List of Commissioners of Kumaon Davison - 2

British Administration in Kumaon-Garhwal   -2         

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -18

            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -856

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

               Henry Ramsey the Kumaon –Garhwal Commissioner

         Captain Ramsey became the commissioner of Kumaon and Garhwal after Batten in 1856. He is called ‘Bhagyavidhata’ (Fortune Changer) of Kumaon and Garhwal. Ramsey was in Kumaon for 44 years. He served at lower positions as Assistant Commissioner from 1844-1856 in Kumaon before becoming commissioner of Kumaon and Garhwal from 1856-1884. European historian named him ‘King of Kumaon’ and Kumaonis and Garhwali called him Ramji Saheb (Pandey). Ramsey was married to Laura Lushington the daughter of previous commissioner Lushington.

           Ramsey used to stay four months in Almora, four months in Binsar and four months in Bhabhar. In between, Ramsey used to travel in other regions. By frequent travelling Ramsey had made cordial relations with people of Kumaon. He was aware about people, their culture and used to speak Kumaoni. Ramsey used to take Finger millet bread at common men house. British government retired Ramsey forcefully. Ramsey lived in his own Ramsey Bungalow, Almora after retirement. His sons took Ramsey forcibly to Britain. He sold the said bungalow to government where high cadre officers lived later on. Ramsey built bungalows in Binsar, Khali, Almora, Haldwani and Ramnagar (Pandey).

    Ramsey was very much interested in converting Kumaoni people into Christianity. His wish was that very Kumaoni became Christian. Ramsey used to help Christian priests.

   Ramsey was strong administrator. His words were the order of the days. He did not regularize all the rules arrived from Government Head quarter.  Ramsey was credited Kumaon Davison as ‘Non regulatory Province’. Ramsey liked ‘Yes Men’. he did not promote those opposed him directly or indirectly.

  Ramsey corrected administrative functions for Bhabhar and improve the situation for people start living in Bhabhar and increasing productivity of Bhabhar. In past, people never wanted to live in Bhabhar due to diseases. Ramsey was named as ‘Vishwakarma’ of Bhabhar (the creator of Bhabhar) Pandey).

 In 1857 Rebellion war , Ramsey did not allow disturbances in Kumaon-Garhwal, though, there was revolt in Champawat. Ramsey did not allow ‘Civil Police’ system in Kumaon and Garhwal and allowed ‘Revenue Police’ in the hill states. He was of opinion that Revenue Police (Patwari) was the best system in hills. (Pandey)

                    Other Commissioners of Kumaon- Garhwal after Ramsey

Fisher from 1884-1885, Raus- 1885, Colonel Grig - , Colonel Erskine, Colonel Roberts, Davis, Gracie, Campbell (1913), Wyndham (1913-24), Staif (1924-1931) ,Stabs, Goyan, Ibbotson etc were  commissioners of Kumaon-Garhwal. However, they could not get the fame as Trail, Batten and Ramsey got fame for real works.

   

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 21/7/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -857

*** History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun, (Pauri , Rudraprayag, and Chamoli) Garhwal (1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

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References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page 148

2-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -6, Gorkhyali

3-Pandey, Kumaon ka Itihas, page 455

4-Atkinson, Himalayan districts, vol-2, page 648

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History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;