Thomas Salter Pyne Vanity Fair 15 February 1900

Sir Thomas Salter Pyne (1860–1921) was a British engineer based in Afghanistan.

Biography

He was born in Broseley, Shropshire, the son of John Pyne and Alice Salter. He was apprenticed to an engineer at the age of 15, becoming manager of a foundry and engineering works by 1879. In 1883, he went out to India, where he worked for the merchant

Thomas Acquin Martin Sir Thomas Acquin Martin (6 March 1850 – 29 April 1906) was an English industrial pioneer in India, and agent-general for Afghanistan. Early life Martin was born in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, on 6 March 1850, son of Patrick Willia ...

for a few years. In 1887, when Martin was appointed Agent by

Abdur Rahman Khan Abdur Rahman Khan GCSI (Pashto/Dari: ) (between 1840 and 1844 – 1 October 1901) was Emir of Afghanistan from 1880 to his death in 1901. He is known for uniting the country after years of internal fighting and negotiation of the Durand Line Ag ...

, the

Amir of Afghanistan This article lists the Head of state, heads of state of Afghanistan since the foundation of the first modern Afghan (ethnonym), Afghan state, the Hotak dynasty, Hotak Empire, in 1709. History The Hotak Empire was formed after a successful upr ...

, he was sent by Martin to

Kabul Kabul (; ps, , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into 22 municipal districts. Acco ...

to be Chief Engineer of Afghanistan. There, as the first European to live in Afghanistan since the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1879–81, he trained the local people to make guns, swords, ammunition, coins, soap, candles, etc. On behalf of Martin's firm, he built an arsenal, a mint and various factories and workshops, employing in total some 4,000 workers. In 1893, he was sent to India by the Amir as a Special Ambassador, and at the conclusion of the negotiations was invested a Companion of the

Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...

(CSI) and

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

by the British government in recognition of his services. He was also a vital contact with the Durand Mission who were defining the borders of Afghanistan. He left the Amir's service in 1899 because of failing health and was replaced by Thomas Martin's younger brother Frank. He received a diamond inlaid watch from the Amir as a token of thanks. He died in 1921. Sir Mortimer Durand said of him, "Pyne has gained a remarkable position in Afghanistan... The more I have to do with him, the more respect I feel for his sagacity."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pyne, Thomas Salter 1860 births 1921 deaths Companions of the Order of the Star of India 19th-century English engineers People from Broseley Knights Bachelor British people in colonial India British expatriates in Afghanistan