Thursday, September 14, 2017

MARK CUBBON COMMISSIONER OF BANGALORE AND COORG

Mark Cubbon was the longest serving Commissioner of Bangalore from 1830 to 1861.These dates are in dispute for clinical accuracy,however he served in the post for nearly 31 years assisted actively by Francis Cunningham on whom the Cunningham road in Bangalore is erected. He held the rank of Major General and  more precisely was designated "Commissioner of  Bangalore and Coorg".

The post of Commissioner of Bangalore was a prestigious one and directly reported to the Viceroy and was in charge of the Mysore kingdom and had control as far as Jolarpettai. The railway track from Bangalore to Jolarpettai was laid during his time and from Madras to Jolarpettai by the Madras Presidency.

Not many are aware of a statue of Mark Cubbon erected in 1866 silently presents itself in the city.The statue is on the other side of the High Court building facing the Cubbon Park.This is one of the earliest statues erected in Bangalore which pre-dates the high court building which comes in 1875 and so does the Cubbon Park.

Mark Cubbon had  Administrative discomfort during his later years and was on a collission course with the English Establishment giving up office in 1861 and is dead in Egypt on his way back home.The ICS or the Imperial Civil Service was created and Military officials were being replaced by ICS staff on senior posts.Mark Cubbon is succeeded by L B Bowring who appears to be from the ICS.

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