| Dates: | 1835, 19 September - 1880, 15 July | | Born: | India, Jabalpur | | Died: | Europe |
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John Falconer, British Library
A Biographical Dictionary of 19th Century Photographers in South and South-East Asia |
Amateur, India
Son of Reymond Hervey and Anne Matilda De Montmorency, 65th Bengal Native Infantry;[1] educated Pembroke College, Oxford; entered Bengal Infantry 1856; arrived in India 14.2.1857; served in China 1858-60; in civil employ from Jan 1861; at the time of his departure for Europe in furlough in 1880, he was a Deputy Commissioner in Oudh; Bengal Staff Corp, 1864 (with effect from 1861).
‘Employed on special duty in the [?]Kumawun Hills and Oudh in 1861-62 in taking photographs of Indian tribes. Employed on special duty in Oudh in October and November 1867 to photograph and describe architectural structures of historical and traditional interest.’[2] Six of his architectural view of Lucknow are included in the British Library’s collections.[3] His photographs of the tribes of Oudh were shown at the London Exhibition of 1862. Contributed photographs to The People of India (8 vols, London, 1868-75).
IOR/L/MIL/9 ff.439-47; IOR/L/MIL/10/65 f.686; IOR/L/MIL/10/67 f.686; IOR/L/MIL/10/79 f.211; IOR/L/MIL/10/87 ff.16-17; IOR/L/MIL/10/91 ff.138-39
In a letter to H.M. Durand, Secretary to the Government of India (Foreign Department) dated Lucknow 21 April 1862, Charles Currie, Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, Oudh, outlines De Montmorency’s photographic expenses for his ethnographical work:
With reference to the correspondence on the subject of Photographic likenesses of Oudh Tribes, I am directed by the Officiating Chief Commissioner to forward, for the information and orders of His Excellency the Governor General in Council, the enclosed bills, amounting to Rupees 1,718-9-0, submitted by Lieutenant R.H. DeMontmorency, on account of the expenses incurred by him in taking the said likenesses.
2. The principal item in the account is Messrs Lepage and Co.’s bill for a photographic apparatus, Rupees 760. Lieutenant R.H. DeMontmorency bought his own apparatus with the sanction of the Officiating Chief Commissioner, as his own was not sufficiently large to enable him to exhibit the distinctive features clearly. The apparatus has been advertised for sale, and the price, when realised, will be credited to Government. It is expected to sell for about Rupees 500, thus reducing the charges to Rupees 1,218-9-0.
3. The only other item that calls for remark is that on account of loss of deputation allowance. On this subject I am directed to observe that, after Lieutenant R.H. DeMontmorency had undertaken to execute these likenesses, it was found necessary to send him to the Durriabad District as Officiating District Superintendent of Police. He was obliged to make over charge of his duties to another Officer, when proceeding to Fyzabad to execute the likenesses, and he thus lost the deputation allowance which he would otherwise have enjoyed; under these circumstances the Officiating Chief Commissioner trusts that His Excellency will view the application in a favorable light, and pass the charge, the more so as Lieutenant Montmorency’s execution of these likenesses has met with His Excellency’s approval.
By order of 5 May 1862 the bill for Rupees 1718-9-0 was approved.
[India Foreign Proceeding (General), May 1862, IOR/P/205/10 pp. 5-6.]
Footnotes
- Λ see Hodson.
- Λ IOR/L/MIL/10/75 f.211.
- Λ OIOC Photo 1000 (1344-1349).
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