Evelyn Hey Cobb
Born(1899-09-15)15 September 1899
Simla, India
Died25 February 1972(1972-02-25) (aged 72)
England
Allegiance United Kingdom / British Empire
Service/branchBritish Raj British Indian Army
Years of service1919–1947
RankLieutenant-colonel
AwardsOrder of the British Empire

Lieutenant-Colonel Evelyn Hey Cobb, OBE (15 September 1899 – 25 February 1972) was an officer in the British Indian Army and served as political administrator in various capacities in North-West India.[1][2] He started the tradition of holding a polo festival at Shandur.[3][4][5]

Early life

Evelyn Hey Cobb was born on 15 September 1899 at Simla, India. His father, William Hey Cobb, was a member of the Indian Civil Service, a barrister from the Inner Temple who served as city magistrate in Lucknow India. Cobb received education from Winchester College and the Cadet College, Quetta.[6][7] Cobb was a well-read man who enjoyed lengthy discourse and had a love for field sports, the countryside and the mountain. He was immensely fond of hunting, fishing and polo.[8]

Career

On 15 April 1919, he was commissioned into the Indian Army, joining its 25th Cavalry.[9] He was subsequently attached to the Kurram Militia, 19 June 1921 to 24 October 1922, attached to the South Waziristan, Scouts 27 October 1922 to 4 July 1923, then after leave from 1 January 1924 to 18 November 1924.[10] Transfers to Foreign and Political Department of the North-West Frontier Province 20 November 1924 as personal assistant to the chief commissioner, Peshawar. He served in Chitral from 1927 to 1929 as assistant political agent.[11]

Cobb initiated the tradition of holding a polo tournament between Chitral and Gilgit on Shandur.[12] The practice continues till this day and draws thousands of spectators each year. Cobb also introduced the practice of playing polo in the moonlight at Shandur.[13]

In the King's Birthday Honours (London Gazette 3 June 1935, page 3612), he was appointed an Officer of the civil division of the Order of the British Empire.

In 1937, Cobb, then a major, assumed the role of Political Agent North-West Frontier States Agency (Dir, Swat, and Chitral).[14][15] In 1940 he became the political agent of North Waziristan.[16][17] From 8 July 1942 to 5 September 1945, Cobb was the political agent of the Gilgit Agency.[18][19][20] During his tenure in Gilgit he planted trout into the Yasin River.[21][22] He was mad keen on polo and during his frequent visits to Hunza was instrumental in establishing a number of polo grounds in the locality.[23]

He was promoted lieutenant-colonel 15 April 1945[24]

Death

Cobb died on 25 February 1972.[25]

References

  1. Caroe, Olaf (1 June 1972). "Obituary: Appreciation". Asian Affairs. 3 (2): 201–202. doi:10.1080/03068377208729626. ISSN 0306-8374.
  2. "Pedigree of the Cobbs".
  3. Mills, James H. (15 May 2005). Subaltern Sports: Politics and Sport in South Asia. Anthem Press. p. 75. ISBN 9780857287274.
  4. Pakistan and Gulf Economist. Economist Publications. 2008. p. 66.
  5. Mir, Shabbir (10 July 2010). "Shandur Polo Festival: Gilgit defeat Chitral after five years". The Express Tribune.
  6. Winchester College 1867-1920 A register, p501
  7. London Gazette 15 August 1919
  8. Brown, William (30 November 2014). Gilgit Rebelion: The Major Who Mutinied Over Partition of India. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473841123.
  9. Indian Army List, July 1919
  10. History of Service of officers holding gazetted appointments under the Foreign and Political Department. Corrected to 1st July 1935
  11. History of Service of officers holding gazetted appointments under the Foreign and Political Department. Corrected to 1st July 1935
  12. "After a year's gap: Shandur Polo Festival begins June 20th". The Express Tribune. 6 June 2014.
  13. "G-B in a fix over participation in Shandur polo tournament". The Express Tribune. 19 June 2012.
  14. Askari, Nasreen; Crill, Rosemary; Museum, Victoria and Albert (1997). Colours of the Indus: costume and textiles of Pakistan. M. Holberton in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum. p. 134. ISBN 9781858940441.
  15. Museum, Victoria and Albert (1936). Review of the Principal Acquisitions During the Year. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 71.
  16. Rashid, Abdur (1 January 1977). Civil Service on the Frontier. University Book Agency [distributor?]. pp. 33–37.
  17. The Indian Year Book. Bennett, Coleman & Company. 1940. p. 145.
  18. Crane, Robert I. (1956). Area Handbook on Jammu and Kashmir State. University of Chicago for the Human Relations Area Files. p. 79.
  19. India Office, Great Britain (1945). India Office and Burma Office List Advertiser. p. 9.
  20. Farrington, Susan; Leach, Hugh (29 August 2003). Strolling About on the Roof of the World: The First Hundred Years of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs. Routledge. p. 38. ISBN 9781134426690.
  21. Pakistan Quarterly. 1969. pp. 16–17.
  22. Qamar, A. Sayeed Khan (1973). The Lure of the Karakorams. Ferozsons. p. 22.
  23. Mehra, Parshotam (1992). An "agreed" frontier: Ladakh and India's northernmost borders, 1846-1947. Oxford University Press. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-19-562758-9.
  24. London Gazette, 22 June 1945, p. 3283
  25. "Pedigree of the Cobbs".
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