COLE, Henry Hardy. Kensington ?.8.1843 — Oxford 23.12.1916. British Architect and Engineer Officer in India. Son of —> Henry Cole and Marian Fairman Bond. Lieutenant, then Major. Before going to India he draw The Heights, the country house of his father in Surrey (completed 1861). From 1868 archaological surveyor, then three years 1881-84 Curator of Ancient Monuments in India, always on the move with his work, also in princely states. He developed conservation fully understanding that bad repair is worse than no repair. In vain he urged local governments to establish conservation departments, only Punjab reacted. He was the first, and severe, critic of the misuse of ancient monuments. He emphasized photographing ancient art and monuments hoping that it could give ideas to artisans. He was undiplomatic and had serious prestige confict with Burgess. His expensive publications brought him further disfavour and his office was not renewed in 1884. Married 1865 Beatrice Catherine Trulock (d. 1874), one son and one daughter, and 1877 Catherine Jane Cooper, three sons and one daughter. Sometimes he is confused with his father, whose deep influence is seen in his work.
Publications: Illustrations of Ancient Buildings in Kashmir. 31 p. 44 pl. Calcutta & L. 1869; The architecture of ancient Delhi: especially the buildings around the Kutb Minar. 6+131 p. 28+25 pl L. 1872; Illustrations of Buildings near Muttra and Agra. Showing the mixed Hindu-Mahomedan Style of Upper India. 116 p. 6 pl. 5 plans. Calcutta 1873.
– Catalogue of the Objects of Indian Art Exhibited in the South Kensington Museum. 10+352 p. L. 1874.
– Annual Reports on Preservation of National Monuments of India. Calcutta 1882, 1883, 1885.
– Large illustrated folio reports on Preservation of National Monuments of India: Buildings in the Punjab, Delhi, Golden Temple at Amritsar, Punjab, Graeco-Buddhist Sculpture from Yuzufzai, Great Temple to Siva and His Consort at Madura, Meywar, Temples at Trichinopoly, and Tomb of Jahangir at Shahdara near Lahore (1884), Great Buddhist Tope at Sanchi, and Agra and Gwalior (1885).
Sources: Up. Singh 2004, 200-212; https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cole-20674.
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