A British officer in India with his household, late 19th century

An interesting group photograph, 10¾ x8¼ ins, probably taken somewhere in the Bombay Presidency, late 19th century. The unmounted photograph is in excellent condition and is offered as an interesting research project. The group is centred around a British officer and his wife. At his other side is a seated priest, presumably a Catholic to judge by the hat he holds. Seated on the gound next to the officer are possibly his munshi viewed at the left and a head servant to the right. Other unusual features of this group are the sitar player to the right and two servants behind the lady’s chair. The row of lance holders at the rear are certainly not regular soldiers but could perhaps be irregular lancers. Unusually this officer seems to have the sort of household more often associated with a minor raja.       dec18/1