4 min readNew DelhiMay 8, 2023 07:12 AM IST
First published on: May 8, 2023 at 06:06 AM IST
“The Electric Telegraph has saved India” — these words by Sir Robert Montgomery, a British administrator in colonial India, are inscribed on the Telegraph Memorial dedicated to the efforts and sacrifice of telegraphers during the Revolt of 1857.
Located inside the Kashmere Gate Telegraph Office, the 18-foot-high obelisk, made of grey Aberdeen granite and standing on a sandstone base, was unveiled by Lord Curzon on April 19, 1902. Historians believe that the office was originally situated near the Flagstaff Tower on the Northern Ridge, but the memorial was set up by members of the telegraph department in front of the new office at Kashmere Gate.
Speaking to The Indian Express, writer and former Principal of Hindu College Kavitha Sharma said, “The significance of the Telegraph Memorial is that of two British men who alerted Ambala Cantt that mutineers were coming to the capital during the 1857 revolt.”
Recorded on marble tablets fixed into the four faces of the obelisk are deeds performed by signallers of the telegraph office and names of those who died in the revolt. The south face bears this inscription: “Erected on 19th April 1902, by Members of the Telegraph Department, to commemorate the loyal and devoted services of the Delhi Telegraph Office Staff, on the eventful 11th May 1857. On that day two young Signallers, William Brendish and J W Pilkington, remained on duty till ordered to leave and by telegraphing to Ambala information of what was happening at Delhi, rendered invaluable service to the Punjab Government. In the words of Sir Robert Montgomery — “The Electric Telegraph has saved India””.
The West face said: “The Delhi Telegraph Office of 1857 was situated 2,415 yards, 31 degree west of north from this spot”.
The North face, which is nearest to the Telegraph office, said: “The Delhi Telegraph Office staff on the 11th May 1857 consisted of the following – Charles Todd, Assistant-in-Charge, killed near Cable House, on left bank river Jumna, on the morning of the above date, while endeavouring to restore telegraphic communication with Meerut. W. Brendish, Signaller, retired 1st September 1896. J.W Pilkington, Signaller, voluntarily returned to Telegraph office from Flagstaff Tower and signalled despatch to Commander-in-Chief, containing a full report of Mutiny. Taken prisoner after doing so, but escaped. Died, Roorkee, 24th March 1867.” The East face contains a list of casualties in telegraph department during the mutiny.
In his book, Delhi: Past and Present, HC Fanshawe writes at length about the Telegraph Memorial. Providing a brief account of one incident, he wrote: “The telegraph master, Mr Todd, had left Delhi very early in the morning to see what was wrong with the line which has been cut by the mutineers, and he was met and murdered by them. His two assistants, by name Brendish and Pilkington, remain at the office till two o’ clock… and during all that time, no message was dispatched by the military authorities, who leant solely on that broken reed of expected aid from Meerut.”
“The signallers, however, from time to time, informed the Amballah office of what was going on in Delhi. About three in the afternoon, Pilkington returned to the office from the Flagstaff Tower, to which the telegraph party had been advised to retreat, with a military officer, and despatched a very meagre official telegram to Amballah; but it was really the irresponsible chatter of one clerk with another that gave the effective warning to the Punjab of what had happened at Delhi and enabled the authorities there to take steps which at least scotched further mutiny and save the position for the time being,” wrote Fanshawe.
Located inside the Kashmere Gate Telegraph Office, the 18-foot-high obelisk was unveiled on April 19, 1902. Abhinav Saha 
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