It was not my intention to write in detail about Lawrence School Sanawar, sister school of Lawrence School Lovedale but the more I went into my research, the more I realised that the two were following similar patterns! Both were honouring tax extorter Sir Henry Lawrence, an employee of the disreputable joint stock company, East India Company! Very little if any information was made available about the exclusion of Indians from the school, little weight was given to the purpose of the ‘school’ when first set up; it was an ASYLUM for the orphans of East India Company and British Army soldiers. Before the advent of the asylum, those orphans that were taken in would have been camp followers of the regiments their fathers belonged to.
In the clip below, I must commend the participants for the effort put into its production. However, several myths need to be busted:
- Sir Henry did not found any schools; he founded asylums.
- A lovely young lady refers to the oldest existing building built in 1853 and then proceeds to say the porch in memory of Sir Henry was built by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1815. That in itself is a contradiction but the poor lady has obviously been fed bogus information: in 1815, Sir Henry was a 9 year old boy! Sir Hubert wasn’t born until 1819!
- The lovely Sahej refers to the war memorial thus: A proud memorial in the form of a Celtic Cross of Old Sanawarians who fell in the Great War as testament of the long standing History of Old Sanawarians who continue to fight for the nation.
- Which nation were those Old Sanawarians fighting for? Certainly not India! Here are the names of those Old Sanawarians:
- To the greater Glory of God and in proud memory of OLD SANAWARIANS who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918.
Ashcroft J. Pte. North Staffords, Berry L. Bdm. Midd’x Regt., Bloodworth F. Rfn. K.R.R.C., Bloodworth P. Cpl. S&T. Corps., Bruce A. J. Br. R.H.A., Byrne J. Sgt. R. lr. Rgt., Charlton L. Tpt. R F.A., Cross E.M.F. S.M. R.C.S., Cullen F.J. Telegraphs, Edge S. Pte. Royal Irish Regt., Gibbons E. Telegraphs, Hickie C.S. 2Lt. R.F.C., Houlding H. Cpl. Royal Irish Regt., Line C.H. Cpl. R.C.S., Malachowski von H, Cpl. Royal Irish Regt., McGregor R. Lt. S. Lancs Regt., Morris A. S/Sgt. S&T Corps, Nicholas D.J. Gunr. R.F.A., Oldall E.T. Cpl. R.M. Fus., Pitcher A. Cpl. R.I. Fus., Richards R.E. Cpl. 7th Hussars, Taylor W. Pte. D.W. Regt., Trowsdale C. Lt. K.R.R.C., White E. Tpt. R.F.A., Wren C. M.M. R.F.A., Wright G. Pte. R. Irish Regt. - In the above list there is not one Indian mentioned! They were not allowed into that school! There were a total of 880,000 Britishers who lost their lives in a war that had nothing to do with India. Why on Earth does a school in Independent India have a memorial to those British Soldiers from Sanawar who, had they not died would have had only one job: oppress India and Indians!
- Here is a list of Old Sanawari9ans who died in WW2.
- Lawrence Royal Military School Roll of Honour. 1939-1945
- H. B. Blaker Capt. I.A.M.C., K Hughes R.A.F., N. Boon R.A.F., F W.Johnson R.A.F., A. Bond F/Lt. R.A.F., L. Kells F/O. R.A.F., P. Busby R.A.F., A. Kelly, I.E., I. Capenhurst, Northants, J. Kelly Cpl. Yorks and Lancs, C. Cook, D. McConnel R.A.F., L. Cooper M.M., J. Middleton R.A., C. Crossley Sgt. S. Lancs, L. Norkett, G. Davenport-Jones R.A.F., H. Pearce, G. Drummond D.C.L.I., J.W. Phillips D.F.M. R.A.F., A. Edwards R.A.F., A. Roberts R.C.S., J. Edwards R.A.F., P. Ross, H. Fallows, N. Rowe Norfolk Regt., E. Fletcher R.A.0.C., E.A. Richardson N.Z.F., I. Forrest R.A.F., G. Stone D.F.M. R.A.F., G. C. Fremantle, A.J. Stripp, D.F.C, R.A.F., L. Frost R.A., C. Taylor R.A.F., E. Fuller D.F.M. R.A.F., O. Thorpe, H. Hodson, N. Tilsley R.A.C., C.H. Howie Maj-Genl., D. West R.E., A. Howie., N. Lord I.M.N.S., A. Reeks U.S.N.
