Taxidermy: Indian Sambar (Rusa unicolor unicolor), circa 1911-1937, India, by Peter Spicer & Sons, Taxidermy, Leamington, a large medal class adult stag with head turning slightly to the right, 6 points (3+3), right antler 37.5", left antler 34.5", widest span 104cm, from the wall 60.5cm, overall height 136cm, mounted upon a typical trade mark shaped shield, bearing impressed taxidermist's trade mark to verso, taken by Indian Civil Service, R.C. Hobart circa 1911-1937.

Robert “Charles” Arthur Stanley Hobart was born in Naini Tai in the United Provinces on Wednesday, 27th July 1881 (at 6am!), the eldest son of Robert Thompson Hobart of the Bengal Civil Service and Janet Stanley from County Tyrone. He received a hindu baptism by being dipped into the River Ganges by one ankle as a baby and given the Indian name of the storm god Ananda. He had a brilliant academic career, first at Charterhouse School and then gaining a double first in Classics at Trinity College, going on to study at Heidelberg University in Germany. In 1905 he joined the Indian Civil Service and served in United Provinces as Assistant Commissioner and Collector, and finally as Divisional Commissioner from 1931 to 1937 when he was given the CIE. He then retired to Mayfield in Kent and died in 1955. My grandfather reportedly spoke 37 distinct Indian languages on top of Latin, Greek and German, and was highly admired and respected not only by the British administration with personal commendations from Lord Haig amongst others, but also by the Indian community. Robert Skelton, who was head of the Indian department of the V&A museum wrote to me that “Charles was a champion pig sticker, winning two Hoghunters’ Races in 1920 and broke his neck pigsticking (but survived!). Apparently years after his time in India in places where he served people would point out “this is where Hobart Sahib sat” and if he returned to a place, hundreds of people turned out to greet him.”