Views in Ootacamund [i.e. Udagamandalam] and the Nilgiris

A collection consisting of a panorama (5 joined prints) and loose prints, measuring approximately 280 x 210 mm. The prints are captioned (probably in Penn's hand) on the reverse. Prints 1 and 2 are also rubberstamped 'A.T.W. Penn, Reliance, Ootacamund'. This refers to the Reliance Auction and Commission Agency run by Penn in the early years of the twentieth century.

Albert Thomas Watson Penn was born at Street, Wells on 30th March 1849. His first appearance in India appears to have been in around 1875, in which year he was advertising in Thackers Directory as a commercial photographer at Ootacamund (also known as Udagamandalam). He lived and had a studio at Cranley Cottage from 1880. In 1911 his business was styled 'Ootacamund Photo Establishment'. Apart from visits to Europe he continued in Ootacamund until circa 1913, in later years also running the Reliance Auction and Commission Agency and the Farrington (or Farington) Hotel. He is not recorded in later directories although he evidently remained in India after his retirement. He died of cerebral apoplexy at Coonor on 19th October 1924 and was buried there the following day in Tiger Hill Cemetery, All Saints Church (Madras burials: IOR/N/2/136 f. 212).

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

This collection is available on microfiche: South Asia, fiche number 62.

fair condition.

Please see Y3022EE for further photographs of Ootacamund (i.e. Udagamandalam).

This item level description was entered by NE and MJC using information from the original typescript catalogue.

Penn, Albert Thomas Watson, 1849-1924, photographer