NORFOLK, England—Commemorating 150th anniversary of Elveden Hall’s purchase and the renovation of the graves of Maharaja Duleep Singh and his immediate family, UK authorities have sanctioned installation of an ancient house museum named after Maharaja Duleep Singh in Thetford town. The town falls in between Cambridge and Norwich, and the planned museum will come up with artifacts never seen before related to Maharaja Duleep Singh and his immediate family.
Chairman of Norfolk County Council Rex-Parkinson-Hare, Thetford Mayor Robert Kybird and members of the Sikh community from Canada and UK attended the commemoration programs.
It is noteworthy that Maharaja Duleep Singh enjoyed a British Government pension, and with its help, he purchased a 17000 acres stately home in Elveden Hall. He lived here for 11 years.
Maharaja Duleep Singh died in Paris but his son Frederick brought his dead body to Elveden (England) and buried it here. Frederick was a typical Englishman of his time, however he helped establish a Gurdwara in the grounds of his home in Blo Norton. A will written by Frederick had been also made public as an artifact that contains following wordings:
“I give and bequeath unto Papa my signet ring of Topaz, unto Mama my Ruby diamond ring unto Bamba (Frederick’s sister) my turquoise ring and 4 shillings to mend it with, unto Catherine (Frederick’s second sister) my snake ring, unto Sophy (Frederick’s third sister) my policeman pencil and Italian gold coin, unto baby (his younger brother Edward Albert) my large diamond ring”
Frederick died in 1926.
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