India, Nov. 15 -- Aminabad, named after Amin-ud-Daula, the Prime Minister of Awadh during the reign of Amjad Ali Shah (father of Wajid Ali Shah), was developed into a colonial-style market by the British during their rule. Two significant roads in the area, La Touche Road and Gwynne Road, were named after British officials. This colonial practice of commemorating administrative figures through urban nomenclature was just another way to reinforce psychological authority and entrench imperial dominance. Although La Touche Road, which runs from Qaiserbagh, crossing Hewett Road (now Shivaji Marg), and leading to Charbagh, was renamed Gautam Buddh Marg after Independence, the original colonial name remains widely in use even today. La Touche Road became a hub for gun, rifle and ammunition dealers, the area being the former estate of one Mirza Habibullah Beg, descendent of a family of sword smiths and armourers, who had served under the Mughals, and later, the Nawabs of Awadh - the family initially residing in Barood Khana area of Golaganj. A peek into the life and times of this elusive La Touche would thus be surely of interest to readers. James John Digges La Touche was born in Dublin, Ireland, on December 16, 1844. He joined the Indian Civil Service in 1867 and spent four years in Ajmir (Ajmer) province and four years in Burma, before moving to the North-Western Provinces. There, he served as a member of the Board of Revenue and chief secretary. La Touche had married Julia Mary Rothwell in 1873 at Bombay. He was a Member of the Council of the Viceroy of India, and was appointed lieutenant-governor of the North-Western Provinces and chief commissioner of Oudh in November 1901. He continued as lieutenant-governor of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh until December 1906. The following year, he was appointed a Member of the Council of the secretary of state for India. La Touche was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Star of India (CSI) and promoted to a Knight Commander (KCSI) in the 1901 Birthday Honours List on November 9, 1901. Having served in Burma and India for nearly 39 years, he died in Dublin on October 6, 1921, and was interred in Mount Jerome Cemetery, County Dublin, Ireland. Major roads in colonial Lucknow and Cawnpore (Kanpur) were named in honour of La Touche. Cawnpore's La Touche Road became widely known as a marketplace specializing in iron, steel accessories, hardware and industrial goods. The Town Hall of Cawnpore was situated here, before it was relocated to Moti Jheel. Clement Wansbrough Gwynne (CW Gwynne) was born in 1883 to CT Gwynne, a solicitor in Staffordshire, UK. Educated in St John's College, Oxford, he joined the ICS in 1906 and arrived in India in 1907. As deputy commissioner, he was involved in a 'lathi charge' on Indian revolutionaries on November 28, 1928, during the boycott of the Simon Commission, which was noted by Pt Jawharlal Nehru in his memoirs: 'They were suddenly pounced upon by the police and given lathi blows on all parts of the body. It was scandalous. The deputy commissioner himself got excited and started collaring people. The police officials seemed to have a blood-lust from the way they went about and pounced upon unarmed people. They are openly boasting, it is said, of the great beating they have given to the boycotters. 'Lucknow, especially the young men and students, distinguished themselves by their discipline and courage and Lucknow has reason to be proud of the events of this morning.' Married to Kathleen Hawker in 1918, two of Gwynne's sons, Peter and Owen lost their lives during WWII, while serving the RAF. Gwynne served as chief secretary to the government of the United Provinces in the late '30s. A road passing through Aminabad and Maulviganj in Lucknow was named in Gwynne's honour by the colonial administration. Just as La Touche Road became known for guns, Gwynne Road became famous for its paper and stationery market. Gwynne, during his service career, had authored a detailed 'Monograph on the Manufacture of Wire and Tinsel in the United Provinces', which was published in 1910. The monograph was based on his personal survey work in Benaras (Varanasi), Agra, Bareilly and Lucknow on the various nuances of gold and silver embroidered articles of dress, including Zardozi, Salma-Sitara, Tarkashi and Kamdani. A hilarious incident occurred when he was appointed as joint secretary in the home department, but his claim for transport of one horse from Lucknow to Delhi was rejected by the Imperial Government. On a more serious note, since Gwynne was in the home department at New Delhi, he got involved in the Penal Settlement at the Andamans, including the fate of its prisoners. Interestingly, the prisoners included the Savarkar brothers, Hrishikesh Kanji Lal and Ganesh Damodar. Gwynne left India in July for England in July 1939, and died shortly afterwards on August 4, 1939. PC Sarkar, a former scientist, has authored several books on the forgotten heritage of Lucknow...