Logo

Synopsis John and Henry Lawrence were prominent figures in the mid-nineteenth century Raj, and the first administrators of the Punjab. However, Henry, a military man turned political officer, and John, a trained civil servant, differed greatly in their approach to the governance of the province. Their personal falling-out led to Henry's removal, first to Rajasthan, then to Lucknow, where he died while defending the residency during the Great Revolt of 1857. John, who had remained in Lahore, provided men and arms for the recapture of Delhi from the insurgents, and was hailed in Britain as the saviour of the Indian Empire. In the 1860s, he returned to India as Viceroy. This comprehensive dual biography of the two brothers highlights their personal relationships, their careers, and examines the nature and effect of their engagement in the professional issues of their time. In doing so it also sheds light on the central issues of governance in the Punjab and elsewhere in mid-nineteenth century British India. By examining the divergent points of view of the two protagonists, we are better able to understand the evolution of the process that ultimately determined the nature of British rule in the Punjab and beyond.