Oblong Folio album (ca. 28x38 cm or 11x15 in). 24 card stock leaves. With 41 mounted original albumen photos, mostly large, from ca. 24x30 cm (9 ½ x 11 ¾ in) to ca. 17,5x23 cm (6 ¾ x 9 in); four smaller photos are from ca. 14,5x20 cm (5 ¾ x 7 ¾ in) to ca. 11,5x19 cm (4 ½ x 7 ¼ in). All but one photos with period pencil captions in English on the mounts. Three photos are signed “T.A. Rust” in negative. One photo is with the French caption and signature of Bonfils studio in negative. With a loosely inserted albumen photo ca. 95x15,5 cm (3 ¾ x 6 in); period pencil caption in English on verso. With two mounted dried specimens of Indian ferns at the rear. Period dark green cloth boards, neatly rebacked; original endpapers. Mounts slightly age-toned, occasional foxing, one photo with minor tears and two losses on the lower margin, a couple of photos very mildly faded, one photo possibly previously removed, but overall a very good album of interesting photos.

Historically significant collection of large early original albumen photographs, illustrating British military service and the history of the Anglican Church in Allahabad (Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, Northern India) in the 1880s-1890s. The album was most likely compiled by an officer of the Scottish Division of the Royal Artillery (reorganized into Western Division in 1889), stationed in Allahabad – possibly, by one “J.W. Marshall,” who is identified on three group portraits. Two portraits feature British non-commissioned officers, and one – the clergy of the Allahabad Fort Church, where Marshall is listed as a member of the “choir of 1/1 Scottish Div. R.A.”

The album opens with eleven photos of All Saints Cathedral in Allahabad (built in 1871-91, consecrated in 1887) during its construction and early years, and group portraits of its clergy, featuring Rev. Edward Ralph Johnson (Bishop of Calcutta in 1876-1898), Rev. Arthur Clifford (first Bishop of the Diocese of Lucknow with the centre in Allahabad, in 1893-1910), Rev. Brook Deedes (the first Archdeacon of Lucknow in the 1890s), Rev. Leonard Klugh (assistant chaplain of Bengal Ecclesiastical Establishment in Allahabad), military chaplain Rev. Oscar D. Watkins, organists “Mr. E. Faulkner” and “Miss E. Cameron” (according to the caption, she died in 1891 “aged 37 years”), native missionary Rev. J. Thomas, and others. The photos of the Cathedral show different parts of its interior and exterior, including views “after the dedication of the first six bays of the nave on 12 Nov. 1891” or “after the completion of the chancel and transepts and before the permanent nave was built,” a photo of “chancel and old altar, <…> after dedication of nave (taken 11 Feby 1892). This altar now stands in the morning chapel in the south transept,” &c. There are also two images of the Bishop Johnson Free School and Orphanage for Girls (today Bishop Johnson Girls’ School & College) and Colvin Free School and Orphanage for Boys. The loosely inserted photo portrays “Some of clergy and choir of All Saints Cathedral, Allahabad, India, when in annual outing at [Raspujah?] near Benares, 1892.” Two photos of the Cathedral and one group portrait of its clergy (featuring Bishops Johnson and Clifford) are signed in negative by Thomas Alfred Rust, a British photographer who worked in India since 1869 and opened his studio in Allahabad in 1874. 

Thirteen photos are group portraits of Royal Artillery (RA) servicemen (mostly, from the 1st Battery 1st Brigade, Scottish Division), during their commission in Roorkee and Allahabad (India), Malta and England. The servicemen pose in uniform next to the artillery guns or in front of their compounds; there are two group portraits of the regimental cricket and football teams (taken in Roorkee); names of several men are identified in the pencil captions. An interesting group portrait (featuring the possible album’s compiler, J.W. Marshall) imitates a scene of a fencing duel between two non-commissioned RA officers in India.

There are also several excellent general views of British military establishments in the hill stations of Chakrata and Kailana, including a scene of a parade performed on the Chakrata parade ground by “4thBattalion, Kings Royal Rifles” and a portrait of “Sir Frederick & Lady Roberts and staff at Chakrata, a convalescent & hill station in the Himalaya Mountains, India” (Roberts served as Commander-in-Chief of India in 1885-1893).

The other images show the Memorial Well in Cawnpore/Kanpur (demolished after the Indian Independence in 1947; the site is now redesigned as Nana Rao Park), the seating statue of Queen Victoria in Bombay/Mumbai (removed in 1965, now in the Bhau Daji Lad Museum), Rajabai clock tower in Bombay, Elephanta Caves, and Nile Delta Barrage (by the Bonfils studio). The album also contains two dry specimens of ferns at the rear, most likely from India.

Overall an interesting collection of large early well-preserved original photos, illustrating the history of the Anglican Church and Royal Artillery Service in Allahabad and northern India in the late 19th century.