Quick Facts
Biography
Lt. Colonel Evelyn Hey Cobb, OBE (15 September 1899 - 25 February 1972) was an Officer in the British Indian Army and served as Political Administrator in various capacities in North-West India. He started the tradition of holding a polo tournament at Shandur.
Early life
Evelyn Hey Cobb of Oak Cottage Baughurst Basingstoke was born on 15 September 1899 at Simla India. His father William Hey Cobb was a Barrister from the Inner Temple who served as City Magistrate in Lucknow India. Cobb received education from Winchester College and Cadet College Queeta and training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Cobb was a well read man who enjoyed lengthy discourse and had a love for field sports, the countryside and the mountain. He was immensely fond of hunting, fishing and polo.
Career
In 1918 he got Commissioned and joined the 25th Cavalry of the Indian Army. In 1919 he started serving in the Foreign and Political Department of the North-West Frontier Province. He was appointed Personal Assistant to the Chief Commissioner, North-West Frontier Province in 1925. He served in Chitral from 1927 to 1937, first as Assistant Political Agent and then as Political Agent. In the early 1930s Cobb initiated the tradition of holding a polo tournament between Chitral and Gilgit on Shandur. The practice continues till this day and draws thousands of spectators each year. Cobb also introduced the practice of playing polo in the moonlight at Shandur.
In 1937 Colonel Cobb assumed the Office of Political Agent North-West Frontier States Agency (Dir, Swat, and Chitral). In 1940 he became the Political Agent of North Waziristan. In 1943 Cobb was appointed Political Agent of the Gilgit Agency. During his tenure in Gilgit he planted trout into the Yasin River. He was mad keen on polo and during his frequent visits to Hunza was instrumental in establishing a number of polo grounds in the locality.
Death
Evelyn Hey Cobb died a natural death on 25 February 1972.