Difference between revisions of "Murree"

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{{Locations_Infobox
 
{{Locations_Infobox
 
|presidency=[[Bengal (Presidency)|Bengal]]
 
|presidency=[[Bengal (Presidency)|Bengal]]
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|image=
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|image=Murree Mall in Winter.jpg
 
|coordinates= [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=33.906905,73.395367&z=11&t=h&hl=en 33.906905°N 73.395367°E]
 
|coordinates= [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=33.906905,73.395367&z=11&t=h&hl=en 33.906905°N 73.395367°E]
 
|altitude= 2,291.2 m (7,517 ft)
 
|altitude= 2,291.2 m (7,517 ft)
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'''Murree''' is a hill station in Punjab founded by the British in 1851.
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'''Murree''' (alternative spelling Murri) is a hill station in Punjab founded by the British in 1851.
  
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==History==
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'''The surrounding area of Murree Hills'''
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<br>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barian Barian] (Wikipedia) is situated in the Murree Hills,  about 13 km north west of Murree,  in the area known as '''[[Hazara Galis|the Galis]]'''  (Gallis, Galies, Gallies, Gullies, Galiyat)  where a number of small hill towns, many of which have Gali in their name, are situated along the crest of the ridge on the road that runs north from Murree to Abbottabad.<ref>[http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/cffe1/13f58f/"Murree and the Galis"] by Hassan Humayun ([http://web.archive.org/web/20130615155915/http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/cffe1/13f58f/  archive.org] link)</ref> Galiyat is the plural of Gali which literally means an alley but in this case it probably alludes to a valley between mountains.<ref>[http://www.flickr.com/groups/galiyat/pool About Galiyat, The Pakistani Alps] flickr.com</ref> Barian Gali or Burean Gully<ref>
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[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=R_5tAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Barian+Gali%22&dq=%22Barian+Gali%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SzvfT_PME42hiQenk_mYCg&sqi=2&redir_esc=y  Google Books snippet view: page 129, ''Historical images of Pakistan''] by F. S. Aijazuddin</ref> is probably the same place as Barian (Bharian).  In 1901 this area became part of  [[Hazara District]] , [[North West Frontier Province]]
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<br>Tret  is situated 40 kilometers from Rawalpindi on the main road to Muree. <br>
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The location of [[Cherat]] or Charat is sometimes described as Murree, or Murree Hills, but this description is incorrect. [[Cherat]] is located near [[Peshawar]].
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==Military history==
 