- Once again not a single Indian mentioned: same reason above; they weren’t allowed to enter.
- Yet, the number of Indians who laid down their lives in WW1 was 74187 and in WW2, 87000 Indians laid down their lives! No mention about them anywhere! The children of these Indian soldiers who laid down their lives for the British were not allowed entry to Lawrence Sanawar (or Lovedale). Should we Indians be proud about such a legacy?
- As for the Celtic Cross, this normally has the words TRLA JUNCTA IN UNO (meaning three joined in one). During British times, this represented the Union of England Scotland and Ireland (hence United Kingdom) and/or the Christian concept of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Ireland only became a separate country in 1921, 64 years after Sir Henry’s death. Both the Lawrences were of County Donegal origin said County now being part of the Irish Republic. However they were both fundamentalist Protestant and would have become part of Ulster (Northern Ireland) had they survived during the partition of Ireland. Either way, such a symbol and such a memorial is inappropriate in India. This Christian symbol is inappropriate for Independent, Secular India.
- Reference is made to the Birdwood School Building founded by His Excellency Field Marshall Sir W.R. Birdwood ‘Bart’. Obviously the lovely young lady was unaware of the fact that ‘Bart‘ is not a name but an honorific, and stands for ‘Baronet’. This is symbolised by the ‘Sir‘ in his name. Sir Henry Lawrence had KCB after his name and hence we address him as Sir Henry Lawrence. We never address him as Sir Henry Lawrence KCB.
Historical information relating to Sanawar
Many an author was written about Sanawar but have conveniently missed out that the Asylum and its later manifestation as a school only admitted children, both of whose parents had to be European and Christian. It was much later that Anglo-Indians, all of them Christians, were allowed and last of all to be admitted were Sikhs and Hindus.
An Imperial connection that is shameful has been turned into something to be proud about. For instance the names of the Houses: Lawrence, Nicholson, Roberts, Hodson, Edwards and Havelock all have connections to the savage treatment of OUR INDIAN ANCESTORS following the 1st War of Independence. Lawrence, far from being the benevolent soldier/statesman he is made out to be was in reality a tax-extorter who was prepared to use military force to extort such taxes. See my various Pages on this evil character. He was no magnanimous soldier; he was a sadist who was quite casual about hanging ’20 or 30 (rebel soldiers) this evening’. These soldiers were not our enemies but they were Indian and our ancestors! The manner in which he treated Rani Jind Kaur, widow of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was abominable. Lawrence it was who sold Kashmir to Maharaja Gulab Singh, whose direct descendant Hari Singh is responsible for the present day Kashmir crisis. See Page Lawrence And Kashmir Issue.
Now, let us come to the Houses:
There were 6 Houses: 1. Lawrence 2. Nicholson 3. Roberts 4. Havelock 5. Hodson 6. Edwards.
Lawrence House. There are multiple Pages mentioning Lawrence so please read them.
Nicholson House. This House was named after Brigadier General John Nicholson who was happy to ‘flay’ captured soldiers (i.e., skin them alive) and visit all sorts of torture on them. He has been described as an ‘Imperial psychopath’ by well-know Historian Dalrymple. A simple search on the inter-net will reveal just how disgusting this character was as far as our Indian ancestors are concerned. Among the many atrocities he committed, one that stands out is his slaying of 120 rebels and capture of another 120. Of the latter, he had 40 put to death by ‘Blowing from a Gun’. Read about this character and this method of execution in my Page First War of Independence and aftermath
Roberts House. This house was named after Field Marshall Roberts . He was yet another East India Company man who is credited with finding a dying Nicholson mentioned above. He was awarded the Victoria Cross and his citation read: Lieutenant Roberts’ gallantry has on every occasion been most marked. On following the retreating enemy on 2 January 1858, at Khodagunge, he saw in the distance two Sepoys going away with a standard. Lieutenant Roberts put spurs to his horse, and overtook them just as they were about to enter a village. They immediately turned round, and presented their muskets at him, and one of the men pulled the trigger, but fortunately the caps snapped, and the standard-bearer was cut down by this gallant young officer, and the standard taken possession of by him. He also, on the same day, cut down another Sepoy who was standing at bay, with musket and bayonet, keeping off a Sowar. Lieutenant Roberts rode to the assistance of the horseman, and, rushing at the Sepoy, with one blow of his sword cut him across the face, killing him on the spot. It is my (Jitu Savani’s) personal opinion that Roberts’ bravery and gallantry may have been made up as the following paragraphs will point to the true character of this despicable man.
