A letter written in 1925

A letter dated June 6, 1925, written by my grandfather, G.H. Shepherd, to the Municipal Board Superintendent about octroi that had to be paid on a parcel. This was in response
to a
The parcel containing jaggery and sweetmeats weighing 3 1/2 seers which included the packaging.
This was decades before cellophane and aluminium foil
and today's packaging machines, so the letter mentions
'fat' and the box whose total weight was 3 1/2 seers.

Those were simpler days with simpler solutions!

St John's Church in the Wilderness, Naini Tal

The belfry is covered with grass and the compound
all around hasn't been cleaned, perhaps, ever!
The pastor does not live on the premises but a school,
that takes its name from the church' exists
on the campus, probably' as a family business.

The first glimpse of the church as we climbed
from the cemetery up a steep, scree strewn path

The cemetery that lies below the church and the graves
protected by the stinging nettle and other thorny plants!

It is very clear that this church is standing
because it was built to last and no thanks to
the pastor of parishioners. 

Kelly, Bassett, Perkins, Jolly: Names written in pencil 130 years ago

The four neem trees, two on each side of the east terrace, where
 the cannons stand, were removed on Mon May 18, 2015.
The trees concealed much of the building when viewed
from the angle these two pics were taken!
 

Pic of  the office corridor and
 stairs that lead to Sykes Hall taken from
 an  arrowslit of the turret

Stairs spiral up the turret to this decorative,
 now crumbling, ceiling. 

C. Bassett 16th June 1881

The turret, one corner of the
Principal's residence, where
boys names written in pencil
130 years ago were discovered
on Tues May 19, 2015

William Jolly, Charles ??
John ??, Charles B???
Alfred Perkins

T. Kelly 16th  June 1881 
Only one name was etched into the
plaster and that was of 
A.H Maitland. There is no way to 
tell if Maitland was a part of the
group or had written his name
later or earlier!

Shahnajaf Road

St Francis College on the left out of the picture
Shahnajaf Road, Lucknow


I don't get to touch this blog anymore because of the
guavagardens.blogspot.in
which takes up all the time
that I can spare! 
This blog has turned out a place
to dump pictures in the hope that
I will be able to get back and
write something. That hasn't
happened yet!

Turning a blind eye to encroachments

The Moti Mahal is on the right: The eucalyptus trees on the left were
hacked during the last month or so (Nov or Dec 2014)

The BSNL towere hidden by the tree on the left, near the
La Martiniere Girls College, Lucknow. 

That was a culvert in front, near La Martiniere Girls College, several years ago.  There is a small slum below the
the road which will soon grow like in so many areas of Lucknow

Naini Tal-Kasauni-Almora trip October 2014

Richard talking to my son-in-law Craig carrying Dallas
and daughter, Faye

On the way from Kasauni to Almora we stopped and went down
 to 

the stream where I collected a few pebbles. 

Stopped here to phone Richard  for instructions on how to
 find his place

Richard Wheeler, his wife, Elizabeth and myself at their
home at Almora (Oct 2014)

The Kosi 

Club Mahindra's Binsar resort, Almora

Mount Hermon, Darjeeling

 'Keep Darjeeling Clean' walk 1975 

Dawn cottage at Mount Hermon School, Darjeeling
 Photo: Brian Fernandez

Mount Hermon trainee teachers 1976: Edwin Dragwidge sitting in the centre
of Principal Graeme Murray and Mrs Rongong      Photo: Brian Fernandez also in the snap