The College consists of
a magnificent eighteenth century building, to which other imposing structures
have been periodically added. “Constantia”, the imposing centre-point of La
Martiniere, was the country house of Major-General Claude Martin. The majestic
column or “Lat” that rises beside it is a memorial to him.
Major-General Claude
Martin died on 13 September, 1800. Under his will, dated 1 January, 1800,
certain funds were allotted for the establishment of schools at Lyon, his birth
place in France, in Calcutta and at Lucknow. The residue of his estate after
certain bequests had been made was to be used for the maintenance of these
schools, this residue being equally divided amongst them.
In his will Claude Martin directed that “my
house at Luckperra or Constantia House with all the ground and premises
belonging to the house and all the ground around it, none is to be sold or
detached from it.” The will went on to define his purpose which was “for to
keep the said Constantia House for school or College for learning young men the
English language and Christian religion if they found themselves inclined.”
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| Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India, is seen on the left interacting with the students of La Martinière Lucknow |
For more than a
generation after Major-General Claude Martin’s death in 1800, there was a great
deal of litigation over his will. Consequently on 11 April, 1839, the Supreme
Court at Calcutta decreed “that a college at Lucknow be established pursuant to
the will of Claude Martin.” A further decree of the Supreme Court dated 22
December, 1841, laid down a scheme for the establishment of La Martiniere
College, at Lucknow. As such, La Martiniere College, Lucknow, occupies a unique
position amongst the schools in India and the erstwhile British Empire.
The first Principal of
La Martiniere College, Lucknow, Mr John Newmarch, recorded on 12 November,
1845. “The College began work on the 1st October last.” This date, 1 October,
1845 is taken as the actual beginning of the College. Starting with about
seventy boys, the strength on the rolls has now crossed 2,200, divided in
classes ranging from the Nursery to the Intermediate levels. Owing to the
munificence of the Founder, Major-General Claude Martin, many boys called
Foundationers are provided tuition, clothing, board and lodging at nominal
fees. This is possible only because the Founder left money specifically for
this purpose. Full paying Boarders and Day Scholars make up the numbers. All
scholars share equally in the benefits of the College without preference in
respect of religion or economic status.
War came to Lucknow in
a big way in 1847 and the College was evacuated to the Residency on 13 June,
1857, on the orders of Sir Henry Lawrence although, the Principal, George
Schilling, had fortified the school buildings and stocked provisions with the
intention of defending La Martiniere. During the stirring events of 1857 the
Principal, Masters and boys of La Martiniere played a role which is perhaps
unique in the history of the British Empire. They defended an extremely exposed
part of the southern perimeter, withstood infantry and artillery attacks and
were subjected to mining operations. In the face of great hardship they ably
and successfully defended “The Martiniere Post” for almost five months.
Meanwhile studies continued. In 1938 as recognition of the role played by them,
the College was awarded colours bearing the legend “Defence of Lucknow, 1857.
This is a distinction no other school anywhere enjoys.
Today, the
College is as popular as ever. It imparts instruction through the medium of
English and admission to it is eagerly sought. Over the span of one and a half
centuries, the College has produced soldiers, sailors and airmen who have done
the school and their country proud in the two World Wars and in the wars of
Independent India. It has also produced engineers, doctors, educationists,
administrators and outstanding sportsmen, now scattered over the globe.
On 1 October, 1995, the
one hundred and fiftieth Anniversary of the opening of the College, the
President of India, acknowledged the contribution of the College by releasing a
postage stamp of the denomination of Rs 2, as a mark of honour.
This, again, is a
mark of distinction which only a few other institutions in India enjoy.
La Martinière in cinema
The Boys' College has been the setting for films, including:- Kim, a 1950 MGM adventure film starring Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell (as Kim), Paul Lukas and Robert Douglas.
- Shakespeare Wallah, the 1965 Merchant Ivory Productions film loosely based on the real-life adventures of Felicity Kendal's family.
- Shatranj Ke Khiladi (The Chess Players), the 1977 film by Satyajit Ray.
- Stones Of The Raj: The French Connection, a 1997 documentary for Channel 4 television by William Dalrymple.
- Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, a 2001 Bollywood movie starring Sunny Deol, Amisha Patel, and Amrish Puri.
- Indra, a 2002 Tollywood movie starring Chiranjeevi and Sonali Bendre.
- Anwar, a 2007 Bollywood movie starring Nauheed Cyrusi.
- Always Kabhi Kabhi, a 2011 Bollywood movie starring Ali Fazal, Giselle Monteiro, Zoa Morani, Satyajit Dubey,a directorial debut for Roshan Abbas and was produced under Shahrukh Khan's production house Red Chillies Entertainment.
La Martinière in fiction
Rudyard Kipling's 1901 novel Kim tells of the adventures of Kimball O'Hara, the orphaned son of a British soldier. Kim is given the chance to go to St Xavier's School in Lucknow, the most prestigious school in British India. St Xavier's is a fictional creation but Kipling authorities believe that the school is modelled on La Martinière.La Martinière Lucknow is discussed in Qurratulain Hyder's magnum opus Aag ka Darya (River of Fire). This book has the same status in Urdu literature as that of One Hundred Years of Solitude in Hispanic literature.
Valerie Fitzgerald's 1981 historical novel Zemindar features the siege of Lucknow in 1857 and uses La Martinière as the backdrop. The novel has an interesting character, a Martinian boy called 'Lou'.
The Indian writer Allan Sealy, a former pupil of the school, set his first novel Trotter-Nama in the old house, which he renamed as Sans Souci (carefree). The school has also featured in short stories.
La Martinière stamps
The two La Martinière Schools in Lucknow are among the few educational institutions in India, and possibly in the world, depicted on postage stamps.On 1 October 1995, on the 150th anniversary of the school's opening, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, the then President of India, released a two-rupee postage stamp in the school's honour.
In 2007 when the girls' school
celebrated its 138th anniversary it was given a similar honour and a first day
cover was issued by Department of Posts with a picture of Khursheed Manzil on
it.