Under his leadership as Commander-in-Chief of the Army in British India, he oversaw the system of brothels attached to each British Regiment. I have composed another Page titled ‘Britain’s use of sex slaves‘ which please read but briefly, these brothels used Indian slave girls, some as young as 14 to satisfy the lust of the British soldier posted to India. An area was set aside where 15 girls to a regiment were made available. The girls were paid 4 annas per use by a soldier and the number of soldiers per day would be 8 or more. From the meagre sum earned, amounts were deducted for rent and food. At the end of the month, the poor girls earned a net amount equal today to £1, say just over Rupees 100. That was not all! The prostitutes had to undergo a humiliating medical examination every two weeks carried out by a male doctor and if found diseased, would be locked into a ‘Lock Hospital’ (yes, that is what it was called) until such time as they recovered. If they did not recover, they were thrown out, peniless, diseased and starving. Many starved to death, for who would give shelter to a diseased prostitute? Astonishingly, the soldiers were not required to undergo any tests as the racist British thought a British soldier could not possibly carry venereal disease or syphilis. Not just that but they were encouraged by Roberts, ‘as a matter of honour’ to tell on prostitutes who were potential carriers of disease! The belief was that when the soldiers returned to Britain, they would not infect the women they married in Christian ceremonies! What a stupid belief and what hypocrisy; Christian soldiers going against the 7th Commandment ”You shall not commit adultery” doing that which is forbidden then returning to Britain and having Christian marriages!
Please see my Page ‘Britain’s use of sex slaves’. I am though appending a brief extract here to show just how despicable Roberts was; he even lied to the House of Commons enquiry and blamed a subordinate but the evidence against him was overwhelming and he had to send a grovelling letter of apology.
This character went on to serve in the British Army for decades but in later life, he was involved in some grubby plot relating to Ulster. In 1914 he was on a visit to Indian troops fighting in France when he died. His body was returned to UK and he was given a State Funeral.
Havelock House: This House was named after Major-General Sir Henry Havelock. He was yet another soldier heavily involved in the aftermath of the 1st war of Independence. I set out an extract from my Page First War of Independence and aftermath.
Just as the Indian Rebellion broke out he was chosen to command a column to quell disturbances in Allahabad, to support Sir Henry Lawrence at Lucknow and Wheeler at Cawnpore, and to pursue and utterly destroy all mutineers and insurgents. Throughout August Havelock led his soldiers northwards across Oudh, defeating all rebel forces in his path, despite being greatly outnumbered. His years of study of the theories of war and his experiences in earlier campaigns were put to good use. At this time Lady Canning wrote of him in her diary: “General Havelock is not in fashion, but all the same we believe that he will do well.” But in spite of this lukewarm commendation Havelock proved himself the man for the occasion and won a reputation as a great military leader.
Havelock won adulation for his violent putdown of the Indian ‘mutineers’, who were fighting to retake their homeland. Note: Lady Canning was the wife of Governor General Lord Canning to whom Sir Henry Lawrence reported.
Three times he advanced for the relief of the Lucknow, but twice held back rather than risk fighting with troops wasted by battle and disease. Reinforcements arrived at last under Outram, who assumed command. With Havelock commanding the assault, Lucknow was relieved on 25 September 1857. However, a second rebel force arrived and besieged the town again. This time Havelock and his troops were caught inside the blockade. He died in Lucknow on 24 November 1857 of dysentery, a few days after the siege was lifted. Perhaps his death due to dysentery is apt; the condition is described thus: Dysentery is characterized by diarrhea, high fever, weight loss, an upset stomach and nausea and vomiting. India’s enemy died in his own shit!
There is a statue of Havelock in Trafalgar Square, London. The plaque on the plinth reads: To Major General Sir Henry Havelock KCB and his brave companions in arms during the campaign in India 1857. “Soldiers! Your labours, your privations, your sufferings and your valour, will not be forgotten by a grateful country.” The country he was referring to was the United Kingdom and he was fighting against Indians! The United Kingdom is no longer grateful and quite rightly so! A road in Southall, UK, named after him has now been renamed Guru Nanak Road. Below is a photo of Jitu alongside the statue of Havelock in Trafalgar Square. As mentioned Havelock died in his own shit. In the photograph, do notice the pigeon shit on Havelock’s head!
