Page 6 of 11. An Electronic Supplement to Bilham, R.,Tom LaTouche and the Great Assam Earthquake of 12 June 1897: letters from the epicenter. Seism. Res. Lett. 79(3), 426-437, 2008. doi: 10.1785/gssrl.79.3.426.
May 1896-May 1897 With Griesbach on leave, Oldham is appointed Acting Director of the Geological Survey of India. The archive preserves several of Oldham's letters to LaTouche. Tom is initially in Shropshire and Nancy in Ireland. Nancy accompanies Tom to Rajputana. Back in Calcutta Tom builds a grinding machine to make thin sections -the first geologist in India to do so.
GSI Calcutta 8 May1896 C258/55 Oldham to La Touche
My dear La Touche
Griesbach has gone on 18 months leave, handing over to me yesterday, and left your letter of 10th April for me to answer. I don't quite understand about the photos, G(riesbach) said he had heard nothing before about them. Are they private ones you are sending out on spec. or what? Just have been informed that as far as this department is concerned there is no objection to the extension of leave you want. I signed the letter yesterday after taking over. I don't think you will see much difference in the Red Sea, though of course it will be cooler out there. Your Lushui medal has been received by the office and I have told the Registrar to send it on to you.
That is all the business in your letter. I am glad to hear you have enjoying yourself. Medlicott will be pleased to see you I fancy, his pretence of liking a hermit's life is merely done to impress & he really likes it if men will go to see him.
We have two, or three, new men since you were here. Hayden is a splendid fellow and just what we want. Vredenburg is a decent little chap, very polite and good natured, hard working and in his way enthusiastic, but rather like Warth in his helplessness. Grimes, the third, is a truly awful specimen.
I hope your people are well, remember me kindly to them. You will find my mother at Shrewsbury - Windsor House, near the church is the address - and she will be very pleased to see you if you can find time to visit her.
With kind regards to Mrs La Touche. Believe me. Yours sincerely. R. D. Oldham
PS. I don't know if you have been informed of your destination on return & you would like to know. I find that according to a disposition list of the survey for the next four years sanctioned by government, you are posted to Burma for the whole of that period.
Stokesey 29 May 1896 C258/62 to Nancy in Kingston, Ireland
I heard from Mr Medlicott yesterday that Mr Griesbach is coming home on furlough and is probably in England at the present time, He says the furlough was gazetted from 6 May. Mr Oldham is to officiate. I wonder how we will get on with him as chief.
Stokesey 4 June 1896 C258/62 to Nancy in Kingston, Ireland
The extension of leave is all right. Mr Oldham wrote like a good fellow as soon as he took over charge from Mr Griesbach, and signed the offical granting the leave at once. They can't make out why I sent all those photos which is strange considering that Mr. G. asked me to let him have some of them for the office. I wish he had put it on paper, but I think I have a demi-official in which he says he would be glad to have them. Mr. O. seeks to be remembered to you. Otherwise there is not much news of interest in his letter except about the new men, of whom one he says is a good fellow, Hayden. Vredenberg - the man I saw in London last year just before he went out, he says is very polite and enthusiastic, but as bad as Warth for helplessness. I suppose he means in camp. I enclose Mr O's letter -you need not send it back but keep it safely.
Stokesey 11 June 1896 C258/62 to Nancy in Kingston, Ireland
I am going to write to Mr Oldham to ask if he knows where we have to go next cold weather.
Stokesey 20 June 1996 C258/62 to Nancy in Kingston, Ireland
We have all been to a concert at Shrewsbury in which Mary was one of the performers, Mary played her viola in three pieces and is very much pleased with herself. After it was over I went to call on Mr. Oldham's mother who is living at Shrewsbury. She seemed very glad to see me and is a dear old lady. Mr Oldham's conceit must be original sin I think, he could not have got it from his mother at any rate.
Ootacamund 31 August 1896 C258/55.2 Geological Survey of India Oldham to La Touche
My Dear la Touche
I have been waiting for a long time to get the govt. sanction for your disposition but it is not out yet. You will have heard from your brother that I had proposed that you should go to Rajputana instead of Burma. I thought you would probably be wanting to bring your wife out, and would like her to go into camp with you, so I said that as there would be only one man in Burma, while there would be a party in central India and Rajputana, it would be better to send one of the junior men - Grimes - to Burma, and that you should go to take charge of the party being a Superintendent. If they had passed the order soon enough I should have written to you to take your passage to Bombay later, but no orders have been passed yet and I have your letter saying you have taken your passage to Calcutta, so I fear it would be too late to change now even if I get the sanction immediately.
