William Hall in India and In Scotland

Bangalore

July 23, 2012 at 10:48 am Leave a comment

The 69th Regiment of Foot arrived in Madras, India. I think the Madras here refers to the Madras Presidency, not the later city of Madras. William transferred from the 69th Regiment to the 66th Regiment in 1864 and then to the 2nd Battalion, 1oth Regiment in 1865. In 1865, this last regiment was stationed in Bangalore. William and Lydia’s first child, Thomas, was born on March 24, 1866, in Bangalore, Madras, India. William also re-enlisted for another 11 years when he was in Bangalore.

Bangalore is located on India’s Deccan Plateau and is 3000 miles above sea level. The gives it one of the best climates of the cities of India. The British established a cantonment, or military post, in Bangalore in 1801. The Bangalore Cantonment (1806–1881) was a military cantonment of the British Raj based in the Indian city of Bangalore. The cantonment covered an area of 13 square miles. By area, it was the largest British military cantonment in South India.The origin of the word cantonment comes from the French word canton, meaning corner or district. Each cantonment was essentially a well-defined and clearly demarcated unit of territory set apart for the quartering and administering of troops.The heart of the Bangalore Cantonment was the Parade Ground. The Civil and Military Station (CMS) grew around the Parade Ground.

The Parade Ground is in the upper right of this photo.

The British garrison stationed in the cantonment included three artillery batteries, and regiments of cavalry, infantry, sappers, miners, mounted infantry, supply and transport corps and the Bangalore Rifle Volunteers. The Bangalore Cantonment was directly under the administration of the British Raj, while Bangalore City itself was under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Mysore. The Bangalore Cantonment was less crowded than Bangalore City and had a colonial design with a population that consisted of residents from other parts of India and Britain. In the nineteenth century, it had clubs, churches, shops, and cinemas. It also had a strong European influence with public residence and life centered around the South Parade. The area around South Parade was famous for its bars and restaurants with the area known as Backpally becoming a one-stop shopping area.

Entry filed under: Halls. Tags: Bangalore, Cantonment, Deccan Plateau, Thomas Hall.