Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Sir Arthur Lawley

Sir Arthur Lawley was Governor of Madras from 1906 to 1911. In December 1908 he went to Banganapalle and, at a special durbar, gave the young Nawab Ghulam Ali Khan full ruling powers, ending the years in which a British officer had run the state. Earlier that year he opened the new water-works of Nellore town, which drew water from wells in the Penna river.

Sir Arthur Lawley governed Madras from 1906 to 1911.1 Two of his visits to the Telugu districts are recorded: to the small state of Banganapalle, and to Nellore.23 See British Crown (Madras Presidency).

Governor of Madras

The India Office List shows that Lawley took charge as Governor of Madras on 28 March 1906.1 Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael succeeded him on 3 November 1911.1

Banganapalle, 1908

Banganapalle was a small state inside the Kurnool district, under the Madras Government.4 While the young Nawab Ghulam Ali Khan was being trained, a British officer, Molony, ran the state for him.2 The Kurnool census handbook of 1961 says this lasted until 17 December 1908.2 On that day Lawley gave the Nawab full ruling powers, at a special durbar (court ceremony) at Banganapalle.2 See Ghulam Ali Khan III and Banganapalle.

The Nellore water-works

In 1887 a public meeting at Nellore resolved that the town’s water supply must be improved.3 The only workable plan proved to be pumping from wells in the bed of the Penna (then Pennar).3 The scheme was sanctioned in 1906, at a cost of 1,77,200 rupees.3 The government gave 90,000 rupees and lent the municipal council the same amount.3

The works were finished in 1907–08.3 The Nellore gazetteer says that Lawley formally opened them during his visit to the town on 6 February 1908.3 See Nellore.

Footnotes

  1. The India Office and Burma Office List for 1939, p. 109, “Governors of Madras” (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). Cited, not reproduced. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. A. Chandra Sekhar, Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Kurnool District (1964), p. xxxi (PDF p. 52) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Paraphrased (Public domain in India). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  3. Gazetteer of the Nellore District, brought up to 1938, Vol. A (1942), p. 287 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. Imperial Gazetteer of India: Madras, Vol. I (1908), p. 84 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

Dynasties

British Crown (Madras Presidency)

1858–1947 CE

The government of the Telugu districts of the Madras Presidency by the British Crown, from the transfer of the East India Company's territories in 1858 to independence in 1947. Under a Governor in Council at Madras, the coast and Rayalaseema were ruled through Collectors, a Board of Revenue, district and taluk boards and municipalities. The districts were redrawn (Godavari and Kistna in 1859, Anantapur in 1882, Guntur in 1904, Chittoor in 1911, West Godavari in 1925), and the Nizam ceded the Bhadrachalam and Rekapalli taluks in 1860. The ryotwari lands were surveyed and settled, and the inams registered by the Inam Commission. The great zamindaris of Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Pithapuram, Venkatagiri, Kalahasti and Karvetinagar kept their permanent settlements. The Godavari and Krishna deltas were irrigated, and railways reached Bezwada and Waltair. The great famine of 1876–78 emptied the Ceded Districts. The Rampa rising of 1879–80 was the last that needed regular troops in the Presidency.

References

Sources (4)
  1. India Office, The India Office and Burma Office List for 1939 (opens in a new tab), Harrison and Sons, London, 1939, pp. 109. Cited, not reproduced. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  2. A. Chandra Sekhar (Census of India), Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Kurnool District (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 1964, xxxi. Paraphrased only (Public domain in India). [Public domain in India]
  3. Government of India, Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Madras, Vol. I (opens in a new tab), Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta, 1908, pp. 84. [Public domain]
  4. W. E. Johns, Gazetteer of the Nellore District, brought up to 1938, Vol. A (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1942, pp. 287. Public domain in India; paraphrased. [Public domain in India]

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