Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Sir William Denison

Sir William Denison was Governor of Madras from 1861 to 1866, and acted for a few weeks as Viceroy. On a visit to Bellary in 1864 he released Muzaffar Khan, a former Nawab of Kurnool, who had been held in Bellary fort since 1823. He also encouraged the Nellore cattle shows: he gave a gold ring as a prize in 1863, and attended the show at Addanki in 1865.

Sir William Denison was Governor of Madras in the early years of Crown rule. Two small acts of his are recorded in the Telugu country: a release at Bellary, and his support for the cattle shows of Nellore.12 See British Crown (Madras Presidency).

Governor of Madras

Maclean’s list of Governors shows Denison in office from 18 February 1861 to 27 March 1866.3 From 2 December 1863 to 12 January 1864 he also acted as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.3

The former Nawab of Kurnool

The citadel of the Bellary fort had several strong buildings.1 In them Muzaffar Khan, once Nawab of Kurnool, was kept a prisoner from 1823 to 1864.1 He had been confined for the murder of his wife near Adoni.1 The Bellary gazetteer says he was released “on the occasion of the Governor Sir W. Denison’s visit to Bellary in 1864”.1 See Nawabs of Kurnool and Bellary.

The Nellore cattle shows

To encourage the breeding of good stock, the government held a cattle show every January at Addanki.4 It had begun in 1859.4 In 1863, 1,250 rupees were set aside for prizes, and the Governor gave a gold ring.2 In 1865 Denison attended the show at Addanki himself.2

The Nellore manual records that the cows and heifers that year were many, though much smaller than the bulls.2 So the government decided to give special encouragement to the rearing of cows and heifers.2 See Addanki and Nellore.

Footnotes

  1. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Bellary (1904), p. 215 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  2. Boswell, Nellore District (1873), p. 75 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. C. D. Maclean (ed.), Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency, Vol. II (1885), p. 270, list of Governors of Fort St. George (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  4. John A. C. Boswell, A Manual of the Nellore District (1873), p. 74 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

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 (3)
  1. C. D. Maclean (ed.), Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency, Vol. II (Appendices) (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1885, pp. 270. [Public domain]
  2. W. Francis, Madras District Gazetteers: Bellary (opens in a new tab), Government Press, Madras, 1904, pp. 215. [Public domain]
  3. John A. C. Boswell, A Manual of the Nellore District in the Presidency of Madras (opens in a new tab), Government of Madras, 1873, pp. 74–75. [Public domain]

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