[[Insurrection at Murree]] 1857  
 
[[Insurrection at Murree]] 1857  
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==Cantonments==
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"The British began to establish summer camps for the troops in the Galliat area and by the 1880 Baragali, Kalabagh, and Khairagali were occupied by various artillery units. Gora Dhaka, [[Khanspur]] and Changlagali housed infantry units. Nathiagali and Dungagali were reserved for civil servants. Thandiani served as a hill station for the civil servants in Abbottabad. These summer camps (cantonments) had a mixture of permanent and semi-permanent buildings and were supplied by small bazaars to cater for the needs of the troops"<ref> [http://www.abbottabadonline.com/ abbottabadonline.com] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20130813052435/http://www.abbottabadonline.com/  archive.org] link)</ref>
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In 1907:<br>
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"Murree is only a sanitarium. The mountain batteries go from [[Rawalpindi]] to the Hazara Galis.  Clifden, Sunny Bank and Kuldannah form one cantonment. Clifden is, in summer, filled with a large number of women and children from Rawalpindi and [[Peshawar]]. A British Infantry Regiment is located at Kuldannah, and another in a temporary camp at Gharial, which also receives detachments from the summer garrison of Rawalpindi. Barian, on the borders of this district and Hazara, usually has a British Infantry Regiment from Peshawar or [[Nowshera]]".<ref name=name>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.105626/page/n249/mode/2up Page 228],  ''Punjab District Gazetteers, Volume XXVIIIA, Rawalpindi District 1907'', published 1909. Archive.org, mirror from Digital Library of India.</ref>
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The Army summer camp known as Barian Camp  appears to have developed into a more permanent cantonment . "Barian was a lovely one-battalion cantonment at six thousand feet".<ref>Google Books snipper search result: ''Unlikely beginnings: a soldier's life by Aboobaker Osman Mitha - 2003</ref> In 1920 there was a RAF Hill Depot established at Lower Barian.<ref>Snippet Google Books [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=55cBAAAAMAAJ&q=Barian,+Murree&dq=Barian,+Murree&hl=en&sa=X&ei=byvfT-CkFoWZiQfnlpiaCg&redir_esc=y ''Military history of British India, 1607-1947''] by Harbans Singh Bhatia, page 29 and Snippet Google Books [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=xgAFAAAAMAAJ&q=Barian,+Murree&dq=Barian,+Murree&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4yvfT-f_I6-wiQfIxbmaCg&redir_esc=y ''The flying elephants: a history of No. 27 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force, 1915-69''], page 96</ref>
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[[Bara Gali]]  about 40km from Murree, also was a small cantonment,  occupied in the hot summer months  by one of the British mountain batteries which were stationed at [[Rawalpindi]] in the winter.<ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V06_431.gif  "Bara Gali"] ''Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume  6'', page 425.</ref>(Spelling variants: Bara Gali/Baragully)
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Changla Gali was situated on the road from Murree to Abbottabad, 9 miles from the former and 31 miles from the latter place. It was the head-quarters of the Northern Command School of Musketry, also referred to as the First Circle School of Musketry.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.280096/page/n298/mode/1up Page 229] ''Gazetteer Of The Hazara District 1907'', published 1908. Archive.org, mirror from Digital Library of India.</ref><ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?volume=10&objectid=DS405.1.I34_V10_179.gif "Changla Gali"] ''Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 10, page 173.</ref> (spelling variant Changlagali/Changligali ).
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[[Ghora Dakha]] was  a small cantonment on the road between Dunga Gali and Murree, 3 miles from the former and 15 from the latter place. During the summer months it was occupied by a detachment of British infantry.<ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V12_242.gif "Ghora Dakka"] ''Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 12'', page 236.</ref> (Spelling variants Ghora/Gora Dakka/Dhaka)
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[[Kalabagh (Murree Hills)|Kalabagh]] was a small cantonment on the road between [[Abbottabad]] and Murree. During the summer months it was occupied by one of the British mountain batteries which were stationed at Rawalpindi in the winter.
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(Spelling variants: Kalabagh/ Kala Bagh)
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[[Khaira Gali]] was a small cantonment on the road between Abbottabad and Murree, also occupied in the summer months by one of the British mountain batteries which were stationed at [[Rawalpindi]] in the winter.<ref>[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V15_213.gif "Khaira Gali]" ''Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 15'', page 207.</ref> (Spelling variants : Khaira/ Khairagali/ Khair/ Khyra Gali/ Galli/ Khyragilly/ Khyragully)
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There was a Rest Camp at Tret.
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[[Khanspur]] was a hill station where a detachment of British Infantry were stationed during the summer months. (Spelling variants Khanspur/ Khan's Pur)
