| Historical Foundation |
 Founded by Sir Henry and Lady Honoria Lawrence, Sanawar is believed to be the first co-educational boarding school in the world. On the 15th of April 1847, a group of 14 boys and girls camped at the top of the foothills of the Himalayas. They lived under canvas for some weeks anxiously waiting for the first buildings to be completed before the arrival of the monsoon. Thus did Sanawar come into existence. By 1853 the school had grown to 195 pupils when it was presented with the King's Colour. One of only six schools and colleges ever to be so honoured in the entire British Empire, the others being Eton, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham, the Duke of York's Royal Military School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Sanawar has held its Colour for the longest unbroken period. From its Foundation the financial burden of the School was borne by Sir Henry until his death in 1857, when the government assumed responsibility for the finances as a mark of esteem to his memory. Under these arrangements, control of the School passed from the 'Honourable Board of Directors' to the Crown. This is the most unusual arrangement, not repeated in any English Public School.
The tradition of military training at Sanawar has always been strong and of such a high standard that several contingents of boys were enlisted from the School and sent straight to the battlefields of the Great War. In appreciation for this, the School was redesignated in 1920 as the "Lawrence Royal Military School", and, in 1922, the Prince of Wales personally presented the School with new Colours. The School Colours continues to this day to be trooped at the Founder's Celebration in early October and Sanawar pupils continue to make a major contribution to the defence of the country to this day.
Sanawar's Centenary year (1947) was crucial to the development of the School. With Independence, the bulk of the staff and children at Sanawar returned to the UK. However, the then Governor General, Lord Louis Mountbatten, presided at the School's Centenary celebrations and read out a special message from George VI. Thereafter, control of the School passed from the Crown to the Government of India, Ministry of Defence. A further transfer in 1949 brought the School under the control of the Ministry of Education and subsequently, in 1953, to the autonomous Lawrence School (Sanawar) Society. However, Sanawar retains strong links with its past. The Chairman of the Society is the Secretary for Education, Government of India and, at the sesquicentenary celebrations in 1997, a message of congratulation was received from the current Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.
The first Principal of the School was the Rev. W. J. Parker, (1848 - 1863). Notable events during his period include the first Founder's Day in 1849, and the opening of the Chapel in 1851. Parker was followed by the Rev. J. Cole (1864 - 1886), the Rev. A. Hilldersley (1886 - 1912) and by the fourth Principal, the Rev. G. D. Barne (1912 - 1932) who developed Sanawar into a major public school along English lines with House and Prefectorial systems, games on an organised basis and a curriculum working towards Cambridge University Examinations.
The School continued to evolve and modernise throughout the middle and later years of the last century. In 1956 Mr. E. G. Carter, retired as Principal and was succeeded by Major R. Som Dutt (1956 - 1970), the School's first Indian Headmaster. He laid the foundations for the school, as it is today, India's foremost residential coeducational public school. Developments have continued since that time, most notably under the leadership of Mr. S. R. Das (1974 - 1988).
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THE BEGINNING |
 History records that during the hot summer of 1846, in the company of Col. Boileau and Lt Beecher of the engineers and Lt Hudson of the fusiliers, Henry Lawrence searched for a site in the Simla Hills around (Kusauli) and the fir tree ridge on the old road to subatoo to Establish an asylum for the children of the British other ranks. However, he eventually selected the hill of Sanawar at a height of 1750 meters (--Feet) as it combined most of the requisites for an asylum, VIZ isolation ample space, in suitable locality not too far from European troops.
The 134 acres of land acquires belonged to the rana of Bhagat a princely state.
Once the site was selected the work of construction was entrusted to Lt W. Hodson of the hodson horse fame and it commenced on 1 ARP 1847.
Tents were pitched to house the first inmates in the area which is now the girls games field, also known as the peace stead-Arun Kheterpal stadium.
Henry Lawrence put the school in the capable hands of Mrs. Charlotte Lawrence, wife of the eldest of the famous Lawrence brothers, Sir George St Patric Lawrence and the school formally opened on 15 APR 1847 with seven boys, seven girls, one master and one mistress in charge. They lived under canvas for some weeks anxiously, waiting for the buildings to come up before the rains.
The first impressions of the school are over-whelming, every thing is on a grand scale; its estate; its buildings; its…. And above all its spirit which is impossible to define.
Over the years Sanawar has developed into a leading public school. But has retained the strenuous simplicity and humane but martial spirit of its early days.
Pride in their school has been an outstanding characteristic of all age-groups, boys and girls. They were the first school ever, not excluding schools in the United Kingdom to have been awarded the Kings Colours as far back as on 30 JUN 1853. They were all India Boxing Champions, all Empire Shooting Champions, they were drafted straight into the fighting line without any Preliminary Training…. They were trained already… They were Sanawarians.
As you glean through these boards and see the artifacts on display you will hopefully hear the story of Sanawar and those who made it happen.
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MUSEUM |
To march into the future we must look at the past; understand our traditions, our inheritance and our legacy.
Sanawar is stepped in tradition in over a hundred and fifty years of its dynamic existence it has carved out a niche for itself each stone here has a story to tell.
A glimpse into the history of Sanawar will help those associated with it build pride in and knowledge of the school and with all its stand for.
An attempt to trace, record and display its history was proposed by Mr. Firth, the master-in-charge of the teacher training college, Sanawar, as early as 1915. The first serious attempt was however made by Colin Kalra, a teacher on an assignment from England in 1878 – 80.
During 1987 the idea of a museum was revived and substantial material, stacked away in gunny bags in the quarter master store was stumbled upon by chance before it found its way to the ‘Rudhee’. This was the humble beginning of the museum.
In 1992, Dr. V K Sharma, a teacher at Sanawar, wrote a book ,"The Lawrence School, Sanawar : A Historical Reference". This was the first ever book which threw light on the History of the school. In 1997 Sanawar celebrated its sesqui-centenary and "Sanawar : A Legacy" was written by Mrs. Manju Khan and Mr. KJ Parel, both teachers at Sanawar. Mr. Harish Dhillon, an OS, who graduated to become a teacher and then had the distinction of becoming the 14th Headmaster, had together with Mr. Ratin Matra, an ex Art teacher of the school, and perhaps the most outstanding visual essayist of the country, had captured the school pictorially in their book Sanawar. Therefore, by the year 2000 there was sufficient research material and artifacts available to attempt the Sanawar Museum.
On taking over as the 15th Headmaster, Mr. Andrew S Grey desired to put his predecessor efforts into some order and it a suitable place. He also wished that the museum be taken to the students and not vice-versa. Therefore, he approved of it being co-located with the school library. He charged Col. NJS Pannu (retd) (V 1954 –64). The Bursar, and Col KVS Lalotra, sm (H 1961 – 69) both old Sanawarians, to further research, plan, layout and organize the display.
The collection on display catalogues history. It is varied and large, spanning a country and a half it reflects a glorious part and is a record of valorous deeds and devotion to duty, a mute testimony to the endeavour and since of commitment of the sanawarian family. The display depicts the vision of the fonder and those who toiled to make Sanawar.
It is hoped that the Sanawar meseum will one-day house one of the largest collection of documents and artefacts, which will be unmatched in their richness variety.
The museum is dedicated to Sir. Henry and Lady Honoria the staff and employees of the school and the old sanawrians who have left behind this rich legacy.
It is hoped that it would inspire generation to come. |
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