St. Paul's Church (Roman Catholic), Lucknow Cantonment, Lucknow

St. Paul's Church is located in the Lucknow cantonment area close the Dilkusha Post office and the protestant All Saints Garrison Church. St. Paul's compound in Dilkusha also houses a School and a seminary.

The front porch and the main entrance door to the church

The front porch

Following details can be found about the beginning of St. Paul’s Church in the book ‘Bishop Hartmann’ by Fr. Fulgentius O.F.M.Cap.

“In 1860 the Cantonment Church (i.e. St. Paul's) and the Chapel in the Civil Lines (i.e. St. Joseph's) in Lucknow were still under construction. For the rest there was no sign of life and activity...

His Lordship (i.e. Bishop Hartmann) has left us in the form of a very brief journal... It must be noted at this time of the year the day temp. Ranged from 43°C to 45°C...

May 10^th 1862 – Arrival in Lucknow. The following day I blessed the two chapels which were hardly completed, viz, St. Paul's in cantonment and St. Joseph's in the city...

June 1^st – Sunday:... Due to my disease I had to interrupt my Masses both in the cantonment and in the city.

The Cantonment church at Dilkusha (Lucknow) was built by Government.”

As per Wikipedia 'The college was established in 1957 and is affiliated to the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi'.

Around the Church - 1

Around the Church - 2 (view from the parking area)

Around the Church - 3 (view from the parking area)

Around the Church - 4

Around the Church - 5 (View from the Grotto)

The porch and the entrance to the Church

Around the Church - 6 (view from the parking area) with the statue of the Patron Saint - St. Paul in the midst. The School building can be seen on the left

Statue of the Patron Saint - St. Paul at the back of the Church i.e. behind the High Altar

The Grotto

The inscription stone on the Grotto

The nave and the pews

The pews and the stations of the Cross on the Church wall - 1

The pews and the stations of the Cross on the Church wall - 2

The confessional by the entrance door - there is another one of the other side of the door

The beautiful church ceiling - 1

The beautiful church ceiling - 2

1857 mutiny memorial at Bargawan Village

It is located off Lucknow – Kanpur road in the village of Bargawan close to the new Picaddily hotel. It appears as monument/site number 302 on the Archaeological Survey of India’s ‘List of centrally protected monuments/sites under the jurisdiction of Lucknow circle, Lucknow’ as ‘Cemetery at mile 6 (Lucknow-Cawnpore Road)’ on the ASI list.

Even though it is listed as a cemetery, it currently only has a memorial to the officers and men of 5th Fusiliers who fell during the 1857-58 occupation of the Alambagh Camp under Sir J. Outram. As per eminent Lucknow historian and an authority on the Indian Mutiny 1857 Mr. Satish Bhatnagar (Retd. IAS) there could be a mass grave (knowing the situation they were in) at Bargawan for the men listed on the memorial,  however it cannot be validated. Neither do we know if they were buried individually, nor their location.

We read about thee officers' role in the defense of Alambagh in the book: Christian Tombs and Monuments in the United Provinces by E. A. H. BLUNT I.C.S. Year: 1911. It reads: "Sufficient justice has seldom been done to Outram's defense of the Alam Bagh between the 2nd relief and the capture of Lucknow. His position extended from the Alam Bagh to Ram Bagh and thence across to Jalalabad on one side and also east, a circuit of about 11 miles. He was to keep the rebels at Lucknow in check, and had some 4,000 men to do it with: whilst of rebels there were about 120,000. He was attacked in force six times, and successfully repulsed all attacks. The 5th Fusiliers was one of his regiments and did good service. The village of Bargawan was included in his lines and the 6th FusiLers were posted close to it."

The sign board at the compound gate

An Archaeological Survey of India protected monument

View from the compound gate - the iron grill and the cemented platform is a recent addition as part of the restoration work

The Memorial - 1

The Memorial - 2

The Memorial - 3

The inscription on the memorial

Inscription on the memorial reads:

This column is erected by the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the 5th Fusiliers, to their under mentioned comrades who fell during the occupation of the Alam Bagh Camp under Sir J. Outram, K.C.B., 1857-58: Lieutenant J. Brown ; Armour- Sergeant H. Whitnorth; Sergeant W. Walters; Private W. Anderson ; Private W. Baldry ; Private T. Hill ; Private D McEvoy; Private H. Wright; Private I. Baker; Private L. Martin; Private W. Chamberlain ; Private J. Cleary ; Private T. Kelly; Private T. Mara; Private T Marsh; Private J. Monaghan; Private W. Connolly; Private D. Donnolly ; Private R. Preston; Private I. Doughty ; Private W. Pottle ; Private W. Moran ; Private W. Messenger.

