Culture and History Association

PRESERVING MEMORIES OF THE GREAT UPRISING OF 1857 IN MEERUT CANTONMENT BY PUTTING UP STONE MARKERS AT HISTORICAL SITES WITHIN THE CANTONMENT

In the year 2002, a project was undertaken by the founder members of the association with the Cantonment Board of Meerut under the guidance of the Cantonment Executive Officer, Mr. K. J. S. Chauhan. The project entailed identifying the sites within Meerut cantonment which were linked to the Great Uprising of 1857 and putting up memorial markers at those sites.

Initially a list of 32 sites was submitted to the Board. After due deliberation 20 sites were finalised. At these sites markers of exactly similar design were put up. The sites identified were â€“

1) Saddar Bazaar - Police Street
2) Residence of Carmychael Smyth
3) Residence of Capt. A. R. D. Mackenzie
4) Residence House of Charles Dawsons
5) Lines of 3rd Native Light Cavalry Regiment
6) Parade Grounds of 3rd Native Light Cavalry Regiment
7) Site of Parade Ground of both Native Infantry Regiments
8) Site of shooting of Col. John Finnis
9) Lines of 20th Native Infantry Regiment
10) Kali Paltan Temple
11) Site of common Mess of Both Native Infantry Regiments
12) Lines of 11th Native Infantry Regiment.
13) Site of Office of Cantonment Joint Magistrate in 1857
14) The Theater
15) Original Milestone
16) Site of European Infantry Parade
17) St. Johns Cemetery
18) Site of Dum Duma
19) Site of Mutiny of Native Sappers and Miners
20) Site of Barrack Master's Godown

The project was formally inaugurated on the 8th of May 2002 in Meerut Cantonment. Nineteen of these stone markers are intact though some of them have been painted over giving them a different appearance and some have been shifted from their original position to make them more prominent.