I wrote in July last and after many a month got a copy of some D.O. correspondence from Buyers who wants some coal in the Mirah (?Mikir) hills examined for the railway. I said that it would be inconvenient to send a man unless they meant ultimately to undertake the systematic survey of Assam with a strong party and a well-considered scheme of operations, in which case Smith might go in advance to form one of the party ultimately. I do not know if you would still care to go there but after the grounds I gave for proposing your transfer to Rajputana I could not propose you to go there until a party was organized. Since then, Datta has taken furlough & your party ceases to exist for this year, so I could now let you go there if you like, & Smith to Baluchistan which he would prefer.
It is quite possible that no one may go to Assam at all as I said that it would be impossible to do the work without special arrangments, which I estimated would cost about 4000Rp for the season & they may stick at that, but if you care to go I could arrange it and that it would be for some years, unless G. chooses to upset everything when he returns, which, after his recent experiences with Govt., I doubt he will attempt to do. Let me know as soon as possible what your views are & I will do the best to meet them: either Rajputana or Assam it will be; unless Govt. refuse altogether to sanction any changes from the Burma disposition, which is possible but not, I fancy, probable.
I saw Smith and Mrs Smith at Bangalore both looking well, but Mrs Smith still a little red about the eyes after her malaria and with marks of boils still on her face. Foote was there with his family. Middlemiss is up here with me, he has taken off his moustache. I think it improves his appearance. Mrs M. is a pleasant little lady but empty-headed and only thinks or talks of hunting: the children are jolly, sturdy little things, except the eldest who is a regular hunchback, poor little thing. Ooty is a charming spot, if it was only more central I would do all I could to get headquarters transferred there instead of that hole in Calcutta. It is like Shillong but on a much larger scale and with a proper climate.
I hope this will catch the mail but the lines have a habit of breaking at this time of the year so it is uncertain.
Yours sincerely, R.D. Oldham
Ootacamund 3 Sept 1896 Mss Eur C258/55.3. Geological Survey of India
My dear laTouche
I have just heard from India that you do not go to Burma this season, so if not too late you had better book your passage to Bombay as Ajmere will be your headquarters for starting camp: that is if you do not want to go to Assam, in which case Calcutta would be more convenient. Let me know about this )i.e. Assam) by return as I will have to arrange about Smith.
If you still stick to
Rajputana you will need large tents. I have a 12 ft Swiss cottage which ought to do you well, but you will
want a good man to pitch it or they will break the ridge pole, also a 10ft
of the same pattern which Smith will not but if you prefer a single poled
hill tent I will get one for you. You will also want some small tents. Let me know what you prefer if possible I will have them ready
for you, or the nearest we can do.
I forgot to tell you that Holland is engaged to be married to a Miss Chapman. I hear she is very nice, she has a brother in the civil service now at Bhamo and a sister somewhere up country. They are to be married about Christmas.
Yours truly, R.D.Oldham
Calcutta 1 Oct 1896 Mss Eur C258/55.4. Geological Survey of India
My dear La Touche
As I did not hear from you last mail I suppose the letter I wrote to tell you that govt. has sanctioned my proposal that you should go to Rajputana not Burma did not reach you before starting. They have since wanted a man to go to Assam and for reasons too long to write now I was not able to propose you, but Smith. These reasons no longer exist so if you would like to go to Assam I daresay I could arrange the change, You would have to survey the west side of the Dhausiri valley (Namber forest) so I don't suppose you will care about it.
As regards Rajputana, you would survey Jodhpore territory. I have put out the maps which have not been done by Hacket for you, also some maps of mine with little patches of colour, the result of a traverse of mine; a set of printed papers and my progress report. These constituted all of the previous papers as regards geology.
For tents, you asked for a 14 ft swiss cottage. I don't think we can run to that and I don't know what you would do with such a white elephant. There is a 12 ft swiss cottage in good order which I had in Rewah. It was bought in 1894 and is a very good tent, my one objection was that it was too big, but that is not such a drawback in the desert as in Rewah. You are also entitled to a sleeping tent, field offices Cabul or miniature swiss cottage as you like, two [?jenants pals] and a necessary tent or extra pal as you choose. These I understand you have, but if not not you can take them from store, or have new ones ordered. Webb has the necessary instructions.
