Postscript
Indian
princely families – Tripura, Charkhari, Manipur, and even Nepal – followed
suit, building imposing houses[2].
Charkhari State was a Sanad State in
Central India, under the Bundelkhand Political Agency[3].
To this list can be added those of Bijni and Mayurbhanj. Bijni was an estate in
Goalpara District in possession of the Bijni family, descended from the Koch
king, Nar Narayan. It may be recalled that Rabindranath Tagore stayed in Sidli
House in Upland Road, Laitumkhrah in 1927. Sidli was in the Eastern Duars in
Goalpara District, close to Bijni. Mayurbhanj was one of seventeen dependent
territories known as the Orissa Tributary States.
There
is a liberal sprinkling of the word ‘Shillong’ in the English countryside. It
would appear that former British residents of Shillong preferred to resettle in
southern England. As at 15 December 1998, there was a ‘Shillong Rest House’ on
Horseshoe Road, Pangbourne, Berkshire[4].
In neighbouring Wiltshire, as at 31 December 1986, there was a house named ‘Shillong’
at 12 Prospect, Corsham. To the south-east of Wiltshire is East Sussex. As at
21 August 1985, there was a ‘Shillong’ at 24 Deanside, East Dean. To the
immediate north is Surrey, and as at 28 February 1903, there was a ‘Shillong
Villa’ at The Common, Weybridge.
In
neighbouring Kent to the east, there was a reference to ‘Shillong’ in 8 August
1932, at Linden Avenue, Herne Bay. To the immediate north is the county of
Essex. Here, as at 14 December 1964, there was a house named after ‘Shillong’
at 10 Hillway, Westcliff-on-sea. To the west and closer to Wales, is
Worcestershire. Here, as at 19 March 1979, there was a ‘Shillong’ to be found at
39 Witton Avenue, Droitwich, WR9 8NZ. On the west coast, near Wales is
Cheshire, there is another reference to ‘Shillong’ on 11 March 1938, this time at
Carrwood Avenue, Bramhall. There was even a ‘Shillong Restaurant’, owned by a
Joydul Hashan, at 190 Northfield Avenue, London W13.
Shillong was also the name that launched, not
a thousand, but two ships. Shillong MV
was a British Cargo Motor Vessel of 5,529 tons built in 1939 by Alexander
Stephen & Sons, Glasgow, for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company[5]. On 4 April 1943 she was
torpedoed by German submarine U-635 in the North Atlantic off Cape Farewell and
sunk. 72 lives were lost including her master Captain J.H.Hollow who died in
one of the boats the following day from exposure.
S.S. Shillong was a P & O passenger-cargo ship built by
Vickers Armstrong of Newcastle and launched in March 1949[6].
Classified as a general cargo liner, she could carry 12 passengers and had a
crew of 87[7].
On 22 October 1957, the Shillong (Hamburg for Tsingtao with a general cargo of
11,700 tons and 6 passengers) was steaming down the Gulf of Suez when she was
struck amidships on the port side by the motor tanker Purfina Congo. Two
members of Crew were lost and a third died later.
India Office records in the
British Library show that people were actually named after Shillong. Leo
Andrew SHILLONG was born on 5 June 1936 in Shillong to Cyril Anastasius
and Eva Louisa. Elmo Mary Teresa SHILLONG was born on 15 October 1920 to James
Henry (Assistant Surgeon, Indian Medical Department) and Millicent Lilian. The
London Gazette also has a brief reference to a James Henry SHILLONG who was “to remain seconded in 8 April 1926”.
There is also reference to Second Lieutenant John Louis SHILLONG who
relinquished his commission on 1 July 1944.
When P.R.T. Gurdon was the
Deputy Commissioner, his son Charles William Gurdon was born in Shillong on 12
September 1900. Interestingly, Winnie Webb
was born on 1 December 1913 in Shillong and is referenced as - daughter of
(unknown) Telegraph Department. Richard May was born on 11 June 1892 and
is shown as illegitimate as was Alice May born on 25 August 1889.
Shillong also gets a brief mention
in Rudyard Kipling’s Kim – lost tea gardens Shillong way.
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