Sir Robart Napier, K.C.B. & Peter Stark Lumsden, around 1860

A 7 x 5½ ins double portrait showing Peter Stark Lumsden standing beside a seated Sir Robert Napier who is holding a letter. The photograph is pasted to a pice of strong white card. 11x 9 ins. There is some some damage in the form of a smudge to the top right side. and two horizontal fold lines suggest it was probably foldezd to be sent home to Aberdennshire. The background suggests  India as the origin. A piece of old paper pasted beneath the photograph by a family member identifies the couple as Peter & Sir R Napier 1860. Lumsden was very much a protégé of Napier who took him with him as his Quartermaster when he commanded the 2nd Division in the China War of 1860, Both men are here in civilian dress, possibly enjoying some local leave before embarking for the east.  jul11/3  SOLD 18th March 2023

Provenance: From a large archive the General’s papers passed down through descendants of his brother, General Sir Harry Lumsden. Lumsden himself had no children.

General Sir Peter Stark Lumsden, G.C.B., C.S.I.. A.D.C. [1829-1918] had a very distinguished career in India, China, and Afghanistan and was the author of the standard work on his brother’s regiment Lumsden of the Guides. He joined the Bngal Army in 1847 and first saw action on the N.W.F. in 1851. In 1857 he was on a special mission to Kandahar and served in the China War with Napier., Bhutan War 1854, QMG India 1868-72, acting Resident Hyderabad 1873, Chief of the Staff in India in 1879 and headed the British Commission for the Demarkation of the N. W. Boundary of Afghanistan 1884-5, he was made G.C.B. and an ADC to Queen Victoria.