Dining to Trumpets, Buried Like Nawabs: The English Tombs of Surat

"…dining to the sound of trumpets…" In 1868, T. C. Hope stood in the English Cemetery at Surat and noticed that the old English factors had sold themselves with spectacle. They marched in procession, ate to trumpets, and in death built grand mausolea modelled on those of the Muslim nobility. The showiest tomb belongs to Sir George Oxenden, and it's built right over his brother Christopher's. This is the sequel to "Irons in Winter". We tour Surat and its ancient neighbour Rander on the Tapi through an 1868 photograph album, and Soons, who lives in Surat, compares then and now. Hosted by Jay, with Meera and Soons. Soons closes with her Court Report on the Oxenden brothers: an act of love, or a big brother taking over? Source: T. C. Hope, Surat, Broach, and Other Old Cities of Goojerat, with photographs by Lindley & Warren and H. Arnoux (Bombay: Oriental Press, 1868). Published in 1868, so it is in the public domain.