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, to John Pyne and Alice Salter. At the age of 15, he began an apprenticeship with an engineer and by 1879, had become the manager of a foundry and engineering works. In 1883, Pyne moved 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, after Martin was appointed Agent by

Abdur Rahman Khan Abdur Rahman Khan (Pashto: ) (between 1840 and 1844 – 1 October 1901) also known by his epithet, The Iron Amir, was Amir of Afghanistan from 1880 to his death in 1901. He is known for perpetrating the Hazara genocide, but also uniting the ...

, the

Amir of Afghanistan This article lists the heads of state of Afghanistan since the foundation of the first modern Afghan state, the Hotak Empire, in 1709. History The Hotak Empire was formed after a successful uprising led by Mirwais Hotak and other Afghan tr ...

, Pyne was sent to

Kabul Kabul 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. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...

to serve as Chief Engineer of Afghanistan. He became the first European to live in Afghanistan since the

Second Anglo-Afghan War The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the latter was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai dy ...

(1879–1881). In this capacity, he trained local Afghans in the production of guns, swords, ammunition, coins, soap, and candles. On behalf of Martin's firm, Pyne oversaw the construction of an arsenal, a mint, and various factories and workshops, employing approximately 4,000 workers. In 1893, Pyne was sent by the Amir as a Special Ambassador to India. Upon concluding the negotiations, he was appointed 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 a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

by the British government in recognition of his services. Pyne was also a key liaison with the Durand Mission, which was tasked with defining the borders of Afghanistan. Pyne left the Amir's service in 1899 due to ill health and was succeeded by Thomas Martin's younger brother, Frank. As a token of gratitude, the Amir presented Pyne with a diamond-inlaid watch. He died in 1921. Reflecting on Pyne's contributions, Sir Mortimer Durand remarked, "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