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Thobba, Murree Hills was  a hot season destination  for regiments<ref>[http://www.archive.org/stream/riflebrigadechr02owngoog#page/n283/mode/1up Page 219] ''The Rifle Brigade Chronicle for 1897'' Archive.org</ref> and c 1899 there was a Convalescent Camp  at Camp Thobba<ref>''Navy and Army Illustrated'' June 17 1899, page 297.</ref>
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===Military Hospitals===
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In 1899 the were military hospitals at
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*[[Bara Gali]]: 10 Beds
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*Camp [[Gharial]]: 40 Beds
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*Camp Thobba:14 Beds
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*Camp Upper Topa: 16 Beds
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*Camp Lower Topa: 25 Beds
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*[[Ghora Dakha]]: 30 Tents
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*Kalabagh: 15 Beds
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*Khyragully: 10 Beds
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*Kuldunnah: 60 Beds
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*[[Murree]] C.D:  43 Beds<ref>[http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/175.html  Military Hospitals 1899] scarletfinders.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2014</ref>
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===Postcards and photographs of the cantonments===
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[[Image:Murree. View of cantonment General Hospital.jpg‎|right|thumb|300px|A View of Cantonment General Hospital, Murree]]
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*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/13305961@N00/3964243740/  Postcard: Ghorrial Murree, c 1910] "History of Pakistan" on flickr.com
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*From a collection of postcards at the ETH-Bibliothek Zürich, sent by F.G. Prew, a soldier, probably in the [[56th Regiment of Foot| 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment]] to Adolf Feller of Switzerland
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**[http://www.e-pics.ethz.ch/index/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv_Fel_043236-RE_171806.html The General View Murree Hill looking from Murree Depot] sent 1931 with [http://www.e-pics.ethz.ch/index/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv_Fel_043236-VE_216222.html  message]
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**[http://www.e-pics.ethz.ch/index/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv_Fel_043237-RE_171805.html Murree Hill, The Sunny Bank Barracks] sent 1931 with [http://www.e-pics.ethz.ch/index/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv_Fel_043237-VE_216223.html    message]
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**[http://www.e-pics.ethz.ch/index/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv_Fel_043238-RE_171804.html  Bazar Jhikagali <nowiki>[Jhika Gali]</nowiki> under Snow Murree Hills] post stamped 1.6.31 with [http://www.e-pics.ethz.ch/index/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv/ETHBIB.Bildarchiv_Fel_043238-RE_171804.html message]
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'''Photographs'''
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*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/60432809@N00/3931561023/in/photostream 2009 Photograph of Old British Raj military HQ at Barian Cantonment]. Now a military training school. flickr.com
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*[http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/5th_RWK_Muree_India.jpg Photograph: 5th Battalion, The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, Barian Camp, Muree] (First World War period) from Janet & Richard Mason’s  The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment  ([http://web.archive.org/web/20131119011023/http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/5th_RWK_Muree_India.jpg  archive.org] link)
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*Photographs of Barian: [http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/03.jpg Barian: 1], [http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/04.jpg Barian:2], [http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/05.jpg Barian:3], [http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/08.jpg Barian:4] from [http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/Photograph%20Album%20of%20Pte%20H%20Knight.html Photograph album of Private Henry Knight], who served in "A" Company of the 1/5th Royal West Kent Regiment in India during the Great War,  from Janet & Richard Mason’s  The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (archive.org links [https://web.archive.org/web/20131119011146/http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/03.jpg  1], [https://web.archive.org/web/20131119011250/http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/04.jpg  2], [https://web.archive.org/web/20131119011425/http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/05.jpg  3], [https://web.archive.org/web/20131119011612/http://janetandrichardsgenealogy.co.uk/08.jpg  4])
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==Also see==
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*[[:Category:Murree images|Images of Murree]]
  
