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The Transportation of Narain Sing: Punishment, Honour and Identity from the Anglo–Sikh Wars to the Great Revolt1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2009

CLARE ANDERSON
CLARE ANDERSON*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Warwick, Coventry CV 4 7AL, UK Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper examines fragments from the life of Narain Sing as a means of exploring punishment, labour, society and social transformation in the aftermath of the Anglo–Sikh Wars (1845–1846, 1848–1849). Narain Sing was a famous military general who the British convicted of treason and sentenced to transportation overseas after the annexation of the Panjab in 1849. He was shipped as a convict to one of the East India Company's penal settlements in Burma where, in 1861, he was appointed head police constable of Moulmein. Narain Sing's experiences of military service, conviction, transportation and penal work give us a unique insight into questions of loyalty, treachery, honour, masculinity and status. When his life history is placed within the broader context of continuing agitation against the expansion of British authority in the Panjab, we also glimpse something of the changing nature of identity and the development of Anglo–Sikh relations more broadly between the wars of the 1840s and the Great Indian Revolt of 1857–1858.

Type
Research Article
Information
Modern Asian Studies , Volume 44 , Issue 5 , September 2010 , pp. 1115 - 1145
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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References

2 APAC India Office Records (henceforth IOR) P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): E.H. Lushington, Magistrate of Patna, to J.P. Grant, Secretary to Government Bengal, 23 June 1850.

3 IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): R. Lawther, Commissioner Fourth Division Allahabad, to R. Thornton, Officiating Secretary to Government NWP, 19 July 1850.

4 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Captain H.M. Nation, Commanding Behar Station Guards, to Grant, 25 June 1850.

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6 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Nation to Grant, 25 June 1850.

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16 IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): Minute of Governor-General Dalhousie, 19 July 1850. See also: IOR P/233/16 (NWP Judicial Oct. 1850): H.M. Elliott, Secretary to Government of India, to Thornton, 25 July 1850.

17 IOR P/144/5 (Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851): List of prisoners sentenced to transportation beyond seas – despatched from the Agra jail to the Superintendent of Allipore [Alipur], 10 Apr. 1850 (no. 6 ‘Narayan Singh’).

18 IOR P/205/44 (Foreign Judicial Dec. 1863): petition of Narain Sing, Moulmein, 31 July 1863, enc. Statement of Seik Prisoner Sirdar Narain Sing, n.d. (Sirdar = person of high rank).

19 IOR P/144/12: List of 58 convicts for Moulmein per Fire Queen, 9 Dec. 1851.

20 IOR P/233/10 (NWP Judicial Feb. 1850): W.H. Woodcock, Inspector of Prisons NWP, to Thornton, 19 Feb. 1850.

21 IOR P/233/16 (NWP Judicial Oct. 1850): Thornton to Elliott, 14 Aug. 1850.

22 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Lushington to Grant, 10 July 1850, enc. Committee of Inquiry, 8 July 1850.

23 IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): G.D. Turnbull, Officiating Magistrate Allahabad, to R. Sawther, Commissioner Fourth Division Allahabad, 29 June 1850.

24 IOR P/144/5 (Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851): Colvin to Grant, 10 July 1851, enc. Lougham to Samuells, n.d. Mar. 1851.

25 IOR F/4/2484: Extract letter W. Dampier, Superintendent of Police Lower Provinces, to Grant, 20 Sept. 1850.

26 IOR F/4/2484: Extract letter Under Secretary to Government of India to Under Secretary to Government Bengal, 29 Oct. 1850.

27 IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): Melville to Elliot, 26 July 1850.

28 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Lushington to Grant, 10 July 1850. For a reconstruction of events see also: IOR P/144/5 (Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851): Colvin to Grant, 10 July 1851, enc. Lougham to Samuells, n.d. Mar. 1851.

29 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Lushington to Grant, 10 July 1850, enc. Committee of Inquiry, 8 July 1850; IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): Lushington to Grant, 5 Aug. 1850; IOR P/144/5 (Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851): Colvin to Grant, 10 July 1851, enc. Lougham to Samuells, n.d. Mar. 1851.

30 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Lushington to Grant, 10 July 1850, enc. Committee of Inquiry, 8 July 1850.

31 Unless indicated otherwise, the material on the trial is taken from IOR P/144/5 (Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851): Colvin to Grant, 10 July 1851, enc. Lougham to Samuells, n.d. Mar. 1851.

