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Extracts from
"Old Moulmein"
by
R.R. Langham-Carter
published in 1947
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FAMILIES
LAW The ancestor was William Trevor Law, a barrister. He had four sons, George Hungerford, Charles William, William Ogilvie and James Henry. George Law (1843-1905) was a Pilot and River Surveyor. In 1876 he was living in Mission Road and in Tavoyzu in 1879. He married the widow of L.H. Murken, the German watch maker (died 1889.) She long survived him and as "Grannie Law" became one of the great characters of Moulmein, not dying till about February 1947. His next brother was Charles William Law, who was Public Prosecutor by 1876. He lived at "Belleview," north of the Hospital where the gates of his compound survive. C.W. Law for two years owned and edited the Maulmein Advertiser. He printed some notes on Moulmein, a copy of which, owned by Mr V. Soobiah, has been of use in writing this book. Mr Soobiah, of Nayabusty, was Mr Law's clerk and is the father of S. Nadeson, a High Court Advocate now practising in Moulmein. Charles William Law's son, Charles S. Law, lived at "Parkhurst" in Salween Park and practiced here from 1905. He left Burma in 1919 and finally became Sir Charles Law and Chief Justice of East Africa. W.T. Law's third son was William Ogilvie Law, who practiced mostly in Bangkok. He was Public Prosecutor here in 1878-80 in C.W. Law's absence. James H. Law became a Deputy Inspector-General of Police. His first wife Mary Alice died here in 1890 and lies in the Main Cemetery, as does his second wife, Katherine Helena, who died in 1911. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RICHARDSON The history of the Richardson's is fuller than most of other Moulmein families by reason of the letters written by Dr. Richardson to his father in England between 1824 and 1838, fortunately preserved, even through the Japanese occupation, by his grandson A.S. Richardson, who also possesses a seal with the family coat of arms of his other grand-father, Sir Arthur Phayre. Dr. David Lester Richardson arrived in Rangoon with the British invasion force in 1824. After seeing much active service he was transferred to Amherst in June 1826 and later moved with his regiment to Moulmein. He became Assistant to the Commissioner in 1831 (Deputy Commissioner in 1836) and in the next ten years established himself as one of the great explorers of Burma. He was almost the first European to visit Chiengmai and other places in Siam, Karenni and the Southern Shan States and copies of his interesting journals are preserved in England and India. He was one of the first Europeans to speak Burmese fluently and his translation of the Manu-Damathat was long used in the Courts. His house was at Battery Point where the Police Training School now stands. He died in about 1860 and was buried in a monastery compound to the east of the Kyaikthanlan Pagoda. He married a Siamese Princess and had a son Edward, who became Judge of Mandalay and died at Maymyo in 1920. Edward married May Phayre, the Anglo-Burman daughter of the Chief Commissioner and had eight children. The eldest died as Deputy Commissioner of Mergui. The second became Countess of Calarari near Milan in Italy. The forth died young in 1868 and lies in the Main Cemetery. The youngest was A.S. Richardson who was born in Moulmein in 1872 and became a Deputy Superintendent of Police and has retired here. J.B. Richardson, of 3 Parnell Place, Dublin, who died here in 1854 was no relation. He was an auctioneer in Tarokdan, with a Burmese Catholic wife. A little more information about Dr. Richardson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUTHERLAND The first Sutherland's were the brothers Frank, 1802-1867, who was here by 1840 and lived in Sutherland Street by 1847, and William. The latter was Superintendent of the Commissioner's Court and had three sons and two daughters, Frank G. Sutherland, his eldest son, was an auctioneer. The second son, F. Alexander M. Sutherland was a timber licensee (or Forester) and ship-builder at Natmaw. He had a house in Maunggan, In 1867 he married Rebecca Rogers (1845-1867.) St. Patrick's registers record the burial of Sophia Sutherland (1834-68) and Catherine (1838-83.) One of W. Sutherland's daughters, born in 1837 married F.W. Bodeker in 1861 and died in 1876 and the other married C.W. Darwood in 1867. The youngest son was Walter Harvey Sutherland, who was an Advocate of the first grade, first practising here in 1873. His second wife (1879) was the daughter of J.K. Macrae, Deputy Commissioner. One of his sons J.F.B. Sutherland, a Barrister was born in Moulmein in 1872 and is still here. Another was P.A. Sutherland, Superintendent of the Jail, 1876-1936, whose son is A.W. Sutherland, the present Agent of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co. in Moulmein. W.H. Sutherland's donation to Victoria Gardens - "The Volunteer Rifles band played twice a week in the dry weather at the bandstand in Salween Park and twice a week in Victoria Gardens. The Victoria Gardens were so named in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee and her statue was erected at about the same time. The bandstand was presented by W.H. Sutherland, who lived close by." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LIMOUZIN This family of ship-builders and timber merchants were French. G.E. Limouzin, founder of the firm lived in Penha Street, Mupun and died in 1863. F. Limouzin his son was born at Bordeaux in 1835 and lived in Church Lane and later art "Franconia" which still survives in Dalhousie Road, he died in 1915. J.E. Limouzin ran the Phoenix Distillery. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DARWOOD Capt. John Darwood was extracting timber by 1841 and was ship-building in partnership with Mr Bentley. His wife Margaret Joan (or Jane) was born in 1807 and died in 1873 (or 74) [daughter of John Snowball.] The late Sir John Darwood of the Rangoon Electric Tramways Co. was their son. Sir John's brother Charles W. Darwood married Victoria, an aunt of J.F.B. Sutherland in 1867 and was Post Officer at Port Blair. One of his sons, Charles William, born here in 1870 was in Foucar & Co. Another, Arthur John Darwood was Public Prosecutor at Moulmein and became a High Court Judge. One of C.W. Darwood's daughters married E.C. Foucar. The Darwood's owned No. 3 Salween Park and also the southern end of the Ridge. |
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Street Names
Braggs Rd. Broadfoot St. Buchanan St. Campbell St. Cantonment Rds. E. & W Carthew St. Church Lane Colvin Rd. Commissary Lane Commissioner Rd. Condamine St. Coryton Ave. Crisp St. Dalhousie Rd. Engineer Rd. Fallon St. Furlong Rd. Fytche Rd. Gardiner St. Goring St. Hopkinson Rd. Hough St. Hutchinson Rd. Impey Rd. Innis St. Limouzin St. Lister Rd. Macrae St. Magazine Rd. Maingay St. Miller St. Mission St. Montgomerie Rd. Mould St. Narcis Lane Pemberton St. Penha St. Ryan Rd. Sharp Rd. Sutherland St. Tachanbe St. Upper Main Rd. Morton Lane |
Named after:-
(Mis-spelt) Briggs, Deputy Commissioner. Commissioner. Ship-builder. Genl. Campbell. The Military Cantonments. Town Magistrate in the 1850's. Old St. Matthew's Ch. The northern part of Upper Main Rd. used to be St. Matthew's Rd. Commissioner. Led to the Army Commissariat wharf. Commissioner's house. Burma Commission Officer, J. De La Condamine. So named in 1895 in honour of John Coryton, the last Recorder of Moulmein. Ship-builder. The Marquis of Dalhousie, Gov.-Genl. of India 1848-56. The Military Engineer. Town Magistrate in the 1880's. Major M. Furlong, Municipal President. Chief Commissioner. Manager of Steel Bros. Perhaps Edmund Coing, Games Master at St. Patrick's School, died 1846. Commissioner. School Master and Newspaper Editor. James Hutchinson, who died in 1864. Deputy Commissioner. (Mis-spelt) James Innes, Ship-builder. G.E. Limouzin, Ship-builder. (Mis-spelt) Capt. John Lyster. Deputy Commissioner, Macrae Lane by 1862. The powder magazine. (Mis-spelt) Commissioner Maingy. Ship-builder. In the middle of the American Bapt. Mission estate. A Town Official in the 1860's. Ship-builder. Felix Narcis. He received a grant of land at Tarokdan in 1847. Asst. Magistrate in 1860. Several D'Penha's held clerical posts in Govt. Offices in the 1870's. Lt.-Col. Ryan, Bengal Army, Deputy Commissioner. Perhaps P. Sharp, teacher at Govt. School by 1881. F. Sutherland. "The remnant" of Milaungbyin when part had been merged in the Forest Dept. Northern portion was formerly St. Matthew's Rd. Probably one of the Morton's, who migrated from Rangoon by the 1860's. No evidence that Dr. Morton, after whom a street in Rangoon is named, served here. |
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MILITARY