Hodson House: This House was named after William Raikes Hodson. I can do no better than paste Page Hodson below:
Hodson was educated at Rugby School under Thomas Arnold and at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Whilst for the British he was a hero, to Indians he should be regarded as a villain, particularly as far as his propriety in financial dealings is concerned. It is ironic that all three Lawrence brothers had doubts about his integrity and the following extract from Wikipedia is instructive on just how questionable his honesty was:
Accusations of corruption
In 1855, two separate main charges were brought against Hodson. The first was that he had arbitrarily imprisoned a Yusufzai Pathan chief named Kader Khan, as well as his young son, on suspicion of being involved in the murder of Colonel Mackeson. The man was acquitted, and Lord Dalhousie removed Hodson from his civil functions and remanded him to his regiment because of his lack of judgment and gross negligence.
The second charge was an accusation of misappropriation of the funds of his regiment. He was tried by a court of inquiry, who found that his conduct to natives had been unjustifiable and oppressive, that he had used abusive language to his native officers and personal violence to his men, and that his system of accounts was calculated to screen peculation and fraud. However, a subsequent inquiry was carried out by Major Reynell Taylor: “Taylor’s investigation took two months, during which time he went through every item received or paid out by Hodson over the two years of his command”. By the end of his investigation into the record of Hodson’s accounts Taylor found “…it to be an honest and correct record from beginning to end. It has been irregularly kept, but every transaction, from the least to the greatest, has been noted in it, and is traceable to the individuals concerned”.
During a tour through Kashmir with Sir Henry Lawrence he kept the purse and Sir Henry could never obtain an account from him; subsequently, Sir Henry’s younger brother Sir George Lawrence accused him of embezzling the funds of the Lawrence Asylum at Kasauli; while Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain in a published letter says of the third brother, John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, “I am bound to say that Lord Lawrence had no opinion of Hodson’s integrity in money matters. He has often discussed Hodson’s character in talking to me, and it was to him a regret that a man possessing so many fine gifts should have been wanting in a moral quality which made him untrustworthy.” Finally, on one occasion Hodson spent £500 of the pay due to Lieutenant Godby, and under threat of exposure was obliged to borrow the money from a local banker named Bisharat Ali through one of his officers.
Financial matters
Throughout his career Hodson was dogged by accusations of financial impropriety. He was investigated on more than one occasion but nothing was ever proved. His detractors claim he was a looter; his supporters say that these accusations came from those who disliked his manner and his military success. William’s brother, the Rev. G. Hodson, stated in his book that he obtained the inventory of William’s possessions made by the Committee of Adjustment and it contained no articles of loot, and Sir Charles Gough, president of the committee, confirmed this evidence. This statement is incompatible with Sir Henry Daly‘s. Sir Henry Norman stated that to his personal knowledge Hodson remitted several thousand pounds to Calcutta which could only have been obtained by looting. On the other hand, again, Hodson died a poor man; his effects, which included a ring, watch, Bible and Prayer book, and a miniature, were sold for only £170. General Gough remarked “there was nothing in his boxes but what an officer might legitimately and honourably have in his possession. His widow did not have money enough to pay for her passage home and she had to apply to the Compassionate Fund for assistance, which was granted.
It is absolutely astonishing that this character who can at best be described as a scoundrel is honoured to this day by having an annual event named after him!
Hodson’s Runs
These are cross country runs, rather like the cross country run that Lovedale puts on. The fact that the school continues to honour the corrupt crook Hodson by naming a run after him is a matter of shame. See my Page on this character and notice what his own people said about him. In particular note the cold blooded murders this character carried out of our Indian ancestors. People may well point out that a present day Indian Army Unit is also called Hodson Horse. Thankfully, it is now changed to 4th Horse.
Edwardes House: This House was named after Major-General Sir Herbert Benjamin Edwardes, who was one of Lawrence’s ‘young men’
In February 1847, aged 28, Edwardes was detached on special duty as Political Agent to the remote trans-Indus district of Bannu, where he was to improve the district’s tax-revenue yield to Lahore, much lessened of late by evasion and non-payment. Here backed by a small force of Sikh troops, but largely on the strength of his own personality, he completely reformed the administration. This shows as I have been maintaining that Edwards was, like his mentor Sir Henry, a tax-extorter, willing and able to use armed forces in order to do so. After all, that was the purpose of the East India Company!
