British Residency, Hyderabad


Koti Residency or British Residency or "Hyderabad Residency" is an opulent mansion built by James Achilles Kirkpatrick in the princely state of Hyderabad. Kirkpatrick was British Resident of Hyderabad between 1798 and 1805. Today it is part of the Osmania University College for Women and has been converted into a museum. It can be visited with prior online booking.
The building with its classical portico is in the style of a Palladian villa and is similar in design to its near-contemporary in the United States, the White House. It features in the 2002 William Dalrymple book White Mughals. The house was designed by Lieutenant Samuel Russell of the Madras Engineers and construction began in 1803.
The building has been included in the list of heritage structures compiled by INTACH. World Monuments Fund has included the building in 2025 World Monuments Watch.

History

Kirkpatrick built the mansion for himself and his Indian wife Khair un Nissa, who bore him two surviving children who were sent to England by the age of five and never saw them again due to the early deaths of their parents.
The building was once the embassy of the East India Company to the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the residence of James Kirkpatrick, the British Resident, as well as his successors. Within its compound there were several quarters, including a zenana where Khair un Nissa lived. Within the compound is a miniature model of the building- legend has it that this was so Kirkpatrick's wife, who remained in purdah, could see the entire mansion, including the front. This scaled model has recently been beautifully restored.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a group of rebels, led by Maulvi Allauddin and Turrebaz Khan, attacked the residency. After the events of 1857, the British erected martello towers at the residency, which were demolished in 1954.
After independence in 1947, the building became vacant. In 1949 it was converted into a women's college, Osmania University College for Women.
After a court directive to the Archaeological Survey of India, it is now a protected monument. However, the building suffered much damage over the years and part of the ceiling had collapsed. It was placed on the 2002 World Monuments Watch list. Restoration works were completed in January 2023, the result of an effort spanning over 20 years.

List of British Residents

From 1786 - 1947 Hyderabad had 34 British residents.
  1. John Kennaway
  2. Major-General William Kirkpatrick
  3. Major James Achilles Kirkpatrick
  4. Captain Thomas Sydenham
  5. Sir Henry Russell, 2nd Baronet|Henry Russell]
  6. Colonel Martin
  7. Colonel Stewart
  8. General J S Fraser
  9. Colonel Cuthbert Davidson
  10. General Sir John Low
  11. G A Bushby
  12. Colonel William Thornhill
  13. Sir George Yule
  14. Sir Richard Temple, 1st Baronet|Richard Temple]
  15. H A Roberts
  16. J G Cordery
  17. C. B. Saunders
  18. Sir Richard Meade
  19. Sir Stuart Bayley
  20. W B Jones
  21. A P Howell
  22. Sir Dennis Fitzpatrick
  23. Sir Trevor Chichele Plowden
  24. Colonel Mackenzie
  25. Sir David Barr
  26. Sir Charles Bayley
  27. Michael O'Dwyer
  28. Colonel Alexander Pinhey
  29. Sir Stuart Fraser
  30. Sir Charles Russell
  31. Sir William Burton
  32. Sir Terrance Keyes
  33. Sir Duncan George Mackenzie
  34. Sir Arthur Lothian

Architecture

The building is in the Palladian style, with a classical portico. Six Corinthian columns support the roof. Within its compound there were several quarters, including a zenana quarter.