You should write to the Resident, Western Rajputana States, in the first instance - you will start working in Jodhpur and I would recommend your collecting your camp at Ajmere. When I was there it was the only practical place to do so, though perhaps you might now in Jodhpur itself. You will find it a delightful country up to the middle of March, when it begins to get hot, and the natives are amoung the best in India. I used to ride camels exclusively as there is a lot of heavy sand which is not good for horses. I tried both hiring and buying. There is not much difference in the matter of cost when you include the loss of resale but I think one gets a better animal by buying, though there is less risk in hiring.
I will not be in Calcutta when you arrive and you will find the office shut for the Poojahs, but I shall leave orders that your letters are to be left out where you can get them when you call.
If you want to go to Assam let me know sharp, I shall be in Simla that I may put the thing through if possible. If not you had better get away from Calcutta as soon as possible. I want to see you before you start into camp and, as I shall be in Indore about the 22nd, will arrange to meet you at Ajmere either before or after I go there. Telegraph me your movements that I may know.
There is a lot of survey news, which I will tell you when we meet. With kind regards to Mrs La Touche,
Yours sincerely, R. D. Oldham
Grand Hotel 13 Oct 1896 Mss Eur C258/93
to Aunt Mary from Nancy, Arrived Calcutta safely but difficult getting off the boat because of the state of the tide. Mr Oldham (Director) had sent men to help about the baggage. He himself is away as these are the Puja days.There is a letter from Mr Oldham we are to go to Rajputana & may get off by the end of the week
Simla 14 Oct 1896 Mss Eur C258/55.5. Oldham to La Touche
My Dear La Touche
I was just on the point of writing to you to catch you on arrival when I got your telegram this morning to say that you had arrived.
I have taken a tonga from here on the 17th intending to go to Indore first and then back to Ajmere to see you , but have had a telegram from Indore to say that the man won't be there so I shall stop in Ajmere if you are there by the 19th.
You will find an old bearer of yours in my service, but I only took him on till my own man got well, and don't want him any longer. I told him if you wanted him he was to hand over charge to a chaprassie of mine. If you don't want him and are wanting a chaprassie I can let you have my man, Bhola by name, who is a capital hand at pitching tents and loading. He understands the tent I have for you thoroughly, and I have no work for him at present. I paid him 8/., but in Maruur he should get an extra rupee. I fancy you will have to pay all your men extra this year, or arrange to feed them, as there is a famine in the land.
As soon as I get a reply to your telegram [that] I sent to Indore yesterday, I will wire you my movements.
Hoping you had a good journey and with regards to Mrs La Touche.
Believe me. Yours sincerely, R.D.Oldham
Delhi 18 October 1896 Mss Eur C258/55.6. Oldham to La Touche
My dear LaTouche
I got your note on Friday evening and as I had heard from Indore that they would make my original date suit, there was no need to telegraph to you. I shall arrive at Indore on the 20th and shall probably be four or five days there, so you should be in Ajmere by the time I am able to get there.
You will, I presume, be leaving Calcutta on Monday or Tuesday night, and if this does not catch you before you start, should reach you in Ajmere the day after you arrive. It ought to not take you more than 10 days at the outside to collect camp. I did mine in 7 and I had not a stick when I landed.
Yours truly, R.D. Oldham
9 Nov 1896 Mss Eur C258/55.7 Geol Survey of India (no town given, probably Calcutta)
My dear La Touche
I got your letters of 6th this morning. The allowing of our letters to be directed here and the custom we have of taking them in and forwarding them is quite informal and done for the convenience of the men concerned, so any irregularity could not be taken up officially. I have, however, inquired about your letter; no one knows anything about it, and the letter could never have been delivered here, being VPP and having no postmark or reporting. What must have happened is that the postman came around on the 24th and found no one here, that the PostOffice put the letter aside, and sent it round later on when he was informed probably by one of the servants that you had gone to Ajmere. I do not recognise the handwriting of the redirection as that of any of the men in the office. I return the envelope for you to make enquiries of the post office why they sent no intimation; if one had been delivered you would have got it.
I can't quite understand about the maps. I believe I put all the unsurveyed sheets there were. The best thing will be for you to let me have a list of the maps with you, giving the standard sheet numbers, and in case they may not be on the maps, I send you a copy of the Index map, which please return. I have found a lot of Hacket's old maps and will send you shortly those which lie along the edge of your working area. They will serve as a guide. I will also send you a copy of the Atlas sheet you ask for.