 
==Sites of Interest==
 
==Sites of Interest==
 
The following are sites in and around the town.
 
The following are sites in and around the town.
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* The ruins of Murree Brewery in Ghora Gali
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* The ruins of Murree Brewery in [[Ghora Gali]]
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==Cemeteries==
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*Old Cemetery
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*Cliffden Road new Cemetery
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*Pindi Point New Cemetery
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Images and Transcriptions from above three cemeteries in external links below.
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See also:-
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*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqzo_3MsB98 British Soldiers' Cemetery, Lower Topa, Murree Hills – Pakistan] Video on YouTube
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*Video on YouTube: Visit to a 200 Years Old British Christian Cemetery in Murree  by MurreeHills1849 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywLNk_6eUJM Part 1], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIzrDxNZYHM Part 2]
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Also see "Historical books online", below.
  
 
==Educational Institutes==
 
==Educational Institutes==
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* Convent of Jesus and Mary
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*The Lawrence College, originally called the [[Lawrence Military Asylum#Lawrence College, Ghora Gali|Lawrence Military Asylum]] is situated at Ghora Gali, 4 km from Murree.
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* Convent of Jesus and Mary (originally boarding, now a day school). Dr Ali Jan’s [http://web.archive.org/web/20071130105652/http://www.geocities.com/scn_pk/convent_jesus_mary_murree.html Convent of Jesus & Mary Murree], now archived
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*St Thomas College, Murree, for boys, was opened in 1882<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=UveLzKDlZBEC&pg=PA138 ''The magic mountains: hill stations and the British raj''] by Dane Keith Kennedy page 138 Google Books</ref>, probably by the Capuchin Fathers, and was subsequently taken over by the (Roman Catholic) Mill Hill Missionaries <ref>A Google Books search snippet  from  [http://books.google.com/books?id=JRMXAAAAIAAJ  ''Into deserts: a history of the Catholic Diocese of Lahore, 1886-1986''] by John Rooney c 1986 says: The Rome agreement provided that the Mill Hill Missionaries were to take over responsibility for the debts of St. Thomas College, Murree. Capuchin sources assess these at Rs.l. 00. Mill Hill sources say the debt amounted to Rs.25000.00. ... This book is available at [http://copac.ac.uk/about/libraries/birmingham.html  University of Birmingham Library: Orchard Learning Resource Centre], [http://copac.ac.uk/about/libraries/tcd.html Trinity College Dublin Library], [http://hollis.harvard.edu/?itemid=|library/m/aleph|001359212  Harvard University Library] and [http://oskicat.berkeley.edu:80/record=b14547408~S1. UCLA Library]</ref>. However, it had probably closed by the 1930’s as there is no mention of this school in the entry for Murree in the Imperial Gazetteer of India, published 1909-1931
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*St Denys' School was the first Anglican Protestant School for British girls in the Murree Hills, established in 1882. Dr Ali Jan’s [http://web.archive.org/web/20071129201100/http://www.geocities.com/scn_pk/st_denys_murree.html St Denys' School] , now archived.
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==Volunteer Regiments==
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G Company, [[Punjab Rifles|1st Punjab Volunteer Rifles]], had its headquarters at Murree, and  was composed of cadets belonging to the [[Lawrence Military Asylum]] at Ghora Gali, near Murree.
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H Company,  1st Punjab Volunteer Rifles contained civilian residents from [[Rawalpindi]] and Murree, and had its headquarter at Murree. In 1907 G and H Companies were "in strength 121 men, exclusive of officers"<ref name=name/>.
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==Ropeway at Patriata==
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There was  a ropeway at Patriata of the heavy endless cable type,  erected in 1910 for bringing firewood to the troops at Murree. This became the model for the [[Khyber Ropeway Company|Khyber ropeway]] erected in the Khyber Pass at the time of the [[3rd Afghan War]]<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 (total 18 pages pdf, including photographs of the Patriata ropeway.) pecongress.org.pk. </ref>
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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* [http://tinyurl.com/dck7jz Churches and Chapels in Murree] ''Youtube''.
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*Cemeteries :-
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**Transcriptions and Images from website Indian cemeteries - now archived on archive.org.
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**[https://web.archive.org/web/20160910043806/http://indian-cemeteries.org/cemetery_details.asp?town=Murree&cem=Old%20Cemetery Old Cemetery]
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**[https://web.archive.org/web/20160910044244/http://indian-cemeteries.org/cemetery_details.asp?town=Murree&cem=Cliffden%20Road%20Cemetery Cliffden Road new Cemetery]
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**[https://web.archive.org/web/20160910043352/http://indian-cemeteries.org/cemetery_details.asp?town=Murree&cem=Pindi%20Point%20Cemetery Indi Point Cemetery]
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murree Murree] Wikipedia
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*A letter written by Harry Beaumont, 1/6 [[East Surrey Regiment]], No. 2297, from a collection of letters written by staff at the Audit office for the Great Western Railway (GWR) based at Paddington, London.  The National Archives.
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:[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/letters-first-world-war-1915/india-time-life/  India: ‘the time of my life’] May 1915,  written from Kuldana. 