On the outbreak of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 at far away Meerut and Delhi, Edwardes received the sanction of Sir John Lawrence, the successor in the chief magistracy of the Punjab to his elder brother Sir Henry Lawrence, to raise native troops in the Punjab to form a moveable column to maintain order in the Punjab. Lawrence later sent the large part of these troops and other units previously raised by his brother and new units raised by himself to assist in the Siege of Delhi. It was this decisive action of Sir John Lawrence’s, in taking the risk to leave the Punjab undefended, a policy opposed by Edwardes, which earned for him, Sir John the sobriquet “The Saviour of India”.
Edwardes started writing the biography of Sir Henry but before he could complete it, he died. The biography, ‘Life of Sir Henry Lawrence’ was completed by Herman Merivale. This biography has assisted me in completing my blog.
On the left is a photo of Jitu with a statue of Edwardes at the British Library
Scandal of Sanawar Alumni
In the link above you will find details of one of the world’s most infamous whores, Pamela Bordes. She isn’t the only disreputable product of the school; a character by the name of Vir Das, allegedly a comedian (he calls himself an artiste) washes India’s dirty linen on foreign soil, which makes his exclusively Indian coolie audiences go into paroxysms of laughter. He obviously thinks it is freedom of speech but is too thick to notice that US and UK comedians do not come to India and wash the dirty linen of their countries to public audiences in India! There are other crooks Sanawar has produced like the ‘actor’ Sanjay Dutt, a self confessed drug addict, who had to serve 5 years for having in his possession an AK47! It is my considered opinion that his parents, both actors I have loved since I was a mere urchin, like my parents, made an error sending him to an unsuitable colonial legacy institution.
Here is the alleged comedian Vir Das ‘whooping up’ his coolie audience at the Kennedy Centre as if it is a big deal
Founder’s Parade
In the clip above you will see the Founder’s Parade. There is virtually no difference between this parade and what I went through in Lovedale. Hours and hours must have been spent preparing and practicing this pointless event. In the end all it amounts to is an in-house entertainment show! The modern adaptation is an irritating woman giving an irritating commentary on a loudspeaker, especially as whatever she said would have been forgotten by the audience within seconds! The children were sloppy, their uniforms terribly creased, the band wore a peculiar uniform, the sort one would see on a street band at an Indian wedding, and not at all in keeping with the occasion. The children in blazers doing the march past were at sixes and sevens; some had their blazer buttons open, others didn’t and they were simply not in step! The band was out of tune and, of all the ‘tunes’ available, played ‘Way Down Upon The Swanee River’, an American tune that seemed totally out of kilter with the occasion!
The point is this: The parade is to honour a founder who was nothing more than a tax extorting crook working for a disreputable joint stock company, East India Company! All of the participants are non-European and most are not Christian. Sir Henry specified that his asylums were for children both of whose parents were European and where the Bible was to be read. The founder’s asylums were largely Protestant.
The uniforms were along British lines. Here is what the racist Lady Honoria said: The native troops wear a uniform like the English and very ugly it looks on them.
Is Sanawar the oldest co-education boarding school in the world?
When ‘co-education’ started in Sanawar, it wasn’t a school, it was an asylum. An asylum in those days was defined as a safe or inviolable place of refuge especially as offered by the CHRISTIAN Church. Sir Henry specified that the asylums he founded were for children of parents who were both European and Bible reading was compulsory. Many, if not most of the girls who passed through the asylum became domestic servants. That does not take much education.
At some stage Sanawar did indeed become co-educational but that couldn’t have been for long and certainly it was done away with in 1945 or earlier before it was reintroduced.
