Lots on offer at the Suffolk auction house included the full-dress uniform, c.1840s, and journals of Major General Sir Archibald Galloway KCB (1779-1850).
He fought in the 2nd Anglo-Maratha War (taking part in the attack on Delhi in 1803 and distinguishing himself by his gallantry at the bloody siege of Bhurtpore where he sustained a wound to the throat in 1805), was knighted by Queen Victoria and rose to become chairman of the Honourable East India Company.
Sir Archibald Galloway full-dress uniform c.1840s – £5000 at Bishop & Miller.
The five handwritten journals date from May 15, 1800, when Galloway sailed out to India as a young ensign to join the 14th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry in the army of the Honourable East India Company and covers the period of the 2nd Anglo-Maratha War, as well as details of his own service.
They contain news, detailed accounts and copies of despatches of engagements by Sir Arthur Wellesley who was commanding another force in India at the same time, and by detachments of his own army under Lake, as well as actions from further afield (Trafalgar, Ulm).
Galloway clearly had an interest in the history and culture of India and the journals also contain descriptions of weather conditions, villages and their architecture, along with well-known buildings such as the Taj Mahal.
His unpublished journals were a ‘wonderful source of information on the operations of the East India Company at the beginning of the 19th century’, said the saleroom. Estimated at £800-1200, they made £25,500.
His uniform sold for £5000 against a guide of £1000-1500. They were both bought by a collector in India.
Admiral’s career
Midshipman’s uniform jacket with large quantity of personal and official papers belonging to Admiral Arthur Galloway – £3000 at Bishop & Miller.
Also offered as a single lot on April 30 in Stowmarket was the midshipman’s uniform jacket and large quantity of personal and official papers belonging to Admiral Arthur Galloway (1855-1918).
The grandson of Sir Archibald, Arthur’s father was in the Indian Civil Service and serving as Magistrate of Delhi when he was killed during the Indian Mutiny.
Admiral Galloway - who was also the grandnephew of Sir Colin Campbell of Peninsular and Waterloo fame and Vice Admiral Sir Patrick Campbell, a distinguished naval officer of the Napoleonic Wars - joined the Royal Navy in 1869.
His papers give an intimate insight into the workings of the RN in the Victorian and Edwardian periods. His long career included service on the China Station, the Egyptian campaign in 1882, diplomatic work in Venezuela, tackling Jamaican riots and the Channel Fleet. The admiral served on 29 ships in all and was twice commended for jumping overboard to save stricken sailors.
The lot realised £3000 via thesaleroom.com, three times the top estimate, going to a collector in East Sussex.
The vendor inherited the various Galloway items.