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*"Memories of Murree" by Walter Reeve (born 1934) whose father was in the Indian Army and later Pakistan Army.  Details of a visit to Murree in 1936 from the author’s father’s memoirs, and the author’s memory of visits in 1948 and 1949. [http://web.archive.org/web/20070306125548/http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2005-weekly/nos-06-11-2005/foo.htm Part 1], [http://web.archive.org/web/20070306125717/http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2005-weekly/nos-13-11-2005/foo.htm  Part 2], [http://web.archive.org/web/20070306062112/http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2005-weekly/nos-20-11-2005/foo.htm Part 3] Scroll down. jang.com.pk  6, 13 and 20 November 2005, now archived websites. See [[Peshawar]] for the author’s memories  of an English schoolboy growing up in Peshawar around the time of partition.
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*[http://tinyurl.com/dck7jz Churches and Chapels in Murree] ''Youtube''.
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*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/anjum_sohrab_satti/6144211443/in/set-72157626912385443 Photograph: St. Deny's Church – Murree] flickr.com
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*[http://www.geocities.ws/jamshedt/Muree.htm Muree and Gallies] www.geocities.ws/jamshedt
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*[http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jul2009-weekly/nos-19-07-2009/foo.htm#1 "A rock epic"]. An article by Ali Jan about a 1909 regimental rock carving by the [[5th Regiment of Foot|Northumberland Fusiliers]], at Murree from The News on Sunday 19 July 2009 (jang.com.pk)
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*[http://www.geocities.ws/scn_pk/westyorkshire.html Prince of Wales's Own West Yorkshire Regiment, Kuldana, Murree 1907- 1910] by Dr Ali Jan. Details of rock carvings.
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*Speech given by Mr Fakir Syed Aijazuddin, author and journalist, at the book launch of ''Murree: A Glimpse through the Forest'' by Virgil Miedema, 13 September 2002. [http://www.fsaijazuddin.pk/speechdetail.php?speechid=70  Part 1], [http://www.fsaijazuddin.pk/speechdetail.php?speechid=69 Part 2]
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*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/ishtiaqahmed/6785836628 Photograph of Murree Mountain  (7,600 feet) taken from Lower Topa]  by IshtiaQ Ahmed flickr.com
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*[http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=13305961@N00&q=Murree&m=text Images of Murree] from "History of Pakistan"'s collection flickr.com
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*[http://www.murreebrewery.com/history.htm The Murree Brewery: History] murreebrewery.com
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*[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9153934/Ale-under-the-veil-the-only-brewery-in-Pakistan.html "Ale under the veil: the only brewery in Pakistan"] by Jonathan Foreman 24 Mar 2012 ''The Telegraph''. The Murree Brewery. By 1910 the company was finding it increasingly difficult to source clean water in Murree itself and transferred all its brewing to [[Rawalpindi]].
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===Historical books online===
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*[http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V18_048.gif "Murree Town"] ''Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 18'', page 42.
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*[http://archive.org/stream/handbooktravelle00john#page/n415/mode/2up  Map of Murree] showing the cantonments, between pages 244 and 245, ''A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon'' published by John Murray, London Eighth Edition 1911 Archive.org.
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*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=oKAEAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA321 "Abstract of Medico-Topographical Report of Murree, Punjab"] by Assistant-Surgeon J Reade, 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, page 321 ''Army Medical Department: Report for the Year 1862''. Google Books.
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*[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281435 ''Gazetteer Of The Rawalpindi District 1893-94'']. A volume in the series ''Punjab District Gazetteers''. Archive.org, Public Library of India Collection.
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:[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.105626 ''Punjab District Gazetteers, Vol.xxviiiA. Rawalpindi District  1907'']. Archive.org, Publicl Library of India Collection.
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*[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.280096  ''Gazetteer Of The Hazara District 1907'']. A volume in the series ''N W F Province Gazetteers''. Archive.org, Public Library of India Collection.
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*[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c2740836?urlappend=%3Bseq=155 "Murree"] page 125 ''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) HathiTrust Digital Library. Also available [https://archive.org/details/dli.granth.93072/page/124/mode/2up Archive.org version].
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*[https://archive.org/details/jramc-1927-vol48/page/393/mode/2up "Notes on Khairagali and Changligali, North-West Frontier Province"] by Major J E M Boyd, RAMC, page 393 ''Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Volume 48 1927'' Archive.org
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*[https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.2799 '' A Handbook to the North-West Frontier including Jhelum Rawalpindi and Hazara Districts''] by Cyril James Davey  1942. Archive.org, mirror from Pahar-Mountains of Central Asia Digital Dataset. Includes “Murree” from [https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.2799/page/27/mode/2up page 28] and “Other Stations in the Murree Hills” from page 29
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*[http://pahar.in/pahar/2002-from-kashmir-to-kabul-the-photographs-of-john-burke-and-william-baker-1860-1900-by-khan-pdf/  ''From Kashmir to Kabul: The photographs of John Burke and William Baker 1860-1900''] by Omar Khan 2002. Download from Mountains of Central Asia Digital Dataset (MCADD). Includes chapters about  [[Peshawar]], '''Murree''', [[Kashmir]], the [[2nd Afghan War| Second Afghan War]],  [[Lahore]].
 +
 
