HORMUZD RASSAM
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Hormuzd Rassam was born in Mosul in 1826, his elder brother becoming the first British Consul to be appointed there. His father was an archdeacon in the Christian Assyrian Church of the East. In 1842 he became clerk to his brother who had married an Englishwoman and at their house he met Sir Austen Layard who was to undertake archeological exploration in Assyria. Rassam became his assistant, later undertaking his own exploration under the patronage of the British Museum.
Rassam’s connection with Aden began in 1854 when the Indian government offered him the post of Political Interpreter in Aden, but Bombay insisted that he also took over as Postmaster from Lieutenant Playfair (of Tawela Tanks fame) as Bombay was not willing to pay him 300 Rupees a month, which was twice what his predecessor as interpreter had been paid. But an increase of 50 Rupees was acceptable as the PMG would be paying the remaining 100 Rupees paid to those who were postmaster in addition to their other duties.
Between 1854 and 1862 Rassam’s status increased considerably. He was appointed a magistrate and a JP and also Political Assistant Resident, an appointment that in later years would be filled by the 1st Assistant Resident, as being the administrator with the longest length of service in Aden. The Political Assistant’s job was to deal with and get to know the various tribes in the hinterland and, most importantly, advise his Resident on local matters, in most cases it being the Resident’s first tour in Aden. Rassam became friends with Seyyid Alaidrous, a descendent of Sheikh Aidrous after whom the Aidrous Mosque is named. Alaidrous was a great help in introducing Rassam to the local chiefs.
In the 1860s Zanzibar as well as Aden was being administered by Bombay. In 1861 Rassam was sent by Bombay to represent British interests whilst the Indian government investigated the claim of the Sultan of Muscat that he had suzerainty over his brother, the Sultan in Zanzibar. A more difficult and dangerous task awaited Rassam in 1864 when he was selected to go to Abyssinia as Special Envoy (accompanied by Lieutenant Prideaux, one of the other Assistant Residents in Aden) to secure the release of the British Consul and other Europeans who had been imprisoned by King Theodore, who was upset that a letter he had sent to Queen Victoria in 1862 had remained unanswered. For a long time Theodore refused to see him and Rassam had to remain in Massaua over a year before his party was allowed to go to Theodore’s camp. The Consul and the others were set free, but Thoedore then had a change of heart and locked everyone up again, in chains, including the party that had come from Aden.
Rassam managed to get word out of their plight and an expedition was sent from India, under General Napier, to effect the release of all the prisoners. During his time waiting at Massaua and later in captivity he sent a number of letters to Sir Austin Layard who was now a Minister in London. Napier’s force encountered little opposition and reached Theodore’s stronghold at Magdala in April 1868. All the prisoners were released and during a year’s leave in England Rassam married an Englishwoman and then resigned his appointment in Aden to continue his archeological exploration in the Near East, assisted by introductions from Layard who now was British Ambassador in Constantinople. In 1877 Rassam was again employed by the British government to investigate the condition of Christian communities in Turkey, Armenia and Kurdistan. He died in Brighton in 1910.