India, Oct. 25 -- T The stark remnants of the British Residency serve as a signature monument of Lucknow and a reminder of the events of 1857. However, history books do not provide much information regarding the lives and times of the Residents themselves, who 'resided' (pun intended) within its walls and conducted their machinations with aplomb. Although the salary of the Resident or 'political agent' was modest, the position in Lucknow was highly coveted, for it promised substantial opportunities for enrichment within the Nawabi court. This encompassed direct financial dealings with the Nawabs, as well as lucrative commissions arising from the supply of uniforms, provisions, animals and even arms for the Company's troops stationed in Awadh and beyond. Nathaniel Middleton, the first Resident of Awadh (1773-74) at Faizabad with Shuja-ud-Daula, later joined Asaf-ud-Daula at Lucknow. It was Middleton who raided Bahu Begum's assets at Faizabad, on Warren Hastings' orders, although he did display empathy, when asked to act as a marauder over the Begums' estates. Not that Middleton enjoyed any goodwill in Lucknow; apparently, he made purchases without paying and threatened merchants with the 'Nawab's displeasure.' Both Middleton and his successor John Bristow, were feared and distrusted by the Nawabi court as well as by Lucknow's business community. Both had 'female companions' (bibis) and produced mixed-race children who were baptized at St John's Church, Calcutta. Bristow's successor, Edward Otto Ives, had a tumultuous relationship with Asaf-ud-Daula, although he could return to England with an unblemished record. Ives, however, had a serious tiff with Claude Martin over the insolvency of one John Masseyk, an Indigo planter. Masseyk owed £25,970 to Martin, and the latter wanted the Resident to intervene in the matter, which Ives refused to do. Ultimately Martin lost his money. George Frederick Cherry, Ives' over-zealous successor, often got embroiled in the internal politics of the Nawab's court. Cherry preferred to stay in the Bibiapur Kothi, instead of the Residency and was eventually transferred to Benaras as Resident, where he was killed in an armed skirmish with Wazir Ali, the deposed Nawab of Awadh (discussed in an earlier article). Cherry's successor, John Lumsden's tenure was marked by increased border issues with the Rohillas and Sikhs. In May 1799, Lumsden resigned and was succeeded by Lt Col William Scott, who was a signatory to Claude Martin's will on January 1, 1800, with two other co-signatories, who were Company officials. Martin died in September 1800. Col John Ulrich Collins, known as 'King Collins' due to his imperious nature, took over as Resident in 1804. Madiaon cantonment (discussed earlier) was established during his tenure. Collins died in 1807 and the 60-ft-high obelisk of his tomb came to be known locally as Lat Kallan ki Lat. John Ballie was Resident during 1807-1815. His contribution in developing the Residency premises, including the creation of a boundary wall and the guard gate has already been discussed in an earlier article. He amassed a formidable collection of 'native' paintings and manuscripts, many of which, expectedly, reached British shores and were added to the Edinburgh University Library. Mordaunt Ricketts served as Resident at Lucknow during 1823-827; he married Charlotte, a widow with an infant son, who tragically passed away shortly after the wedding. While gazing into a bathing tub at his reflection, the infant apparently lost his footing and drowned. Ricketts chose to live in the Madiaon cantonment, trying to transform it into a semblance of the English countryside, complete with imported cattle. An intriguing incident occurred within the harem of Nasir-ud-Din Haider (second king of Awadh), in which a woman, Sukh Chain, purported to be pregnant for 27 months, could deliver the child 'only after necessary rituals had been followed and evil influences on had been exorcised.' She again became pregnant. Ricketts attempted to send the Residency surgeon and other officials to examine this lady, but they were denied access. Resident John Low (1831-1842) faced a military challenge from Badshah Begum, who tried to push forth the coronation of Munna Jaan as Nasir-ud-Din Haider's successor. Low thwarted her designs but not before he had been captured by armed supporters of the begum, dragged towards the throne and, under the threat of immediate death, ordered that he should present the 'nazar' (customary offerings) to the young 'king'. Among the last two Residents who left an indelible mark on the fate of Awadh, the first was William Sleeman (of 'thuggee' fame), who was Resident during 1849-1856. Sleeman believed that British intervention was essential to address the corruption and mismanagement prevalent in Awadh but did not support outright annexation. His successor, James Outram, following a series of parleys with Wajid Ali, his prime minister, and even his mother, officially annexed Awadh on February 11, 1856, assuming the role of its first chief commissioner. Sleeman, who had departed from India due to health problems, passed away at sea, off the coast of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), just four days after the East India Company's annexation of Awadh. PC Sarkar, a former scientist, has authored several books on the forgotten heritage of Lucknow...