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==References==
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<references/>
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[[Category:Locations]]
 
[[Category:Locations]]
 
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Bengal Presidency]]
 
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Bengal Presidency]]
 
[[Category:Hill Stations]]
 
[[Category:Hill Stations]]

Latest revision as of 01:51, 29 January 2023

Murree
Murree Mall in Winter.jpg
Presidency: Bengal
Coordinates: 33.906905°N 73.395367°E
Altitude: 2,291.2 m (7,517 ft)
Present Day Details
Place Name: Murree
State/Province: Punjab
Country: Pakistan
Transport links

Murree (alternative spelling Murri) is a hill station in Punjab founded by the British in 1851.

The surrounding area of Murree Hills
Barian (Wikipedia) is situated in the Murree Hills, about 13 km north west of Murree, in the area known as the Galis (Gallis, Galies, Gallies, Gullies, Galiyat) where a number of small hill towns, many of which have Gali in their name, are situated along the crest of the ridge on the road that runs north from Murree to Abbottabad.[1] Galiyat is the plural of Gali which literally means an alley but in this case it probably alludes to a valley between mountains.[2] Barian Gali or Burean Gully[3] is probably the same place as Barian (Bharian). In 1901 this area became part of Hazara District , North West Frontier Province
Tret is situated 40 kilometers from Rawalpindi on the main road to Muree.
The location of Cherat or Charat is sometimes described as Murree, or Murree Hills, but this description is incorrect. Cherat is located near Peshawar.

Military history

Insurrection at Murree 1857

Cantonments

"The British began to establish summer camps for the troops in the Galliat area and by the 1880 Baragali, Kalabagh, and Khairagali were occupied by various artillery units. Gora Dhaka, Khanspur and Changlagali housed infantry units. Nathiagali and Dungagali were reserved for civil servants. Thandiani served as a hill station for the civil servants in Abbottabad. These summer camps (cantonments) had a mixture of permanent and semi-permanent buildings and were supplied by small bazaars to cater for the needs of the troops"[4]

In 1907:
"Murree is only a sanitarium. The mountain batteries go from Rawalpindi to the Hazara Galis. Clifden, Sunny Bank and Kuldannah form one cantonment. Clifden is, in summer, filled with a large number of women and children from Rawalpindi and Peshawar. A British Infantry Regiment is located at Kuldannah, and another in a temporary camp at Gharial, which also receives detachments from the summer garrison of Rawalpindi. Barian, on the borders of this district and Hazara, usually has a British Infantry Regiment from Peshawar or Nowshera".[5]

The Army summer camp known as Barian Camp appears to have developed into a more permanent cantonment . "Barian was a lovely one-battalion cantonment at six thousand feet".[6] In 1920 there was a RAF Hill Depot established at Lower Barian.[7]

Bara Gali about 40km from Murree, also was a small cantonment, occupied in the hot summer months by one of the British mountain batteries which were stationed at Rawalpindi in the winter.[8](Spelling variants: Bara Gali/Baragully)

Changla Gali was situated on the road from Murree to Abbottabad, 9 miles from the former and 31 miles from the latter place. It was the head-quarters of the Northern Command School of Musketry, also referred to as the First Circle School of Musketry.[9][10] (spelling variant Changlagali/Changligali ).

Ghora Dakha was a small cantonment on the road between Dunga Gali and Murree, 3 miles from the former and 15 from the latter place. During the summer months it was occupied by a detachment of British infantry.[11] (Spelling variants Ghora/Gora Dakka/Dhaka)

Kalabagh was a small cantonment on the road between Abbottabad and Murree. During the summer months it was occupied by one of the British mountain batteries which were stationed at Rawalpindi in the winter. (Spelling variants: Kalabagh/ Kala Bagh)

Khaira Gali was a small cantonment on the road between Abbottabad and Murree, also occupied in the summer months by one of the British mountain batteries which were stationed at Rawalpindi in the winter.[12] (Spelling variants : Khaira/ Khairagali/ Khair/ Khyra Gali/ Galli/ Khyragilly/ Khyragully)

There was a Rest Camp at Tret.

Khanspur was a hill station where a detachment of British Infantry were stationed during the summer months. (Spelling variants Khanspur/ Khan's Pur)

Thobba, Murree Hills was a hot season destination for regiments[13] and c 1899 there was a Convalescent Camp at Camp Thobba[14]

Military Hospitals

In 1899 the were military hospitals at

  • Bara Gali: 10 Beds
  • Camp Gharial: 40 Beds
  • Camp Thobba:14 Beds
  • Camp Upper Topa: 16 Beds
  • Camp Lower Topa: 25 Beds
  • Ghora Dakha: 30 Tents
  • Kalabagh: 15 Beds
  • Khyragully: 10 Beds
  • Kuldunnah: 60 Beds
  • Murree C.D: 43 Beds[15]

Postcards and photographs of the cantonments

A View of Cantonment General Hospital, Murree

Photographs

Also see

Sites of Interest

The following are sites in and around the town.

