Posted on: 25 September 2010

Belvedere, Calcutta. The Lieut Governor of Bengal's official residence - 1878.

This photograph of Belvedere House from the 'Walter Hawkins Nightingale (PWD) collection: Album of views of Calcutta, was taken by an unknown photographer in the late 1870s. Located in the southern suburb of Alipore, Belvedere was used as Warren Hastings' country house. Warren Hastings was appointed the Governor General of India in 1773. In 1854 Belvedere became the official residence for the Lieutenant-Governors of Bengal. Today it houses the National Library.

Source : British Library


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After the Battle of Buxar in 1764 Hastings left for England. Two governors, Verelst and Cartier occupied the Belvedere during the period when Hastings was away in England. Hastings returned to Calcutta as Governor in 1772 and to his garden house, the Belvedere with a certain Baroness Inhoff by his side.

The grounds of Belvedere Estate were witness to a duel between Warren Hastings and his legal officer, Philip Francis. The duel may have been over the Baroness Inhoff who was staying with Hastings in Belvedere House, although an Australian historian, Arthur Staples, is inclined to conclude that the duel was the outcome of political conflict between the two. @There is not much clarity around this period of the history of Belvedere Estate and it is believed that Hastings finally sold Belvedere House to a Major Tolly in the 1780s for the sum of Rs.60,000. Major Tolly died in 1784 and his family sold the property in 1802. From 1854 to 1911 the Belvedere housed a number of Lieutenant Governors, starting with Halliday, till the British India capital moved to Delhi.

Cant imagine Warren Hastings having a 'fling"---he appears very strait-laced and a cold 'bod"---but the tropics do strange things to "Firangs"--fancy that??

Belvedere was just a short gharry ride from the 'village of Alipaaw' across the 'nullah' ..then on through the Maidan , past Fort William ..and so onto BBD Bagh.

Pretty good going for a boy born into dire poverty in deepest Oxfordshire.

Wondering where she came from baroness Inhoff.