All that said, the following extract from a report for the year ending 31.March 1945 sent to the British Army in the UK in respect of the sister school in Lovedale mentions specifically Sanawar, sets out that co-education was done away with and exactly why it was done away with:
Discipline: It has often been remarked that war breeds in young people a spirit of lawlessness, and this may in part explain many difficulties which arose last year that called for extreme disciplinary measures on my part. We are always, and rightly on the qui vive for any signs of undesirable friendships between girls and boys. It is impossible to watch every child all the time in an estate of nearly 800 acres, but very clear and stringent school rules are laid down to prevent any underhand intrigues if possible. Towards the end of last year the Headmistress discovered that several boys and girls were in the habit of writing each other secret letters of a most mawkish nature., and of meeting in obscure parts of the estate at illegal times. A very thorough investigation ensued, as a result of which I had to expel two girls and one boy, and to request the parents of eight other children to withdraw those children at the end of the year. Those who were expelled had broken out of their dormitories at midnight in order to visit by arrangement their girl or boy friends in the opposite school. Fortunately, the matter was dealt with before any irretrievable harm was done. , and steps were immediately taken to prevent the future use of the exits from the dormitories which the children’s ingenuity had devised. We have started this year therefore with a number of undesirable boys and girls removed from the school and so far the discipline in this respect has been excellent; I am well aware none the less, that it is always towards the end of the year that that the test of the School’s discipline really really comes. I discussed the matter in great detail with Miss Cavanagh, for I know that this type of ill-discipline has a most deplorable effect upon the standard of work in the class-rooms. She has given me much helpful advice and her fullest support for the re-organisation will involve the giving up of co-education and the reversion of the system of a separate boys’ school and a separate boys’ school and a separate girls’ school. Miss Tate will be the Headmistress of the Girls’ School and I am hoping to secure the sanction of the Board of Governors to the appointment of Mr. Richardson as Headmaster of the Boys’ School. After five years’ experience of co-education at Lovedale, I am convinced that the time has come from the point of view of work and from that of moral welfare for us to return to the previous system of separated schools. In this matter I have not only the full support of the Government Inspectress, but also the unqualified backing of the entire staff. The separation will be effected during the forthcoming June Holidays and the new system will will come into force on June 13 next. It may be of interest to notice that the Lawrence Royal Military School, Sanawar, took the same step a little while ago, and I believe for precisely the same reasons (jitu’s Capital Letters). I have every reason to hope that this reorganisation will establish the discipline of the school on a firmer footing than it has been for some years past.
Lady Honoria: Still honoring the vile racist
In 2002 a trophy for basketball in memory of Lady Honoria was instituted and now celebrated annually. Here are relevant news items:
12th All-India Basketball Tournament
Indore College win basketball tournament
Co-incidentally, the winner of the tournament was Daly College, founded by one of Sir Henry Lawrence’s ‘Young Men’.
By 2002, facts relating to Lady Honoria should have been known but obviously the character who instituted the trophy in memory of the vile and racist Lady Honoria who had nothing but contempt for us Indians was trying to get validation, and that too from a non-existent colonial power!
Please see my Page titled: Lady Honoria Lawrence, Racist, Fundamental Christian and Vile Child Beater
every reason to hope that this reorganisation will establish the discipline of the school on a firmer footing than it has been for some years past.
Lawrence School Sanawar – Part 2
The video below ‘The Lawrence School Memories’ is a superbly produced video that needs no interpretation from me.
However, as a student of the sister school at Lovedale it has given me so much information that stands Sanawar in a far better light than Lovedale, particularly in the post-Independence years. I can observe that in a 1948 photograph, most of the students are turban wearing Sikhs. This may be symbolic of the whole school. How different from Lovedale where most of the intake for many years after Independence was Anglo-Indian! The Anglo-Indians in Lovedale dictated the direction the school was taking which was much to my chagrin when I joined many years later. The Sanawar Hockey First 11 of 1948 also has at least 5 Sikhs.
Similarly, the teaching staff of 1949 have a good representation of Indian staff. The Headmaster, Cambridge educated E.G. Carter had joined the school in 1922 as an Assistant Teacher and rose through the ranks becoming Principal in 1947 and subsequently Headmaster until retirement in 1956. Thus, there was continuity on the academic side whereas in Lovedale post Independence the first Indian Principal was De Suraj Bhan followed by Mr. Lakhani. Mr. K. I. Thomas took over in 1950 and remained in place until 1971. Mr Carter represented continuity which was completely lacking in the three crucial years from 1947 to 1950 in Lovedale.
Mr Som Dutt, Headmaster of Sanawar (1956 -1970) and Mr Thomas of Lovedale (1950-1971) both had long stints in the post-war years. Both ran institutions that were schools pretending to be military institutions. Whereas Mr Dutt was an actual Military man, Mr. Thomas emphatically wasn’t!
