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[[Image:Abbottabad_night_nwfp.jpg|thumb|200px|The city at night]]
''6. In 1947 India and Pakistan became independent. In 1947 Pakistan decided to set up its military academy here at Kakul and this was done in 1948, with Brig Ingalls as the first principal/commandant of the PMA. Brig Shuakat Ali Shah followed him in command here in 1956, with my grandfather (then) Colonel Azmat Hayat Khan, as Deputy Commandant.'' <ref>Email to FIBIS Webmaster dated 8 November 2012 from Prof Omer SK Tarin. Director, TSI, Abbottabad, Pakistan.'' </ref>. Since then the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_Military_Academy The Pakistan Military Academy] has expanded considerably.
* In addition to the old St Luke's Anglican Church (now part of the Church of Pakistan set-up, combining the Anglican, Lutheran and Methodists) Abbottabad also has two other churches, which were built and consecrated later: (i) The '''St Peter Canisius Church''' '''(Roman Catholic Church)''' (late 19th c)
*[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Abbottabad Abbottabad] Love to Know 1911<br>
→Ropeway
'''Abbottabad''' was the main town and capital in [[Hazara District]] of the [[North West Frontier Province]] during the British period. It is around 35 miles north of [[Rawalpindi]]. Some of the main [[Hill station]]s near Abbottabad include [[Thandiani]], [[Dunga Gali]], [[Bara Gali]], [[Khanspur]] and [[Nathiagali]].
==Name origin==
Abbottabad is named after its founder and first Deputy Commissioner of the Hazara region, [[James Abbott]], a British officer. Abbott founded the town in January 1853<ref>''Gazetteer of the Hazara District, 1883-84'' Published by the Government of the Punjab, Lahore, 1884, p.36 </ref>. However, soon after founding this town, Abbott was posted away in April 1853 and his successor Deputy Commissioner [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Benjamin_Edwardes Herbert Edwardes] took on the task of developing it, along the lines envisaged by the founder himself. This was subsequently done, over some years, by Edwardes and his successors, with the result that Abbottabad became noted throughout British India as a small military town of considerable distinction and beauty.
[[Image:Abbottabad_night_nwfp.jpg|thumb|200px|The city at night]]
==Education==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayub_Medical_College The Ayub Medical College and Teaching Hospital Abbottabad] (Wikipedia)
== Former Boer War POW Camp ==
''1. Until April 1901 the British captured approx 25,000 Boers. Of these various numbers were sent to various places as POWs (See [[POW Camps in India#Boer War| POW Camps in India-Boer War]]).''
''2. Only a total of 9000 Boer POWs were ever sent out to India of this number, and they were held in some 14-15 camps in selected Indian cantonments. About 1000 of this number were sent out to various POW camps in the areas of former British India now comprising Pakistan--Abbottabad was only one of these and the number of POWs here from 1902 onwards until 1904 was around 300-400 most times, and they were never ever more than 400-450or so. A few of them succumbed to illness and disease and are still buried here <ref>See a new joint-note on this topic by S Farrington and OSK Tarin in a forthcoming edition of the ''Durbar'' IMHS journal, 2012-3013. In this, at least some 23 Boer POWs were listed as buried in this small graveyard, although only 14-15 graves can now be identified. See photo, Syed Saquib, Abbottabad, in the Sophia Institute Records, above</ref> at Kakul/Kakool about 6 kms out of Abbottabad town, within the compound of what is now the PMA (Pakistan Military Academy) there. The majority were all sent home. A member of [[British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia|BACSA]], Ms Sue Farrington did a survey of the Boers' graves here in the 1980s-90s and her detailed findings are also available on record I believe.'' [http://www.bacsa.org.uk BACSA Website]
''3. The duty of guarding the Boer POWs fell exclusively largely upon the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) as Abbottabad was their home station, and they in fact levelled and prepared the location where the camp was and also looked after their charges in every way. The best account of them is given in the ''History of the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, 1858 to 1928'' Aldershot: Gale and Polden, 1928, and this confirms all other records and verifiable sources. A very good mention is also made in an article by C Parrett and Brian Stevens in ''Durbar: Journal of the IMHS'' Vol 28, No 1, Spring 2011, regarding Boer POWS in India.'' [http://www.imhs.org.uk IMHS Website]
''4. Whilst here the Boers also had to do some manual labour in metalling the Havelian-Abbottabad stretch of hill road. The 'Hazara District Gazeteer' for 1907 gives this information.''
