Key Information

Photographer

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Collection

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Date of Photo

November 22nd 1936

Region

Lhasa > Dekyi Lingka

Accession number

1998.131.381

Image Dimensions

114 x 160

Group of ten chaprassi, orderlies or servants/assistants, attached to the British Mission. Most are Sikkimese and many are dressed in the uniform of the old Sikkim militia. Tents can be seen in the background. Many of the mission staff had to sleep in tents such as these, and tents were also used to establish the mission hospital. The group is having their photograph taken prior to an official visit to the Potala Palace

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print gelatin silver

Date Acquired

Donated 1994

Donated by

Faith Spencer Chapman

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Previous Catologue Number

C.18.9 [view film roll]

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

SC.T.2.381

This Image also appears in another collection

BMR.86.1.28.4

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - 'C 18/9' has been written on the back of the print in pencil [MS 22/03/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Caption in Chapman's hand-written list of negatives made whilst on the Mission to Lhasa, 1936-7 [See PRM Manuscripts Collection]: 'Chaprassis'; PRM Manuscripts Collection: ‘List of Tibetan Prints and Negatives’ - Book 3: ‘32/2 - More of our staff. Chaprassis and orderlies’ [MS 22/03/2006]

Other Information - Related Images

Other Information - Related Images: Images prefixed with 'C.18' comprise a group of negatives containing images of the mission personnel, the Dalai Lamas’ tombs and the Potala. They seem all to have been taken November 22nd 1936. Prior to the visit, Chapman and other mission members took photographs of all the Mission staff, apparently taking advantage of the fact they were donned in formal attire in preparation for their official visit to the Potala [MS 18/03/2006]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Sikkimese orderlies to the Mission" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.381.html>.

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