The documentary below produced in large part by students themselves evidences a brilliant job. However, it is a pity that the entrance to Parker Hall has hanging portraits of Sir Henry Lawrence and Honoria Lawrence. Alas, the real history of this dreadful couple is yet to be taught. Sir Henry was, of course, a tax extorter and Lady Honoria was a vile Fundamentalist Christian child beater as is set out in my Page Lady Honoria Lawrence Not much History is either shown or known about the cold blooded murderer Hodson either. It would have been obvious that not even Sir Henry and his two brothers trusted him and neither did Governor-General Lord Dalhousie. Here is a clip that includes information about that vile character:
Note: At 58 seconds in the documentary, in the painted portrait of Sir Henry you will observe a medal/award or gong, Order of Bath (Companion) pinned just behind his left lapel. The size is exaggerated! See my Page: Sir Henry Lawrence’s Hidden History – Part 3 -Swords and Medals, and you will notice me holding the actual item.
Please see photographs below evidencing that unlike Lovedale, Sanawar wasn’t overwhelmed by Anglo-Indians: Note just the number of Sikhs.
Lawrence School Sanawar – Part 3 Bullying
Copy of my communication dated 2009 with NDTV. Here is one of the news clips: Other news clips with a full version of the interview shows a lady called Haleena Bajwa saying that a bit of drilling is expected by senior boys on the junior boys and that is what a boarding school is about.
I response, I wrote to NDTV way back in 2009:
Your news item about the ‘ragging’ incident at Lawrence School, Sanawar was shocking enough. What was more shocking and an absolute disgrace was the interview given by a parent called Haleena Bajwa whose son was one of the victims.
This Haleena Bajwa character is undoubtedly the worst parent in the world. She virtually gave ‘cart blanche’ for such incidents to be repeated by claiming that:
1. A bit of ‘drilling’ is expected by the senior boys on the junior boys and that is what a boarding school is about
2. The school was right in taking the action it did by sending the boys responsible home and
3. That she would not want any further action taken against the boys responsible other than counselling.
Let me tell Haleena Bajwa that:
1. A bit of ‘drilling’ should not be expected; what do schools employ masters/mistresses for? Any ‘drilling’ must surely be under strict supervision. Her statement that ‘that is what a boarding school is about’ is as stupid a statement as I have ever heard.
2. The school authorities who took the decision to send the boys home should be charged with aiding and abetting the criminals. The act committed was criminal and should have been reported to the police; it should have been the police who handled matters from there. The school authorities had no business taking the law into their own hands.
3. ‘Counselling’ is the last thing these characters need. A spell behind bars be it in a ‘youth’ jail or indeed an adult jail would be more appropriate.
Comment was made that some parents did not wish to pursue matters as one of the offenders was the son of a police officer in Punjab. Is this what India has come to? Not only are children bullied at school but their parents are also bullied by the parents of the bullies.
The police officer must see to it that his son is charged with ‘assault and battery’ as otherwise he is negligent in his duties as a police officer of the nation and must be dismissed immediately.
The Head of Lawrence School Sanawar must immediately be charged with Criminal Negligence as this incident happened in his ‘watch’. When parents send their children to school the masters/mistresses are expected to act ‘in loco parentis’ (in place of parent) and clearly in this case they did not.
I do know what I am talking about. I was a student in the sister school, Lawrence School, Lovedale for 11 years from the beginning of 1958 to the end of 1968. The headmaster there, K I Thomas let the seniors bully the juniors to such an extent that even to this day, people think that is a normal form of behaviour. My brother and sister also went to that school and it is deeply concerning to note that such boorish behaviour is the norm. In all of the years I was there, not once was action taken against any boy for bullying! Indeed one of the masters, McMahon victimised the victims of such bullying! You can mention both these names as the masters concerned have both died, thank God! I would mention that one of my school mates was CEO, K.V.L. Narayan Rao of NDTV who sadly passed away in 2017. We were in the same ‘Guard’ for the Founder’s Parade.
The ‘ragging’ as news channels refer to is really bullying and criminal assault/battery. It is a legacy of the British system. The British left 60 years ago. Are we not capable of having Indian systems in place which do not include such behaviour? Ironic though it is, ‘ragging’ does not exist in Britain. Any perpetrators of such behaviour would be arrested and charged. Nobody would be frightened just because one of the parents happened to be a police officer!
I could go on and on and even point out a prominent industrialist who wants nothing to do with Lawrence School Lovedale, such was the climate of bullying. However, I doubt you would in the least bit be interested.
With kind regards.
Jitu Savani