General Campbell Genl. Campbell chose Moulmein for his headquarters and much of the Daingwunkwin area was set apart for cantonments, jungle was cleared, roads, barracks and houses built. Sir Archibald was a tall, heavy Scot with dark blue eyes and light curling chestnut hair, a pleasant wise-looking man with a shortish nose, small mouth and fighting chin. Dr. Richardson wrote that he was "a very pleasant man indeed in his own house and Lady Campbell is the kindest, most motherly, mild, ladylike woman I have almost every met with." Their house is described by Morrow as of Burmese type but large and furnished in European comfort. The garden soon contained a border of heliotrope and lilies that developed into a maze of beauty under Lady Campbell's direction. Then or later Flag Staff House in Engineer Road was the home of the Commanding Officer. The Commanding Officer is said to have lived in the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company's house in Daingwunkwin Road in the 1870's. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mr Murray Tower House in East Cantonment Road was an Officer's Mess. The present building was erected by Murray of Dawson's Navigation Company, who ran launches to Duyinzeik, on the then route to Thaton. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Major MacQueen, Dr. Richardson, Lt.-Col. Martyr The earliest unit recorded is the 36th Madras Native Infantry, under Major MacQueen, from Bangalore, who reached Amherst in the transport "Lady Blackwood." They provided the guard of honour and fired the royal salute at the official foundation of Amherst town on 6th April 1826. Dr. Richardson was the medical officer of the unit at Amherst and after its transfer to Moulmein. It also provided a garrison for Ye. An early commandant of a Madras regiment was Lt.-Col. Martyr of the 5th who became god-father to one of Dr. Richardson's sons. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Capt. R. Budd There was usually one British and one Indian Infantry battalion, although the numbers increased to two of each when a Burmese invasion was expected in 1841. In order to reduce the number of regular troops, it was decided in 1834 to form a Talaing Corps. Capt. R. Budd of the 32nd Madras Native Infantry, was brought over from Cannanore to raise it, but the idea was abandoned for the time and he departed. He returned to Burma in the second Anglo-Burmese war and is commemorated by Budd Road. Rangoon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sir Arthur Phayre, Major Williams Another officer who was disappointed (in raising the Talaing Corp.) was Ensign A.P. Phayre, of the 7th Bengal Native Infantry, who later became Sir Arthur Phayre, Chief Commissioner of Burma. The Corps was finally raised in 1838 under Major Williams of the 3rd Madras Native Infantry. Williams was one of the few officers of his time to possess an intimate knowledge of the Burmese language and was also placed in charge of the town Police. The Talaing Corp wore green uniform and were employed in garrison and police duties until they were absorbed into the Police force in 1844. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Major Furlong, Ady family The Moulmein Volunteer Rifle Corps, with Major Furlong as its commandant, is first mentioned in the Moulmein Calendar for 1879. Its building in Dalhousie Road was bought from the Ady family. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SCHOOLS Dr. Judson, Rev'd. Wade, Rev'd. Cephas Bennett, George Henry & Mrs Hough The Baptists Judson and Wade started small Mission schools soon after their arrival. But public education in the district may be said to have begun in 1833, when Government sanctioned an allotment of Rs. 500 a month for the education of the indigenous races of the Tenasserim Province. On 1st September 1834 a Government school was opened in Maingay St. under the Rev'd. Cephas Bennett of the American Baptist Mission, "a gentleman admirably qualified for the charge from past experience in the education of youths." The school closed in 1836 but was re-opened in 1837 with George Henry Hough in charge. He had first come to Rangoon in the Baptist Mission in 1816. He was a small man with a sharp gray eye and a face smooth shaven save for a small brown beard at which he was always tugging. Mrs Hough was plump and blond - a silent woman. Hough was a most capable and successful teacher and in 1845 he was not only Headmaster of the Moulmein Government School but was also appointed Inspector of Schools for the Tenasserim Provinces. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ C.A.G.E. Adams By 1876 the school was in Tavoyzu on the site of the present Government High School with C.A.G.E. Adams as Headmaster. The present building dates from 1928. It is still often referred to as the "Company Kyaung." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John Boudville, E. Abreu, Fr. Ducotey The middle of the century saw much educational activity by the three Christian communities. A Catholic school for boys' was started in 1842 at the expense of John Boudville, under the management of E. Abreu. It was at the south-western end of the present St. Patrick's school. In the year 1859 Fr. Ducotey, the parish priest of Moulmein, contrived to secure the services of four Christian Brothers for the management of the school, which was improved and enlarged in 1862 for the better accommodation of the Brothers and their boarders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ U Ba Nyan, Maung Tin De, Mr Kinch St. Matthew's Boys' School was started in 1842, as a Church of England Orphanage. In 1849 a building on the south wall of the Cantonments was purchased. This survives and the school has grown up around it. Between the two World Wars the kinder-garden class-room was decorated with frescoes by the famous artist U Ba Nyan while a student at this school. The frescoes show the legend of Maung Tin De and five of the other early Burmese legends and are in excellent condition. A number of the male figures have the features of Kinch, the then Headmaster. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fr. Delprino, Mother Theresa (Mackenzie) St. Joseph's Convent was completed by Fr. Delprino in 1844 and taken over by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, a French order, six of whom under Mother Theresa (Mackenzie) landed at Moulmein in June 1847. The old Convent building is now the office and living quarters. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rev'd. J.G. Binney The Baptist Karen Theological Seminary was founded in 1845 by the Rev'd. J.G. Binney but was later removed to Rangoon and is now at Insein. In 1854 came the Baptist Karen Normal School in Daingwunkwin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ W.G. St. Clair. Moulmein Town School, established in Tavoyzu in 1863, which became St. Matthew's Girls' (Anglican) School. The Headmaster in the 1870's was W.G. St. Clair. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ S.M. McKertich In 1871 an Anglo-Vernacular School was started under a Burmese Headmaster in Maunggan, but did not flourish and was merged in the Government High School two years later. Another Anglo-Vernacular School was started in Antram Street by 1880 under S.M. McKertich. It moved to Campbell Street soon after. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Susan Haswell Morton Lane Girls' School was founded in 1867 with Susan Haswell as Superintendent. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rev'd. A. Colbeck St. Augustine's S.P.G. School was begun by the Rev'd. A. Colbeck in 1880 and is sometimes still called "Colbeck Kyaung." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOSPITALS In 1840 a small hospital was erected by private enterprise and it was only after a public meeting in 1844 that Government agreed to meet part of the cost. By 1846 a general hospital had been erected, partly, at any rate, by private subscription, and Government sanctioned a monthly expenditure of Rs. 277-14-0 to maintain a subordinate staff. This hospital became very popular and so great was the reputation of the Civil Surgeon in 1850 that patients from remote parts of the Burmese Kingdom used to come for treatment. The present hospital was opened in 1877, further to the south, in the region where the district and other offices and courts had recently been built. Dr. Richardson, Judson family For some time the only hospital was the military one and treatment of civilians was by army doctors. Dr. Richardson, for instance, treated the Judson family, both at Amherst and Moulmein. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Major Ronald Ross The most distinguished of Moulmein doctors arrived in 1887, Major Ronald Ross, I.M.S. He did a number of remarkable operations which, he notes, "cured most of the cases." He was to become Sir Ronald Ross, discoverer of the cause of malaria. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J.C. Moyle The Civil Surgeon's bungalow, No. 2 Salween Park, was bought by Government from J.C. Moyle, Barrister. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Ellen Mitchel, Susan Haswell Moulmein is fortunate in having an excellent second hospital opened by the Baptist Mission in 1918. It is in memory of Dr. Ellen Mitchell (1829-1901,) a Pennsylvanian, who was the first woman doctor appointed by the Mission in Burma where she served for over 20 years. She set up the first Baptist Hospital and with Susan Haswell, she founded the Leper Home in 1898. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Matthias Shaw Loo, U Shwe Tha, Daw Hla, Dr. Judson, President Lincoln, King Mindon, Dr. Ellen Mitchell and Miss Lizzie Shaw Loo. The best known local doctor was Dr. Matthias Shaw Loo (1839-1929.) He was the son of U Shwe Tha and Daw Hla, who owned the coconut grove near Mission Street Jetty and were timber traders. They were converted by the Baptists and their son was baptized by Dr. Judson. Matthias went to Calcutta for further education in 1854 and three years later worked his passage to England and the United States as a cabin boy on a sailing ship. He became a Master of Arts of Bucknell University, Philadelphia in 1864 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1868. As the first Burman to visit America, President Lincoln was interested to see him and gave him a letter for King Mindon, which Dr. Shaw Loo presented in 1871. He returned to Moulmein and became a teacher at Morton Lane School. Later he helped Dr. Mitchell at her hospital and at the Leper Home. He set up the second private medical practice in Moulmein, treating many poor people free. He lived in Mission Street on the site of the house where the only survivor of his ten children, Miss Lizzie Shaw Loo, my present informant, lives. She has two photographs of her father. His brother, aged 92, is also in Moulmein. Dr. Shaw Loo's funeral was attended by a large concourse of all communities including a number of pongyis. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MASTER ATTENDANTS (or Port Officers) In the early years of the British occupation there were two Master Attendants, one at Amherst and one at Moulmein. With the transfer of the headquarters of the Tenasserim provinces to Moulmein, Amherst speedily dwindled into insignificance and the post of Master Attendant there was abolished in 1833. The duties attached to the post in Moulmein were multifarious and included the charge of the police until the appointment of a special Police Magistrate, and the functions of a Magistrate, Civil Judge, Collector of Timber Duties, Postmaster and Naval Storekeeper. The Pilots of whom there were at first only four, were also under his charge, They were paid a fixed salary by Government and pilotage dues were credited to the State. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Henry Gouger, Dr. Judson The first Master Attendant was Henry Gouger, who was in position at Amherst by March 1825. A tall fair-haired man, born in London in about 1800, he had first arrived in Rangoon in June 1822 and had traded between there and Ava, the Burmese King's capital. when the first Anglo-Burmese war broke out in 1824 he was imprisoned near Ava with Dr. Judson and others about which he wrote a book. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Capt. T. A. Corbin There was a Master Attendant also at Moulmein by July 1831. Capt. T.A. Corbin, was Master Attendant soon after and was, apparently at the same time, an Assistant to the Commissioner. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt. Fell The river had been buoyed before 1830, but the buoying was not very accurate and the Pilots underpaid, incompetent and intemperate, so that groundings of ships was a frequent occurrence. The channel now in use was not discovered until 1842, when Lt. Fell in the course of taking soundings came upon it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POLICE Henry Gouger The Town Police, Marine Police and District Police were separate forces under their own officers. The first Police Officer in the district was Henry Gouger, Master Attendant at Amherst who became Town Magistrate in October 1827 and was placed in charge of the Police. His earlier career is described above. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Capt. A. McCally, Capt. G.H. Rawlinson Major Williams Capt. A. McCally, Assistant Commissary General, was appointed to the charge of the Police in Moulmein town in October 1829. His successor in 1833 was Capt. G.H. Rawlinson, who was placed "in charge of the Police and Petty Court" of Moulmein and who was succeeded in 1838, on the raising of the Talaing Corps, by Major Williams, their Commandant. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt. Rowland, Capt. C.S. Dromgoole, Major Burmey The first Superintendent of the Marine Police was Lt. Rowland, on whose departure Capt. C.S. Dromgoole "whose gallant conduct at Tavoy during the late revolt there was so strongly brought to the notice of Government by Major Burney" was appointed Superintendent of Marine Police and Master Attendant at Moulmein in 1831. He was also in charge of the Post Office. He died here in 1841. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JAIL The first local convicts were sent to a jail at Amherst. But Moulmein soon became one of the main penal settlements for Indian convicts before the Andaman Islands. The first arriving from Bengal in January 1830. Major Broadfoot From 1834 on-wards the convicts were largely employed on extramural labor, especially on the roads and were also hired out to private individuals as workmen and servants, until this practice was stopped by Major Broadfoot in 1844 as a result of abuses and the frequency of escapes. In the latter year the control of the jail was transferred from the Senior Assistant to the Police Magistrate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A.L. Lecun, D.O.B. Aubrey The Frenchman A.L. Lecun was Chief Jailor in the 1860's. He was a notable wood carver and tables carved by him are in the possession of Mr D.O.B. Aubrey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CIVIL COURTS D.G. McLeod, Dr. R. Halliday D.G. McLeod was a Judge for about 20 years. His father was Government Advocate in Rangoon and he and his brother, who died in Moulmein in 1873, also were Barristers. D.G. McLeod lived in a house in Colvin Road that is now the Mount Hope building of the Ellen Mitchell Hospital. One of its later residents was Dr. R. Halliday, the eminent Mon scholar, who died in 1933. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ E, Dawson, Lawrence Dawson, A.S. Gilbert Two later Judges were interesting characters. E. Dawson, brother of Commissioner Lawrence Dawson, used to fall asleep on the Bench and had to prick himself with a pin in the thigh to keep awake. A.S. Gilbert, I.C.S. was the son of an Indian Princess and his two "Christian" names were Indian ones. He was a brilliant musician and dilettante and lived in "Braemar" which he furnished entirely in black and white sateen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BURMAN OFFICERS Maung Taw Lay, U Kaing, U Ohn, U Ngwe Gaing, Lady Mayo, Mr Titcombe The best known of the early Magistrates was Maung Taw Lay, who had migrated from near Dalla in 1827 and whose quarter in Moulmein became known as Sitke-gon, (Sitke means entrusted with Judicial Powers) here his house still stands to the south-west of Victoria Gardens. He was appointed on 1st April 1835. Sitke Maung Taw Lay Street in Rangoon is named after him. Two of his daughters married sons of the Shwegyin Wun. These were U Kaing and U Ohn. U Kaing became a Sitke and a street is named after him in Rangoon. U Ohn became one of the earliest members of the Indian Legislative Council in Calcutta and died about 1905. The above information comes from his son U Ngwe Gaing, retired Extra Asst. Commissioner, born in 1865, who possesses interesting pictures of U Taw Lay and U Ohn. That of U Taw Lay is a photograph of a crayon sketch made by the lady companion of Lady Mayo in 1872. That of U Ohn is a photo of a portrait painted by Titcombe, a member of the Royal Academy and son of a Bishop of Rangoon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EXCISE DEPT. Mr Gahan, J.E. Limouzin Excise was one of the principle sources of revenue, arrack and opium having been taxed from the beginning of British rule. The Govt. of Bengal asked the Commissioner of Moulmein for a report on the abkarry system (the monopoly of the retail sale of spirits,) as a certain Mr Gahan had represented that the retail vend of brandy was only permitted in Government arrack shops, where it was of a poisonous intoxicating quality "and in numerous instances had occasioned instant death." J.E. Limouzin was managing the Phoenix Distillery at Mupun by 1876. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DEPUTY COMMISSIONERS At first called Senior Assistant to the Commissioner. The present Amherst District was the Martaban Province as late as 1837 and later the Amherst Province. Ye was included in Tavoy until 1837, but even before that the district was a much larger area than at present. It included the Pa-an Subdivision and in 1866 the Martaban (later Thaton) Subdivision was transferred to Amherst from Shwegyin District. Pa-an and Thaton Subdivisions were shed only in 1895 when Thaton District was formed. Major Furlong The first masonry District Office was the handsome pillared building in Old Court House Street, which is now the Post Office. The date 1867 on its front suggests that it was handed over on that date. By then Major Furlong, Executive Engineer 1860-62 had built the lower story of the present Court House, the upper story being added a good deal later. The Magistrates Courts to the west and Record Rooms to the south probably date from soon after. The site was that of a Buddhist burial ground. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Capt. J.A. (or T.A.) Corbin Was Junior Assistant to the Commissioner and also Master Attendant in the 1830's. Deputy Commissioner from 1832-35 Capt. E.H. Impey One of the earliest officers to be designated Deputy Commissioner was Capt. E.H. Impey, 1849, was no credit to the service, in 1850 the treasury was found to be deficient by Rs. 13,000 and Capt. Impey disappeared into Burmese territory Despite this lapse Impey Road in Maunggan is still shown on the maps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt.-Col. Sparks and Lt. Thomas Latter Two other officers who became famous administrators elsewhere in Burma and after whom streets in Rangoon are named appear to have served in Moulmein, where the wife of each of them is buried. There were Lt.-Col. Sparks and Lt. (later Lt.-Col.) Thomas Latter of the 67th Bengal Native Infantry. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ James De la Condamine Was born in 1804 and was Senior Assistant Commissioner by 1832 and as late as 1843. He was "in charge of the Judicial and Revenue Details without the town" and was provided with a boat, "the whole of the duties in the interior of Amherst Province being conducted by means of water communication." After retirement he had a timber yard at Mupun. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Capt. W.C. McLeod Capt. (later General) W.C. McLeod, from the 20th Madras Native Infantry, first served in Mergui and was Senior Assistant Commissioner in Moulmein in 1843. During a visit to the Burmese territory of Martaban he was attached but survived. He had been Assistant Resident at Ava from 1833 - 1839 and was Collector here 1845-1846. His three children died in Moulmein in 1855 when he was Lt.-Col. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Major J.P. Briggs Was Deputy Commissioner in about 1855, after being Town Magistrate 1851-52 and Collector for a short time in 1850. A Capt. James Briggs had been Assistant at Mergui in 1825. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ E. O'Riley Deputy Commissioner E. O'Riley died in 1865 "while demarcating the boundary between Siam and British Burmah," as recorded on his tombstone. An E. O'Riley had a sugar factory in Amherst in 1842-48. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt.-Col. A.G. Duff Lt.-Col. A.G. Duff, of the Bengal Staff Corps was Deputy Commissioner in 1867, when he reported on the Land Revenue position, in consequence of which the first settlement of the district was carried out in 1868 by Capt. (later General) Horace Brown of the Indian Staff Corps. Lt.-Col. A.G. Duff was Commissioner in 1879 and this time lived at Tavoyzu, possibly at "Parkhurst." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt.-Col. Col. E.B. Sladen, Lt.-Col. D. Brown Lt.-Col. Col. E.B. Sladen of the Madras Staff Corps who had been Resident at Mandalay 1864-1869 was Deputy Commissioner 1873-76. Sir Edward Sladen became famous as Chief Civil and Political Officer with the British Expeditionary Force to Mandalay in the third Anglo-Burmese war in 1885. He lived in a building in Colvin Road on the site of the present E.M.M. Hospital dispensary which Lt.-Col. D. Brown had owned in 1867. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Capt. Horace Spearman Capt. Horace Spearman, Indian Staff Corps, Deputy Commissioner 1876-77, lived in Maingay Street in 1877. Later he became Lt.-Col. and Commissioner of Tenasserim. He was a recluse but could be seen daily walking from one end of the Ridge to the other with his two Russian wolf hounds. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J.K. Macrae, W.H. Sutherland Deputy Commissioner from 1878 - 81, lived in Maunggan 1879, (possibly near the south gate of Salween Park) and had shifted as far away as the Cantonment by 1881, (Tower House possibly) His daughter married W.H. Sutherland. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R.C.M. Symns R.C.M. Symns I.C.S. who lived in Tower House was always one of the last to leave the club at night and on climbing into his dog-cart would leave the rest to the pony - who knew its own way home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lt.-Col. M. Furlong Lt.-Col. M. Furlong, Madras Staff Corps, was Town Magistrate by 1876, President of the Municipal Committee from 1878 and Deputy Commissioner by 1887. He was the first Commandant of the Moulmein Volunteer Rifle Corps in 1876. He was presumably a relative of Major Furlong, the Executive Engineer who built the road over the Ridge, once called Furlong's Folly and officially called Hopkinson and Mongomerie Roads. |