''5. When they left in 1904, the site of their [POW camp was partially converted into the Army PT and Mountaineering school and part of it into Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC) local/regional HQ. Both these facilities lasted here until 1947.'' ''6. In 1947 India and Pakistan became independent. In 1947 Pakistan decided to set up its military academy here at Kakul and this was done in 1948, with Brig Ingalls as the first principal/commandant of the PMA. Brig Shuakat Ali Shah followed him in command here in 1956, with my grandfather (then) Colonel Azmat Hayat Khan, as Deputy Commandant.''
==FIBIS resources==
*[http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=list_sources&source_class=266 Surviving graves at the Old Christian Cemetery, Abbottabad]
:*An article by Professor Omer SK Tarin accompanying these data sets appears in ''[[FIBIS Journal]] 27, Spring 2012'', pages 23-29
*[http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=954&s_id=56 Selections from the The Sophia Institute Records, Pakistan] - 'The Sophia Institute' is a research and higher educational training organisation in Abbottabad. The institute houses a small library and archives although the larger part of older records have now been passed on to (a) the Empire and Commonwealth Museum UK<ref>In fact, since the closure of this museum this year, these records are now with the Bristol city museums and archives. [http://museums.bristol.gov.uk/narratives.php?irn=8786 British Empire and Commonwealth Collection] Bristol Museums.</ref> (b) the National Archives of Pakistan and (c) some university archives in Pakistani universities/departments etc. They are willing to answer/help with queries at a small cost, if people are interested in consulting their records (c 1860s to 1947). As they are a volunteer non profit body and have few staff, responses might take time. If anyone has any query they can email [mailto:khani_578@yahoo.com Dr Ilyas Khan], Senior Research Assistant.
==Churches==
[[Image:St luke's nowadays.jpg|thumb|right|200px| St Luke's Church Abbottabad]]
* '''St Luke's Church''' - Anglican, consecrated 1864<ref>The small church at Haripur, and smaller seasonal churches in Nathiagali, Dungagali and Thandiani are also under St Luke's jurisdiction</ref>.
For enquiries contact:
For the history of this church and a list of its chaplains, see [[Abbottabad#FIBIS_resources|resources]] section above.
* In addition to the old St Luke's Anglican Church (now part of the Church of Pakistan<ref>Now under the Church of Pakistan's [http://www.peshawardiocese.org/ Peshawar Diocese]</ref> set-up, combining the Anglican, Lutheran and Methodists) Abbottabad also has two other churches, which were built and consecrated later:
(ii)The '''Abbottabad American Presbyterian Church''' (early 20th c)--they also have another church and mission hospital at Qalandarabad, between Abbottabad and [[Mansehra]] town.
* ''Masihi Qabristan'' -- Is another Christian graveyard, in the Civil Lines, which contains other Christian graves, mostly of natives.
Also see "Historical books online", below.
==Other places of interest==
* '''Various old houses in the Old Cantonment''' that had been originally built during British times, and many were either owned or leased by British officers, military and civil. Some of these houses have interesting stories attached to them, and their histories can be looked up the records of the MEO (Military Estate Office) Abbottabad.
[[Image:Painting Abtd Club 1957.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A painting of the Abbottabad Club, c 1950s]]
[[Image:Old.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Haunted House in Abbottabad's Old Cantonment]]
* The '''Frontier Force Regimental Center''' and the '''Baluch Regimental Center''' are both in Abbottabad, too, but out of bounds for all civilians.
