Photo 449/1

Brown cloth-covered album, spine repaired, stamped 'Scrap Album' in gold within decorative borders, measuring 277 x 380 mm, compiled by Stephen Paget Walter Vyvyan Luke (1845-1929), of the Indian Telegraph Service. Bookplate of British Legation, Kabul, on inside front cover. The album block is almost detached from the case, with only the tapes still in place. Prints are mounted one to a page with hand-written captions beneath. A letterpress label laid down onto the first page of photographs reads: 'Afghanistan. Photographs collected by P. V. Luke, C.I.E., of the Indian Telegraph Department, while in charge of Field Telegraphs during the war of 1878-80. He was responsible for the erection of the first Telegraph Line through the Khyber Pass. For these services he was mentioned in Despatches, twice received the thanks of the Government of India, and was awarded the C.I.E. Presented to H.M.'s Legation at Kabul by Mrs P.V. Luke. 1933.'

The majority of the prints in this album are duplicated by better quality prints in Photo 197. The prints in that album are dated 1879 and credited to the Bengal Sappers & Miners.