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| The imposing cornerstone at the entrance to the gracious Birkmyre Hostel on Middleton Row in the heart of Kolkata says it all. A gift from Sir Archibald Birkmyre to the Reverend Dr. John Anderson Graham for the boys of Kalimpong, it is testimony to the gratitude and appreciation that Sir Archibald Birkmyre had for the selfless and dedicated work of Daddy Graham and his own love for the children of Dr. Graham’s Homes. Sir Archibald Birkmyre was a Senior Partner of Birkmyre Brothers, a Scottish Company engaged in the trading and manufacture of jute and jute products in India. He also served on the Viceroy of India’s Legislative Council and the Bengal Legislative Council. Sir Archibald Birkmyre was knighted in 1917, appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918 and made a Baronet in the 1921 New Year Honours. The foundation stone of the Birkmyre Hostel, which reads “Sir Archibald Birkmyre’s gift to the children of Kalimpong”, was laid on 8th July 1925 by Sir John Kerr, Acting Governor of Bengal. Since then, this magnificent four-storied building has been home to hundreds of boys and girls of Dr. Graham’s Homes, whilst they were in Kolkata. At that time, Daddy Graham would send boys who had completed their schooling at the Homes to live temporarily at the Birkmyre Hostel, to either study or train as apprentices in different industries and equip themselves with the qualifications and experience needed to make useful careers for themselves. Some of them would even work in our own bakery at the Hostel, popularly known as “The Kalimpong Confectionery’’. Today things are quite different. After finishing school, the sponsored boys come to the Birkmyre and the girls go to the Elliot Road Ladies’ Hostel. They do not have to look for jobs as they are immediately taken under the wing of the “Extended Sponsorship Programme” that takes care of their board and lodging, college fees, stationery, pocket money, career counselling, Bible Studies as well as first aid and medicals during emergencies. For daily studies after college hours, the children use the library. For entertainment, they have a television with a satellite connection. For games, they have a basketball court-cum-football-cum-cricket ground and for indoor games, the children have 2 carrom boards and 2 Scrabble word game sets.
The Birkmyre Hostel is temporarily closed for repairs & renovation. Students staying there have been shifted to other hostels for the time being.
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