Bonhams 1793 : RICH (EDMUND TILLOTSON) A very good archive representing the military career of Edmund Rich (1874-1937), an officer of the Royal Engineers and surveyor, mostly on the North-West Frontier and in Burma (at first in conjunction with the Survey of India and latterly as one of its directors), also relating to survey in South Persia during World War I, and with the British forces in Southern Russia in 1919, comprising a series of photographs albums, loose photographs, autograph letters, orders, draft reports, maps ephemera, etc., together with a small quantity of photographs, letters and documents relating to Rich's ancestors, those of his wife Aileen Owen (d.1918), and their son (quantity)

RICH (EDMUND TILLOTSON) A very good archive representing the military career of Edmund Rich (1874-1937), an officer of the Royal Engineers and surveyor, mostly on the North-West Frontier and in Burma (at first in conjunction with the Survey of India and latterly as one of its directors), also relating to survey in South Persia during World War I, and with the British forces in Southern Russia in 1919, comprising a series of photographs albums, loose photographs, autograph letters, orders, draft reports, maps ephemera, etc., together with a small quantity of photographs, letters and documents relating to Rich's ancestors, those of his wife Aileen Owen (d.1918), and their son (quantity)

4 Dec 2012 11:00 GMT London, Knightsbridge
India
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RICH (EDMUND TILLOTSON)

A very good archive representing the military career of Edmund Rich (1874-1937), an officer of the Royal Engineers and surveyor, mostly on the North-West Frontier and in Burma (at first in conjunction with the Survey of India and latterly as one of its directors), also relating to survey in South Persia during World War I, and with the British forces in Southern Russia in 1919, comprising a series of photographs albums, loose photographs, autograph letters, orders, draft reports, maps ephemera, etc., together with a small quantity of photographs, letters and documents relating to Rich's ancestors, those of his wife Aileen Owen (d.1918), and their son (quantity)

Sold for £3,750 inc. premium

Footnotes

After Sandhurst (where he was awarded the Pollock Medal), Rich was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers. He went out to India in late 1895 and early in the following year was posted to railway survey work in Burma (archive includes letters home). In 1905 Rich was sent to Peshawar in charge of No. 12 Party with orders to survey the sensitive area north of Kohat Pass. This work lasted four years and included the Bazar Valley and Mohmand campaigns of 1908. The archive contains Rich's alternative survey for the Kabul River Railway which resulted in the cancellation of the line then under construction, and the dismantling of track and bridges already in place. 1909-1911 were spent in England (Rich married in 1910). In 1911 Rich was posted to the Burma frontier post at Myitkyina from where he was responsible for the surveying of the border with Tibet and Yunnan as well as being caught up in the Kachin Rebellion of 1914-1915. Between 1916-1917 he was responsible for the survey parties in South Persia, based at Bandar Abbas. In 1918 he was in Mesopotamia, before being involved with British intervention in Southern Russia (Dunsterville's force) at Baku, Batum and Tiflis (the archive contains a fine map of Tiflis prepared under Rich's direction and hand-printed by him according to his pencilled note). After the War Rich returned to Burma where he was in charge of the Burma Circle of the Survey of India. He retired with the rank of Colonel and C.I.E. in 1928.

The most substantial of the items are:

1. An album containing titled in manuscript 'Views of the Khyber Pass...taken chiefly by E.T. Rich when surveying there 1905-1909, approximately 176 gelatin silver prints, typically mounted four or five to a page, detailed captions on the mounts, half roan, oblong folio (298 x 408mm.), 1905-1909

Includes: Peshawar Plain and Jamrud; Khyber Pass, Kabul River and Dakka; Shilman Valley; portraits of tribesmen.; a group photograph commemorating the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to the Khyber Pass in 1905 (the glove Rich wore that day preserved in the archive)

2. An album with printed title 'Views in Malakand, Swat & Dir Photographed and Compiled by Captain E.T. Rich, R.E.', approximately 185 gelatin silver prints including panoramas, typically mounted four or five to a page, detailed captions on the mounts, folding manuscript map and linen at end showing the locations of the photographs, half roan (upper cover detached), oblong folio (298 x 408mm.), [1905-1909]

Includes: Abazai to Dargai; Malakand; Chadara Fort; Swat Valley; Swat River Gorge and Agra; Chitral Road from Chakdara to Dir. There are many groups of the surveyors, British and Indian, as well as maliks and other soldiers.

3. An album with printed title 'Views of the Bazar Valley Field Force, 1908. Photographed by Captain E.T. Rich, R.E.', and with small printed slip 'Published by Mela Ram Photographer Peshawar', approximately 67 gelatin silver prints including panoramas, typically mounted two or three to a page, detailed printed captions pasted onto mounts, map of the folding manuscript map and linen at end showing the locations of the photographs, original cloth, oblong folio (268 x 375mm.), 1908

Includes: Khaibar Pass, Chora, Walai, China, and Halwai, with some photographs of the troops, such as the Seaforths at Walai.

4. A fine album with printed title ''Views of the Bazar Valley Field Force, 1908. Photographed by Captain E.T. Rich, R.E.', approximately 65 gelatin silver prints including panoramas, mounted one or more to a page, detailed captions printed on the mounts, map of the theatre of operations inserted at end, dark green morocco, lettered on upper cover, upper hinge broken, oblong folio (285 x 480mm.), Calcutta, Compiled at the Photo-Litho Office of the Survey of India, 1908

A de-luxe variant of the previous album.

5. An album with printed title 'Views of the Mohmand Campaign 1908 taken by Captain E.T. Rich R.E.', approximately 127 gelatin silver prints including panoramas, mounted three or more to a page, manuscript captions printed on the mounts, half roan, oblong folio (285 x 480mm.), 1908

The final 19 images are inserted as a memorial to Rich's younger brother, John Easton Rich, of the 2nd Battery of the Royal Field Artillery who died at Kirkee in 1907 (shikari trophies and regimental).

6. Despatches , Views etc. of Bazar Valley and Mohmand Campaigns 1908, a volume containing printed and manuscript items relating to both campaigns, half cloth, printed label on upper cover, folio, 1908

Includes: orders, reports, relevant extracts from the Gazette of India, maps (including those cyclostyled by Rich in the field, autograph letters and telegrams of congratulation on Rich's mention in despatches, and his brevet.

7. Bandar Abbas and Kerman. Survey by Major E.T. Rich, R.E., of routes between Bandar-Abbas and Kerman, printed report interspersed with maps, manuscript and typed additions, printed wrapper, Simla, 1917; an expanded version of the foregoing with more photographic illustrations and maps, some additions in manuscript, printed wrapper, Delhi, 1918, together in one vol., large folding map in pocket at end, half cloth, folio, 1917-1918

8. Burma. A volume of autograph, typed and printed papers relating to Rich's work in Burma, commencing with the Kachin rising, but principally concerning operations in Hukawng Valley and Naga Hills for the suppression of slavery and human sacrifice, selection of folding maps in pocket at end, 1913-1928; a further volume of printed reports on the latter, folding maps, printed wrappers, Rangoon, 1926-1928, 2 vol., matching half cloth, folio