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34 In all probability ‘mothers and fathers’ is a translation of mabap – a common term for colonial officers – in the original Hindustani.

35 IOR P/143/51 (Bengal Judicial 31 July 1850): Nation to Under Secretary to Government Bengal, 25 June 1850.

36 Description of Narain Sing's petition dated 2 July 1850 but not included in Lougham's account of the trial proceedings (IOR P/144/5 Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851).

37 IOR F/4/2527: Translation of the Petition of Narain Singh, 12 Dec. 1851.

38 IOR F/4/2527: Translation of the Petition of Narain Singh, 12 Dec. 1851.

39 IOR P/201/62 (India Foreign 25 July 1856): J.C. Haughton, Magistrate in charge of Moulmein jail, to A. Bogle, Commissioner Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, 10 May 1856, enc. petition of Ram Sing, formerly ex-wuzeer of Noorpoor and now a life convict in the jail at Moulmein.

40 IOR F/4/2484: Minute of Messrs Colvin and Dumbar, case of Narayan Singh and others; Grant to Register Sudder Court, 23 July 1851.

41 IOR P/144/12: List of 58 convicts for Moulmein per Fire Queen, 9 Dec. 1851.

42 IOR P/144/5 (Bengal Judicial 23 July 1851): Lushington to Grant, 29 Apr. 1851.

43 IOR P/144/6 (Bengal Judicial 20 Aug. 1851): Lushington to Grant, 8 Aug. 1851; J.W. Dalrymple, Under Secretary to Government Bengal, to Lushington, 19 Aug. 1851.

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53 Anderson, ‘The Wisdom of the Barbarian’.

54 Documents relating to Bhai Maharaj Singh, xxxi; IOR F/4/2527: H.P. Burn, Town Major Calcutta, to C. Allen, Officiating Secretary to Government of India, 16 May 1853; Minute of the Governor General of India, 4 July 1853. The ‘Sikh sirdars’ confined in Calcutta and Benares were named in this correspondence as Chuttar Sing, Shere Sing, Ootar Sing, Hakim Bal, Kishn Kano, Korjun Sing, Lal Sing, Mushtah Sing, Oomed Sing and Juggut Chund.

55 IOR P/144/12: List of 58 convicts for Moulmein per Fire Queen, 9 Dec. 1851.

56 IOR P/143/45 (Bengal Judicial 24 April 1850): List of convicts embarked per Enterprize, 10 Apr. 1850.

57 IOR P/141/39 (Bengal Judicial 12 Sept. 1839): A. Bogle, Commissioner Arakan, to F.J. Halliday, Secretary to Government Bengal, 26 July 1839.

58 IOR P/143/17 (Bengal Judicial 12 Apr. 1848): Nominal Roll of Thugs on the Establishment of Convict Police in the Provincial Jail of Moulmein, 10 Mar. 1848.

59 IOR P/143/29 (Bengal Judicial 7 Feb. 1849): Colvin to Grant, 3 Jan. 1849.

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61 Anderson, ‘The Wisdom of the Barbarian’.

62 IOR P/205/44 (Foreign Judicial Dec. 1863): Testimonials of J.I.T. Stevenson, 9 Oct. 1856, and D.G. Nicolson, 26 Dec. 1856. See also IOR P/201/62 (Foreign 25 July 1856): J. Stevenson, in charge of Mergui jail, to Bogle, 20 May 1856, enc. The humble petition of Narain Sing prisoner in the Mergui jail, 20 May 1856. Narain Sing presented a first Hindustani urzee to Bogle personally when he visited Mergui in April 1856. He told Stevenson that this second English petition was almost identical: IOR P/201/62 (Foreign Judicial 25 July 1856): Stevenson to Bogle, 20 May 1856.

63 IOR P/201/62 (India Foreign 25 July 1856): Haughton to Bogle, 10 May 1856, enc. Petition of Ram Sing formerly ex Wuzeer of Noorpoor [Nurpur] and now a life convict in the jail at Moulmein.

64 IOR P/202/57 (Foreign Judicial 23 July 1858): H. Hopkinson, Officiating Commissioner Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, to C. Beadon, Secretary to Government of India, 9 June 1858, enc. The humble petition of Narain Singh, 1 May 1858, enc. testimonials of Officiating Deputy Commissioner Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, E.M. Ryan, 29 Nov. 1857 and Magistrate R.C. Burn, 28 Feb. 1857.