Yours sincerely, R. D. Oldham
Calcutta 16 Nov 1896 GSI C258/55.8. Oldham to La Touche
My dear LaTouche
I got your letter of 13th this morning with enclosures As you have put all the maps on one list, with those geologically coloured, which I put up for information, and the untouched sheets which were to be your working maps, the matter is still a bit obscure. So far as my recollection goes you have only one copy each of the ½ inch sheets Nos. 63, 65, 104 , which were put up as you might want to refer to them when reading the M.S. report. Sheets 106, 108 had either no rocks on them or no colors on them so were not put up, as I thought the uncolored sheets supplied would have more than enough for the seasons work. I will have them sent if you particularly wish, but the Atlas sheets will serve any purpose of references you require, and if, after finishing all the unworked sheets I have sent you still have time, they can go to you.
I particularly do not want any tearing over the country, or any unsurveyed patches on the sheets. We know the general sequence fairly well and what is now required is a steady and systematic survey and I would prefer that the southern half of the unsurveyed country should be done first. As the season is so far advanced you had better begin from near Jhodpur and work west and south from it over the unsurveyed sheets, leaving the country to the north of lat 26°15' for future seasons.
Yours sincerely, R. D. Oldham
1897--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calcutta 2 March 1897 Mss Eur C258/55.9. GSI
My dear La Touche,
You
married men are wonderful; either
you get ill or your wife does, or there is a chance of one or other &
anyway, it means going in to the nearest station and knocking off work for a
while. I dont know any other
department where men can do that sort of thing, but then we are better off than others in many ways, and
what applies to them does not to us. Don't take this as a [ ?dig], for you are all right, it is only a passing thought by the
way, and besides if I can catch you in Jodhpur I have a treat for you. In Dec. last the P.A. at Bikaner & Colonel Vincent sent a couple of pieces of a lignite with
specks of resin in it, I asked him
for more, and the locality; he sent 7 lb which assay at 8% ash only, and he
says there is 5 ft 9 inches of it in the bottom of a well 27 ft deep. If there is this thickness in a regular
seam of stuff like what he sent, it would be worth working, as the locality is
only 12 miles from Bikaner. I want
you to go & look at the place, either now, if I can catch you with a
telegram I have sent, or later on. You need not take tents as I will ask the P.A. to let you have some if
necessary, but there is not much surveying to be done there, as there are probably
no rocks at the surface, but you can have a look at the place, see what the
rocks are and whether there seems to be a regular seam of decent stuff, or if
what came to us was picked specimens. You will report to us, not to the P.A. If I get a telegram from you I will send further particulars
& maps to Bikaner, if not I shall wait to hear from you and will send them
to wherever you are.
I have a letter from one Thomas Walker informing me that he has been appointed to the Survey. We have heard nothing of him, but from his handwriting he does not seen to be the sort of man I hoped to get by advertising, but then, if the advertisement is deliberately made as attractive as possible, what can one expect.
Smith is still in Assam, he wanted to try and make a T.A. through May and June to go home on, but he has not been doing so well, and has sent in such preposterous bills that I would feel not inclined to go out of my way to do anything of that sort, even if it were possible.
Hayden, I am glad to say, has got the lectureship in geology at the college, I feared that was going to be dropped for want of babus.
From you having sent specimens down here I suppose you will be coming down after them, but if you would rather go up to Mussourie till the rains break, do so. It is a question of whether you prefer May or August in Calcutta, but I don't see the necessity or advisability of being down here the whole recess, though I do think men ought to come to head quarters for two or three months each year.
My kind regards to your wife. Yours sincerely R. D. Oldham
PS Has "slating" been the only interest in our publications of late?
