason that he did not disclose his ill health issues to anyone outside of his immediate family. Instead he focused his attention on spreading happiness and goodwill to his siblings, wife, children, grandchildren and hundreds of friends all around the Globe with inspirational, motivating, informative and witty emails. His inability to travel to catch up with family and friends was balanced by the constant flow of e-mails, online bridge games, listening to music, keeping up with the Daily News and watching the Sports Channel - his favorites being Rugby and Cage Boxing!

What I will miss most is while he was an excellent human being, gregarious, intelligent, a towering personality who made heads turn, he was deep down God fearing, and very soft and tender on the inside. His innate ability to sense and share pain or sorrow of others and always lend a helping hand, was truly remarkable. I am positive each one of you will recall and reminisce some of those moments spent with him.

As we prepare for the upcoming funeral service, I am proud to see how Michael our son, has so easily slipped into his father’s shoes working through the logistics, taking into account my wishes for Oscar. He and his family have been by his side throughout this arduous journey and were with him as he breathed his last. Unfortunately our daughters, Debbie, Sandy, Jennifer and their families were unable to be here in time to say their goodbyes but will be with me as we lay him to rest. In addition, we will be joined by family from Australia, UK and Canada - his sister Anne and her family, his brothers Bruce and Tom, his cousin Shaku and other close friends in the US will be present to bid him a final farewell.

I will end with the consolation my 9 year old granddaughter Rebecca, extended to me yesterday as she innocently remarked how her Grandpa was no longer in pain and safe with Jesus. She went on to quote a verse she had recently learnt at school,

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelations 21:4

Sorrowfully,

Meena

Going forward: Contact Details while in the United States:

Meena Henderson
5824 West Inter Bay Blvd.
TAMPA. 33611
Residence Telephone – 1-813-944 3047
e-mail: meena@iecworldwide.com