Cemeteries

  • Old Cemetery
  • Cliffden Road new Cemetery
  • Pindi Point New Cemetery

Images and Transcriptions from above three cemeteries in external links below.

See also:-

Also see "Historical books online", below.

Educational Institutes

  • The Lawrence College, originally called the Lawrence Military Asylum is situated at Ghora Gali, 4 km from Murree.
  • Convent of Jesus and Mary (originally boarding, now a day school). Dr Ali Jan’s Convent of Jesus & Mary Murree, now archived
  • St Thomas College, Murree, for boys, was opened in 1882[16], probably by the Capuchin Fathers, and was subsequently taken over by the (Roman Catholic) Mill Hill Missionaries [17]. However, it had probably closed by the 1930’s as there is no mention of this school in the entry for Murree in the Imperial Gazetteer of India, published 1909-1931
  • St Denys' School was the first Anglican Protestant School for British girls in the Murree Hills, established in 1882. Dr Ali Jan’s St Denys' School , now archived.

Volunteer Regiments

G Company, 1st Punjab Volunteer Rifles, had its headquarters at Murree, and was composed of cadets belonging to the Lawrence Military Asylum at Ghora Gali, near Murree.

H Company, 1st Punjab Volunteer Rifles contained civilian residents from Rawalpindi and Murree, and had its headquarter at Murree. In 1907 G and H Companies were "in strength 121 men, exclusive of officers"[5].

Ropeway at Patriata

There was a ropeway at Patriata of the heavy endless cable type, erected in 1910 for bringing firewood to the troops at Murree. This became the model for the Khyber ropeway erected in the Khyber Pass at the time of the 3rd Afghan War[18]

External Links

  • Murree Wikipedia
  • A letter written by Harry Beaumont, 1/6 East Surrey Regiment, No. 2297, from a collection of letters written by staff at the Audit office for the Great Western Railway (GWR) based at Paddington, London. The National Archives.
India: ‘the time of my life’ May 1915, written from Kuldana.

Historical books online

Punjab District Gazetteers, Vol.xxviiiA. Rawalpindi District 1907. Archive.org, Publicl Library of India Collection.

References

  1. ↑ "Murree and the Galis" by Hassan Humayun (archive.org link)
  2. ↑ About Galiyat, The Pakistani Alps flickr.com
  3. ↑ Google Books snippet view: page 129, Historical images of Pakistan by F. S. Aijazuddin
  4. ↑ abbottabadonline.com (archive.org link)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Page 228, Punjab District Gazetteers, Volume XXVIIIA, Rawalpindi District 1907, published 1909. Archive.org, mirror from Digital Library of India.
  6. ↑ Google Books snipper search result: Unlikely beginnings: a soldier's life by Aboobaker Osman Mitha - 2003
  7. ↑ Snippet Google Books Military history of British India, 1607-1947 by Harbans Singh Bhatia, page 29 and Snippet Google Books The flying elephants: a history of No. 27 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force, 1915-69, page 96
  8. ↑ "Bara Gali" Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 6, page 425.
  9. ↑ Page 229 Gazetteer Of The Hazara District 1907, published 1908. Archive.org, mirror from Digital Library of India.
  10. ↑ "Changla Gali" Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 10, page 173.
  11. ↑ "Ghora Dakka" Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 12, page 236.
  12. ↑ "Khaira Gali" Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 15, page 207.
  13. ↑ Page 219 The Rifle Brigade Chronicle for 1897 Archive.org
  14. ↑ Navy and Army Illustrated June 17 1899, page 297.
  15. ↑ Military Hospitals 1899 scarletfinders.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2014
  16. ↑ The magic mountains: hill stations and the British raj by Dane Keith Kennedy page 138 Google Books
  17. ↑ A Google Books search snippet from Into deserts: a history of the Catholic Diocese of Lahore, 1886-1986 by John Rooney c 1986 says: The Rome agreement provided that the Mill Hill Missionaries were to take over responsibility for the debts of St. Thomas College, Murree. Capuchin sources assess these at Rs.l. 00. Mill Hill sources say the debt amounted to Rs.25000.00. ... This book is available at University of Birmingham Library: Orchard Learning Resource Centre, Trinity College Dublin Library, Harvard University Library and UCLA Library
  18. ↑ 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 (total 18 pages pdf, including photographs of the Patriata ropeway.) pecongress.org.pk.
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