Camp Kuip 7 March 1897 Mss Eur C258/62 La Touche to Nancy
I had a letter from Mr. Oldham today explaining his telegram. It does not amount to much after all. He had heard from Bikaner about the discovery of coal there and some specimens sent down to Calcutta have turned out well , so he wanted me to go up and investigate it. I am glad I did not get his telegram at Jodhpur as I don't want to be rushing about on another job now, and that coal can wait very well until I have done my work here. He has a friendly jibe at me about my going into Jodhpur to see you off, but he evidently thought that I intended to spend several days there. He suggests himself that I should go to Mussourie at the end of the rains, or before whichever I prefer, as he does not see the necessity of being down in Calcutta for the whole recess. Of course it is a great temptation to take him at his word & go up from camp, but for many reasons my dear, I think it advisable to wait. I really want to work on the collections I have made and that can only be done in Calcutta
Calcutta 16 March 1897 Mss Eur C258/55.10. GSI Oldham to La Touche
My dear LaTouche,
I have your letter of 7th received on the 11th. You were quite right. I purposely worded the telegram so as
to prevent waste of time in mere marching backwards and forwards. I have not much expectation of that
Bikaner stuff as coal but I am curious to know what it is. It is not a bit like any Gondwana coal
I have ever seen, whether Upper or Lower; it looks more like Tertiary & there is a Nummulitic outlier in
Bikaner. I don't fancy you can do
more than look at it and see this. However, you will be able to decide that when you go there.
The new man is to be out in May, his name is Walker, a Canadian, a PhD of Leipzig, 28 years old and a man of strong religious conviction and good moral character. I wonder how he will turn out.
GSI Calcutta 23 March 1897 Mss EurC258/55.11.
My Dear La
Touche,
I sent off the maps of Bikaner yesterday. The Jaisalmer lignite is no good, merely a piece of fossil wood in the Jurassic shales. Such finds are made periodically, we have had one or two sent here before now.
You had better have your tents and things somewhere handy for next year. I don't believe in shifting about, and unless something very unforseen turns up you will continue this year's work next year.
I have found that Walker has written some papers that read very well. One in the last Q. J. s praised by Teall, but Bonney says his conclusions are not justified. It seems to me a good bit of work. Griesbach writes from Cape Town, he was just starting on his way home so should be in London now.
I don't propose going away from here unless I go up to Shillong for a short time to see what can be done about Assam. India has no money; perhaps Assam may have.
Yours sincerely
R.D. Oldham
Calcutta 24 April 1897 Mss Eur C258/62
La Touche arrives from Agra ahead of his portmanteau and has to buy a shirt since his own is grubby with travel. He is placed in the west side of the Grand Hotel and hopes to move to a larger, cooler room eventually."After making myself fit to be seen I went to the museum and found Mr. Hayden there. Today is a holiday so no one else was there. Mr. Oldham, however is living close by with Dr Anderson, the Supt. of the Museum so I went over and saw him. He had sent a note to the train to meet me asking me to go live with them for a few days till I found quarters, but I could not go there without a [?coy] to my back, could I, and besides I would rather be independent. He was very friendly, and came across and showed me over the new building, for since we were here in Oct. the Geol. Survey office and library has been moved to a new building at the back of the old one. It is certainly a change for the better, for we have much more room. The collections, however, remain in the old building. Neither Mr. Holland nor Middlemiss was coming up here this season, for which I am rather sorry, and Mr. Smith is to stay for the present in Shillong. Mr. Hayden seems to be a very nice fellow and I think we shall get on well together. He is in charge of the laboratory now. We are going out tomorrow morning to Tollyganj a few miles off to have a game of golf. Mr. Oldham has started a sailing boat on the river. He has asked me to dine with him tomorrow evening. I hope my things will turn up in time.
Calcutta 28 April 1897 C258/62
---I have been at the museum all day and have just come home to tea. Mr. O. approved of my report on the Bikaner coal and will publish it in the Records, It is sleepy work reading there especially after Tiffin, but I don't like to go entirely without food from 9 to 5:30. I tried it one year down here and it was not a success, Mr. Hayden is trying it now. I had a long letter from Mr. Smith at Shillong this morning, asking me some conundrum anout coal in Assam, and about fishing. They have been at Shillong about a week. I hear that Mrs. Smith had a very bad time of it with leeches in the jungles. I don't think she cares much for camping. I must send this to post. Mr. O. has put me up for the golf Club so I hope to get some exercise if I am elected, at present I have nothing to do but walk, and that is not very pleasant without an object.
Calcutta 29 April 1897 C258/62
My room is on the 4th story and Mr. O's on the 3rd
I am dining with Mr. O again tonight.
Calcutta 30 April 1897 C258/62
The dinner last night at O's was pleasant enough, A Dr. Prani was there (a botanist who knew Hooker and was interested in Assam) ….. I like Dr. Anderson, the Supt of the Museum very well. He seems to be a very nice fellow and talks well. Mr. O is looking I think much better than he was when we here in October and is very friendly
Calcutta 3 May 1897 C258/62
---I have asked Mr. Hayden to come and dine with me tomorrow night. Mr. Vredenberg is expected from camp this week. He is a very musical little man I believe.