* The '''Army School of Music''' is the Pakistan Army's central musical school/institute, where most of its army bands and musicians are trained. The famous 'PIFFERS' bagpipers, who still wear many old Highland tartans and play the Highlanders' bagpipes<ref>In fact, Pakistan is now the leading commercial producer of the highland bagpipes, at [[Sialkot]], in Punjab; See [http://www.npr.org/2012/07/26/157356034/in-pakistan-sounds-of-a-different-kin-of-drone Introduction to Pakistan's bagpipes manufacture in Sialkot] </ref>, were originally trained here for a considerable time since the late 19th century, after a tough selection process from all PIFFER regiment battalions. These are the pipers who even go and win awards at the Edinburgh tattoo and other Highland games in Scotland. The Frontier Force/PIFFERs retain their connections with the Scottish regiments. However, the Pakistan Army School of Music was first set up after Partition (1947) at Cherat, near [[Peshawar]], but then shifted to Abbottabad and amalgamated with the PIFFERs band, in 1956. Since then, the School has developed a great deal. Again, permission has to be obtained ''a priori'' to visit the School of Music, but it's a truly fascinating experience. [http://kremlin-military-tattoo.ru/en/participants/Pakistan/detail.php?ID=1061 A Note on the Pakistan Army Band at the Kremlin, Russia, 2011] .
==Near Abbottabad==
* The Hazara '''Hill Tract''' or '''Hill stations''' , have also been discussed in individual pages, in detail.
==Ropeway==
After the dismantling of the [[Khyber Ropeway Company|Khyber ropeway]] c 1925, part was re-erected by the Forest Department in three sections of total length 8 miles for bringing firewood to Abbottabad. <ref>[http://pecongress.org.pk/images/upload/books/P17-PAPER130.pdf Paper No 130 "Punjab Building Timbers and Methods of Extraction"] by H M Glover IFS page 123 ''Proceedings of the Punjab Engineering Congress, Lahore, Volume 17, 1929''. Article is pages 119-126b (pdf total 18 pages) pecongress.org.pk. </ref>
==Some notable people of Abbottabad==
==External links==
*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V05_009.gif Abbottabad Town] Imperial Gazetteer of India
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/dictionaryofindi00buckuoft#page/xii/mode/1up James Abbott] Dictionary of Indian Biography 1906
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Gorkha_Rifles_(Frontier_Force) Detailed Note on the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (FF)] Wikipedia
*[http://www.kipling.org.uk/soc_fra.htm The Kipling Society UK] The Kipling Society UK's searchable archive for the Journal
*[http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=1917515 Kakul, Abbottabad, Burgher cemetery] eggsa.org
*[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boer_Cemetery_Kakul_Abbottabad.jpg Photograph: Boer Cemetery Kakul Abbottabad] Wikimedia Commons
*Video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaLdPDgTspQ&index=88&list=PLXvkgGofjDzi-fROZSBN3p-CKeaZIc-Ue. Delhi to the North West Frontier (1935)] Film on Abbottabad starts at 9.18 min, commencing with Abbottabad in Mid-Winter. YouTube video, British Film Institute Collection.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121020043900/http://www.defencejournal.com/dec98/pma.htm Pakistan Military Academy, [Kakul<nowiki>]</nowiki>: [Extract from<nowiki>]</nowiki> ''The Last of the Bengal Lancers''] by Brig (Retd) Francis H B Ingall ''Defence Journal'' December 1998 defencejournal.com, now an archived webpage.
*[https://issuu.com/internationalsalvageunion/docs/6grra_2020_journal_100_redacted ''The Journal 6GR'' No 100, 2020] Includes article page 68 (digital page 70) "Slim Sahib" by John Mackinlay. WJ Slim, later Major-General, was posted to the 1st Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles at Abbottabad in May 1920. issuu.com. For ease of reading, select Full screen. Download also available.
===Historical books online===
*[http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c2740836?urlappend=%3Bseq=167 "Abbottabad"] page 145 ''A list of inscriptions on Christian tombs or monuments in the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Kashmir and Afghanistan possessing historical or archaeological interest Part 1'' by Miles Irving (1910) Hathi Trust Digital Library
*[http://pahar.in/wpfb-file/1942-handbook-to-the-north-west-frontier-including-jhelum-rawalpindi-and-hazara-districts-by-davey-s-pdf/ '' A Handbook to the North-West Frontier including Jhelum Rawalpindi and Hazara Districts''] by Cyril James Davey 1942. Pdf download Pahar-Mountains of Central Asia Digital Dataset.
== References ==
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[[Category:Locations]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Bengal Presidency]]