Cemetery at Vilayati Bagh in Lucknow

It is located in Lucknow Cantonment between Dilkusha Kothi and Kothi Bibiapur. You would need to go straight from Dilkusha Kothi and then take a left after the railway crossing. You will then reach the cemetery at Vilayati Bagh. On its right there is also a ‘durgah’ (tomb of a Muslim saint). It’s located on the banks of River Gomti and the whole area is surrounded by lots of trees and greenery. There are three English graves of Mr. Henry P. Garvey, Captain W. Heley Hutchinson and Sergeant S. Newman.

The Bagh (Garden)

The construction of Vilayati Bagh was done by King Ghazi-ud-din-Haider  (1814-27) who built a beautiful garden and European style house for his European wife 'Vilayati Mahal' for throwing royal parties and amusements. However some historians believe that it was laid out by his son King Nasir-ud-din Haider (1827-37). It is made of Lakhauri bricks in lime-surkhi mortar, it is roughly square on plan with high enclosure walls which served as a screen wall for the ladies. Once the entire complex was a beautiful garden with flowers and plants of European variety which were grown here.  This garden was extensively damaged during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857-58.

The Cemetery

The Book: Christian Tombs and Monuments in the United Provinces by E. A. H. BLUNT I.C.S. Year: 1911 gives us the details of the three English graves. Here are the details of the inscriptions:

909. – 1858 – Garvey, H. P., MATE, R. N. Inscription:- Here lies Mr. Henry P. Garvey, Acting Mate, Her Majesty’s Ship “Shannon” killed before Lucknow March XI^th  MDCCCLVIII. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. [This officer was killed during the attack on the Begum Kothi.] (Reference: Forrest.)

910. – 1858 – HUTCHINSON, W. H., captain. Inscription:- Sacred to the memory of Captain W. Heley Hutchinson, 9^th royal Lancers. Born 5^th March 1833, mortally wounded in an attack on the rebels near the Moosa Bagh, 9^th March 1858, diesd 22^ndMarch 1858. This monument is erected by his brother officers. [During the operations at the Moosa Bagh on the 9^th March the 9^th Lancers repeatedly charged the flying enemy, following them up for about four miles. A small body of them reached a deep ravine through which they could not ride; and it was here that Hutchinson was mortally wounded. He dies on the 22^ndand was buried in “the beautiful walled garden at the riverside below the Dilkusha.”] (Reference: Forrest.)

911. – 1858 –NEWMAN, S. Sergeant. Inscription:- In memory of Sergeant S. Newman, 9^th Queen’s Royal Lancers, who fell mortally wounded in pursuit of the rebels near the Moosa Bagh, 19^th March 1858. [wounded in the same affair as that mentioned above. In Forrest he is given as a corporal.] (Reference: Forrest.)

As you turn Left after the railway crossing the road side sign indicates the soon approaching cemetery at Vilayati Bagh.

The Sign board outside Vilayati Bagh.

Entrance to the Vilayati Bagh (restoration was going on when I visited this place).

On the left at the entrance - 1

On the left at the entrance - 2

An Archaeological Survey of India protected monument.

View of the left of the garden as you step inside.

View of the center of the garden as you step inside - 1

View of the center of the garden as you step inside - 2.

The information stone in the garden.

Two of the three English graves in an enclosure - I couldn't find any inscriptions on the graves. Or perhaps I couldn't read them in the glaring Sun.

One of the graves from the above enclosure - I couldn't find any inscriptions on the grave. Or perhaps I couldn't read them in the glaring Sun.

Second grave from the above enclosure.

The third grave a little further off.

Right side of the Vilayati Bagh.

View of the garden buildings from outside. - 1

View of the garden buildings from outside. - 2

Use these other Links to view some more pictures of the garden and the cemetery:

http://images-photos-lucknow.blogspot.in/2012/12/vilayati-bagh-in-lucknow.html

http://wwwgeorgeherbertshepherdlko.blogspot.in/2013/07/vilayatibagh-ruins-lucknow.html

Update dated: 19/09/2015

Found the below 1870's picture of the Vilayati bagh on Facebook page of 'Hamara Lucknow - Pustakmala'. Please do like this page for lots of lovely historical pictures and information on Lucknow.