65 IOR F/4/2527: Minute of the Governor General of India, 4 July 1853.

66 IOR P/202/57 (Foreign Judicial 23 July 1858): Stevenson to Hopkinson, 10 May 1858; G.F. Edmonstone, Secretary to Government of India, to Hopkinson, 9 July 1858.

67 Documents relating to Bhai Maharaj Singh, viii.

68 H. Vansittart, Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar, to D.F. McLeod, Commissioner and Superintendent Jalandhar, 30 Dec. 1849, cited in Documents relating to Bhai Maharaj Singh, 91–2.

69 Ibid., 93.

70 Ibid., 93.

71 Foreign Dept Fort William to G. Warren, Town Major, 9 May 1850, cited in Documents relating to Bhai Maharaj Singh, 93.

72 These items now form part of the India Office collections of APAC, British Library.

73 IOR F/4/2570: S. Garling, Assistant Resident Singapore, to R. Church, Secretary to Governor Straits Settlements, 21 Aug. 1853; Extract Fort William Foreign letter, 13 May 1854; Minute of Governor-General Dalhousie, 14 Oct. 1853. I thank Anoma Pieris for this reference.

74 IOR F/4/2570: Extract Fort William Foreign letter, 13 May 1854.

75 IOR P/202/35 (India Political and Foreign 2 Oct. 1857): Blundell to Edmonstone, 25 Aug. 1857, enc. Statement of Samuel Burnett, constable of the convict lines.

76 Documents relating to Bhai Maharaj Singh, viii.

77 J. Cowper, Assistant Surgeon Singapore, to Church, 1 July 1856; Blundell to Secretary of State for India, 12 July 1856, cited in Documents relating to Bhai Maharaj Singh, 200–202.

78 IOR P/202/35 (India Political and Foreign 2 Oct. 1857): Blundell to Edmonstone, 25 Aug. 1857, enc. Humble Petition of Kurruck Sing, 6 Aug. 1857; Edmonstone to Blundell, 2 Oct. 1857; IOR P/188/47 (India Political 2 Oct. 1857): Petition of M.F. Davidson, C. Spottiswoode, and 11 others, 4 Aug. 1857.

79 IOR P/146/12D (Bengal Judicial 28 Jan. 1858): A. Fytche, Officiating Commissioner Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, to Lushington, 22 July 1857. For a more detailed account of the impact of the Great Revolt in Southeast Asia, see Clare Anderson, The Indian Uprising of 1857–8: prisons, prisoners and rebellion, London, Anthem, 2007, 107–117.

80 IOR P/205/44 (Foreign Judicial Dec. 1863): Fytche to H. Nelson Davies, Secretary to Chief Commissioner of British Burma, 10 Nov. 1863. See also IOR P/204/13 (Foreign 24 Feb. 1860): Hopkinson to W. Grey, Officiating Secretary to Government of India, 7 Jan. 1860, enc. the humble petition of Narrain Sing, 30 Dec. 1859; IOR P.203.55 (Foreign 24 June 1859): Hopkinson to Beadon, 28 May 1859, and IOR P/203/60 (Foreign 5 Aug. 1859): Hopkinson to R. Simson, Under Secretary to Government of India, 14 July 1858; Simson to Hopkinson, 3 Aug. 1859.

81 IOR P/205/44 (India Foreign Dec. 1863): Fytche to Nelson Davies, 10 Nov. 1863. See also IOR P/203/55 (India Foreign 24 June 1859): Hopkinson to Beadon, 28 May 1859, and IOR P/203/60 (Foreign 5 Aug. 1859): Hopkinson to Simson, 14 July 1858; Simson to Hopkinson, 3 Aug. 1859.

82 CSAS, Box XXX, part i: Diaries kept by Mrs Clementina Benthall, 22 Feb. 1849.

83 Metcalf, Thomas R., Imperial Connections: India in the Indian Ocean Arena, 1860–1920, Berkeley, University of California Press, 2007, ch. 4Google Scholar.

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85 IOR P/233/12 (NWP Judicial 13 Apr. 1850): Woodcock to Thornton, 6 Apr. 1850; C.B. Denison, Officiating Magistrate Agra, to W.H. Tyler, Commissioner Agra, 6 Apr. 1850; H.W. Deane, Officiating Judge NWP, to Thornton, 27 Apr. 1850 (quote).

