Front view of Metcalfe House (top left), Rear view of Metcalfe House (bottom left), The principal taikhana of Metcalfe House (top right), Second taikhana of Metcalfe House (bottom right) - 1843.
[From 'Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi’, an album consisting of 89 folios containing approximately 130 paintings of views of the Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, as well as other contemporary material, with an accompanying manuscript text written by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe (1795-1853), the Governor-General’s Agent at the imperial court. Acquired with the assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund and of the National Art-Collections Fund.]
Front view West (building shown)[Metcalfe House from the west. Metcalfe House was built in colonial style, with stone columns supporting a wide verandah. which went all along the building. The library had 25,000 books and the Napoleon gallery stored relics of Napoleon, but it was greatly damaged during the Uprising of 1857. After Metcalfe's death, the house was inherited by his son Sir Theophilus Metcalfe who eventually sold it. It now houses the Defence Science Research Laboratory.]
Inscribed: naqsha-i kothi-i Mu‘azzam al-Daula Amin al-Mulk Ikhtisas Yar Khan Farzand-i Arjmand-i Sultani Tamas Siyafilus Mitfaq Sahib Bahadur Firuzjang.
These mementoes cannot fail to be of more common interest. In this once happy home you all passed your earliest infancy. With exception to Emy and Charley all were born here- and all but Charley have received the initiatory right [sic] of baptism by which Ye were made member of Christ Children of God and inheritors by promise of the Kingdom of Heaven. To your father it has been endeared by many years of more
[Metcalfe House from the east]
Inscribed: naqsha-i kothi-i Mu‘azzam al-Daula Amin al-Mulk Ikhtisas Yar Khan Farzand-i Arjmand-i Sultani Tamas Siyafilus Mitaqkaf Sahib Bahadur Firuzjang.
Back view East
Principal Teh-Khanah or under Ground Apartment occupied during the Hottest Months of the Year.[The underground billiard room. Metcalfe house contained an ingenious series of underground rooms called taikhanas, that were used during the hot season. ]
than usual happiness and now rendered sacred by the memory of her whose many virtues devoted affection and pious resignation under trials and affliction were then but imperfectly appreciated. Strive my beloved girls during your pilgrimage on earth, to imitate the example of your sainted parent, that you may thereafter by deemed worthy, through the intercession of our Saviour, of being reunited to her, for all eternity in the many mansions of our fathers house.
[The underground drawing room. The inscriptions of the two rooms are reversed.]Second The=Khanah used as a billiard room.
- British Library