Here we have the 45th Sikhs, also known as Rattray`s Sikhs, because they were first turned into a regiment, in April 1856, by one Captain Thomas Rattray - by the name of The 1st Bengal Military Police Department. It was a mixture of cavalry (men who could ride horses) and infantry (men who could not, so fought on foot). Not so many could ride, and the cavalry outnumbered the infantry by a ratio of five to one.
In the mid 1860s they were amalgamated with the Bengal Infantry, though they kept a reminder of their past, for they were thenceforth known as the 45th (Rattray's Sikh) Native Regiment of Infantry. The cavalrymen seem to have been forced to dismount at that time, and become infantry. It is not recorded how well this was received by them, but we can imagine it did not go down too well.
After the First World War, the mention of Rattray was lost, and they just became part of the 11th Sikh Regiment.
Now you may be wondering why we have this card in a week on religion - and the truth is that Sikhs, or Sikhism, is the fifth-largest religion across the world. In fact it is regarded by many that the verb "to seek" comes from their name - and it does indeed translate to mean someone who looks for the truth and kindness in all things". They believe in fair play in all things, social justice, family ties, and tolerance for other ways of life, including other religions.
The men wear a turban, beneath which their hair is left to grow uncut. If you look at Gallaher`s "Great War Series", card 118 of the first series, it shows a weapon called a chakkar, which fastens around the turban. It suggests that the Sikhs are fierce fighters, and they were, fighting in both World Wars, and winning fourteen Victoria Crosses.
One more thing. Although the regiment was known as Rattray`s Sikhs, there were actually other religions within it, namely Hindus, Islamics, and Muslims - it was just that the Sikhs formed the highest proportion on its founding, just over half the men.
As this is the first Card of The Day to have been issued by Harvey & Davy, a brief biography is needed. They were founded in Newcastle-on-Tyne, in 1762, by John Harvey Senior,. He died shortly after, and presumably left the business to his widow, who, very intriguingly, moved it, to larger premises within a few months of her husband`s death.
Their grandson, also, confusingly, called John Harvey, was born in 1804, and he seems to have taken over, but I am not sure when. We also know that he felt the need to move to larger premises at Hanover Square, and that perhaps this was occasioned by his daughter`s marriage, to a young man called Herbert Davy, who became not only his son in law but his business partner and very great friend. He may have been American, for he was also the American Vice Consul to Newcastle (whatever that means? Does anyone know?).
Unfortunately in 1889, Herbert Davy died, aged just fifty-five, and four years later John Harvey also died. They are both buried, in Jesmond Old Cemetery, in separate graves but side by side.
I am not sure what happened after that but the business seems to have foundered, and in 1905 it was taken over by Gallaher Ltd., in 1905, during the issue of Harvey and Davy`s "Birds and Eggs" - and we know this because the stocks that had not yet made it into the packets were re-issued by Gallaher, in a rather novel way, by simply sticking a label over the back that read "Gallaher Ltd."
And so to the description of this very interesting set (or sets). Let us start with the original World Tobacco Issues Index, where the entry reads :
COLONIAL TROOPS. (A). Sm. 67 x 38. Unnd. (30) See H.40. ... H22-3
Now at the date of publication, the H references were in the London Cigarette Card Company`s Handbook, and that text is mighty long. However, as I will be linking in and out I will type it in, or as much as I can at a time, though the list of the cards used by the various makers will be scanned and uploaded. The text is as it appears in the Handbook, except for the dates the set was issued, I have added them in for reference and so that you can see in which order the versions were issued.
H.40. COLONIAL TROOPS (adopted title). Fronts per Fig.40 in colour Unnumbered. Most issuers used Nos. 1-30 only, but a few issued the whole series of 50 subjects.
Pre 1919 -
- Anonymous - Plain back
A. Cream card - Nos 1-30
B. White card - Nos 1-50 [issued 1902]- Biggs - Nos. 1-30 [Jas. Biggs & Son - issued 1901]
- Brankston - All Nos. 1-30 [all issued 1901]
A. "Golf Club Mixture"
B. "Red Virginia"
C. "Sweet as the Rose" (back illustrated in C.W., page 273)- Charlesworth & Austin - Both Nos. 1-30 [issued 1901]
A. Black back
B. Brown back- Daniel - [W.R. Daniel - issued 1902]
A. Black back - Nos 13 and 16 seen
B. Brown back - Nos 10, 23, 24 and 27 seen- Drapkin & Millhoff - "Pick Me Up" Cigarettes, similar back advertisements to those listed under H.140. - Nos. 1-30 [issued 1902]
- Eldons - "Leon de Cuba" cigars - Nos. 1 and 12 seen [no idea who this is]
- Harris - Nos. 1-30 [Harris & Sons - issued 1901]
- Harvey & Davy - Nos. 1-30 [issued 1902]
- Hill - [all issued 1901]
A. (i) "Hill`s Leading Lines..." back - Nos. 1-30
(ii) "Perfection vide Dress..." back - Nos. 1-30
B. "Sweet American" back - Nos. 1-50- Mason - Nos. 1-30 [R. Mason & Co - issued 1902]
- Mouat - No.20 seen [P. Mouat & Co - issued 1902]
- Phillips - Nos. 1-50 [Godfrey Phillips - issued 1902]
- Redford - Nos. 1-30 [Redford & Co. - issued 1902]
- Roberts - [Roberts & Sons - all issued 1902]
A. "Fine Old Virginia" back - Nos. 1-30
B. "Bobs" Cigarettes" back - Nos. 31-50- J.L.S. Tobacco Co.- "Star of the World" Cigarettes - Nos. 1-30 [no idea who this is]
- Wholesale Tobacco Supply Syndicate - "Hawser" cigarettes - Nos. 1-30 [no idea who this is]
Trade :
- Clarke, Nicholls & Coombe - "Clarnico" - Nos. 1-30 [issued in 1900]
- Holloway Pills - Large cards. Nos 26 and 28 seen [issued in 1900]
- J Marshall - Titled "Our Soldiers". - Nos. 1-30 - [issued in 1900]
- Parazone Bleach - Nos. 1-30
There is one note to add to this, for the Holloway Pills version appears in our updated British Trade Index as "Indian and Colonial Series, 98 x 68. Unnd. (30)." They are larger because the card showing here appears in the middle of a large outer frame, the top of which reads, in three lines : "HOLLOWAY`S / INDIAN & COLONIAL / SERIES" and the bottom of which reads, in two lines "HOLLOWAY`S / PILLS & OINTMENT". If you cut the outer border off you would be left with what is our card, complete with the name of the Regiment. However on the reverse there is a descriptive text, the bottom part about the pills and ointments, but the top about the Regiment, that of our card reading as follows : "THE 45TH SIKHS. Of the many regiments of Sikhs, the 45th ("Rattray`s Sikhs", named after Quarter-master H.B. Rattray) is certainly one of the smartest of those hard fighting troops. They have on several occasions proved their indomitable pluck and endurance on behalf of the Empress-Queen. As a fighting force they are second to none, and though by comparison, small in stature, are exceptionally strong and wiry, The depot of the 45th is at Mooltan, and the regiment is commanded by British Officers and native "non-coms".
Then there is the table, which will be scanned asap. I will also tackle the updates from this handbook, because some new cards had come to light. Not sure how to do that yet. I do like the way that this table has turned out though, so as I work back through the system will be repeated