86 IOR P/233/13 (NWP Judicial July 1850): Thornton to Woodcock, 29 June 1850.

87 The Times, 2 Sept. 1850.

88 IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): Elliot to Thornton, 7 Aug. 1850.

89 IOR P/SEC/IND/166 (India Secret 27 Sept. 1850): Melvill to Elliot, 19 July 1850.

90 IOR P/233/14 (NWP Judicial Aug. 1850): Thornton to Elliot, 27 Aug. 1850.

91 IOR P/233/16 (NWP Judicial Oct. 1850): Thornton to Elliot, 14 Aug. 1850.

92 IOR P/233/21 (NWP Judicial Jan. – Feb. 1851): Murray, in charge of Agra Jail, to Woodcock, 17 Dec. 1850.

93 IOR P/145/18 (Bengal Judicial 13 Sept. 1855): deposition of Chatoo, son of Lahoree, convict no. 36, 27 June 1854; depositions of Boor Singh son of Humeer Singh no. 115, and Mullaga Sing, son of Phudah Sing, convict no. 119, 6 July 1854. See also Anderson, ‘The Ferringees are Flying’.

94 Many of the witnesses testified to this military display. For example: IOR P/145/18 (Bengal Judicial 13 Sept 1855): deposition of Edoo Serang, 13 June 1854.

95 IOR P/145/18 (Bengal Judicial 13 Sept. 1855): deposition of Kurrim Singh, son of Hennath Singh, convict no. 1, 8 June 1854.

96 Ibid.: Bogle to W. Grey, Secretary to Government Bengal, 22 July 1854.

97 Bengal Hurkaru, 12 Aug. 1854. For further reports of the Supreme Court trial, see Bengal Hurkaru, 14, 16–19 Aug. 1854.

98 Bengal Hurkaru, 19 Aug. 1854.

99 IOR P/145/18 (Bengal Judicial 13 Sept. 1855): deposition Queen v. life convicts on the Clarissa; convict depositions nos 21, 27–8, 30 June, 3–7, 12 July 1854.

100 Ibid.: deposition of Casee Barah, son of Indee Narain, convict no. 49, 28 June 1854.

101 Ibid.: deposition of Sheikh Ramran, son of Russub Alla, sepoy Alipur Militia, 17 June 1854.

102 Ibid.: deposition of Sheikh Joomur son of Sheikh Talib, sepoy Alipur Militia, 17 June 1854.

103 Ibid.: deposition of Sheikh Akhbur son of Sheikh Ruhum, sepoy Alipur Militia, 17 June 1854.

104 IOR P/145/42 (Bengal Judicial 19 June 1856): H. Man, Resident Councillor Malacca, to Blundell, 30 May 1856.

105 IOR P/145/42 (Bengal Judicial 26 June 1856): Man to Blundell, 21 Apr. 1856.

106 Metcalf, Imperial Connections, 108, 111.

107 IOR P/144/12: List of 58 convicts for Moulmein per Fire Queen, 9 Dec. 1851; IOR P/205/44 (Foreign Judicial 1863): Extract from the Jail Register of Prisoner Narain Sing's Sentence, &c. Jail Office Mergui, 23 July 1861.

108 IOR P/202/57 (India Foreign July 1858): Hopkinson to Beadon, 9 June 1858.

109 IOR P/205/4 (Foreign Judicial 1863): Petition of NARAIN SING, formerly a Seik Sirdar of Rungudnungul, near Umrisir, to the RIGHT HON'BLE EARL OF ELGIN AND KINCARDINE, KT. and G.C.B., Viceroy and Governor General of India, &c., &c., &c., – (dated Moulmein, 31 July 1863).

110 IOR P/203/49 (Foreign 13 May 1859): R. Temple, Chief Commissioner Panjab, to R.B. Chapman, Officiating Secretary to the Government of India, 8 Sept. 1858.

111 Rai, Rajesh (2004), Sepoys, convicts and the ‘bazaar’ contingent: the emergence and exclusion of ‘Hindustani’ pioneers at the Singapore frontier, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 35,1: 1–19CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

112 Ian Brown, ‘South East Asia: Reform and the Colonial Prison’, in Cultures of Confinement, 242–248.