Photo 10/8

Red quarter leather bound album (modern library rebinding) measuring 280x400mm, with prints mounted on pages with letterpress captions and subject headings. The album was originally bound in black leather and the front cover is mounted on the front fixed endpaper of the new binding. The old cover has a dedication stamped in gold as follows: 'A respectful present to His Excellency The Right Hon'ble Rufus Daniel Isaacs, Earl of Reading P.C., G.C.B., G.M.S.I., G.M.I.E., G.C.V.O., Viceroy and Governor-General of India, by the Trustees of the Huseinabad Trust, Lucknow, 1923. M.M. Beg Art Photographer, Lucknow'. Beg's paper label is also affixed to the front free endpaper of the album.

A page of introductory letterpress describes the damage wreaked by the 'unique calamity' of the 1923 floods, which surpassed those of 1871, 1891, 1894 and 1915. The level of the Gumti started to rise from 24 September and by 26 September the Huseinabad Clock Tower Gardens were flooded. By the following day the Huseinabad Imambara was under several feet of water and the 200 or so residents of the Raiz Manzil were forced to take refuge on the roofs of their houses: 'The number of persons affected by the calamity numbered 2000 in the whole locality'. Relief work was undertaken by members of the Huseinabad Trust, utilizing the Imambara Asafuddaulah as a base for operations, and organizing the distribution of food supplies to the needy. As the photographs show, 'parts of the city which were once beautiful have been turned into dreary wastes...Husainabad once the most attractive spot in Lucknow presents a pathetic picture...The accompanying photographs will give an idea of Rescue and Relief work organized by the Trust and the extent of the damage done by the floods'.

The album itself is divided into three sections: Rescue Work (prints 1-8), Relief Work (9-16) and Flood Scenes in Lucknow (17-36). The original numbering of the album in two sequences has been abandoned in favour of a single sequential list.

Process = Gelatine prints.

Photographers = M.M. Beg, ;