Calcutta 4 May C258/62
Mr. Vredenberg turned up today looking very sun burnt. He is to work in the same room with me at the museum so I shall see a good deal of him. He is a queer little man I fancy.
Calcutta 5 May 1897 C258/62
I have been feeling rather tired all day . Perhaps though it was because I did not get to bed till nearly 12 last night. Mr. Hayden stayed till after 11 so I suppose he enjoyed himself. He is a very nice fellow indeed and not at all bumptious. By the way I hear that Mr. Holland is much improved in his manners and no doubt his wife will have a civilising effect on him. I hear she is very nice.
Calcutta 6 May 1897 C258/62 elected to the Golf club
Calcutta 7 May C258/62
Mr. Oldham came up to talk about some tables and so I have not been able to write to you.
Calcutta 8 May 1897 C258/62
This morning Mr. Walker, the new acquisition of the survey turned up. He has come from Canada via New York and Marseilles. He looks rather a rough specimen but that is partly on account of his clothes. He landed with only warm clothes and had to go to the bazaar & get himself fitted out with ready made things. He looks very like Mr. Early, but he is said to have done some very good work in geology.
Calcutta 13 May 1897 C258/62
Now I am going to have tea and then to tennis at Mr. Oldham's. I wonder how I shall get on it is so long since I played. ……. I must be off now to Mr. O's
Calcutta 14 May 1897 C258/62
I got on rather better than I expected at Mr. O's yesterday evening but I don't like having to borrow a racket. There were three ladies there neither of whom I had met before, One was Mrs. Bomford, wife of the principal of the Medical College, another a Mrs. Havelock, and a Miss Yeates, a rather pretty girl, but I should think not very good style. Her brother in law escorted her, a down looking individual, a jute or cotton broker I believe. It was hot playing but each of us only played about two sets---
Calcutta 15 May 1897 C258/62
Mr. Bose one of our natives returned from Furlough today. He is looking much older than when I last saw him. He has been at Darjeeling most of the time with his wife and family.
Calcutta 16 May 1897 C258/62
Just back from playing golf with Mr. Hayden. I won.
Calcutta 17 May 1897 C258/62
I weighed myself yesterday 11.1 which is only 4 lbs less or so than I ought to be.
Calcutta 18 May 1897 C258/62
--- thanks for the racket. Our new man Dr. Walker is down with fever. -- went to sit with him, he has few friends, --- lend him some books.
Calcutta 19 May 1897 C258/62
Dined with Hayden last night, Walker much better today
Calcutta 20 May 1897 C258/62
Walker much better. He is a quiet unassuming young fellow, but I am afraid he will have a dull time of it here. He is hardly the kind of a man one would care to associate with and he plays no games whatsoever. Mr. O calls him a YMCA style of young man. Another man Mr. Grimes turned up yesterday from Burma, so we are getting pretty full up at the office. I have seen very little of him, but he does not seem as impossible as I expected from Mr. O's description of him.---Mrs. Anderson sent me a note asking me to bring my music. I dare say she thinks I play an instrument. I wish you were here to play an accompaniment for me if I have to sing,
Calcutta 21 May 1897 C258/62
---the only song Mrs. A could find for me was the "arrow and the song" and she played the accompt. and made a false note in the most critical place! I finished the grinding machine today after working at it the last two or three mornings
Calcutta 22 May 1897 C258/62
That design of mine I sent you some time ago has been published in Indian Engineering this week and it looks very well. --- I wonder if anyone will ever use it
Calcutta 23 May 1897 C258/62
Dinner in the Bengal club with several geologists
Calcutta 24 May 1897 C258/62
meets Mrs. Vredenberg the mother of Mr. Vredenberg who is "Dutch or French. Lived in Brazil and W Africa but Calcutta is hotter by far."
Calcutta 25 May 1897 C258/62 Mr. Oldham is going up to Simla in a few days & I suppose I shall be left in charge of the office, but I don't think he will be away long.
Calcutta 26 May 1897 C258/62 …. I am due to play tennis here at the museum at 5. There is a very good lawn belonging to the house of Dr. Anderson & Mr. Oldham' s live in, and I have played there more than once already. Dr A is a very keen player I was very dissipated last night, did not get home till nearly 2 o'clock in the morning so I am a great deal worse than you