THE SIDDONS UNION CLUB

AMU Students’ Union (formerly “The Siddons Union Club”) 

“Man is naturally a speaking animal.” The superiority he possesses over other animals mainly consists in this noble gift. Fortunately, it is a faculty which can be improved by practice and Knowledge is not enough to teach, it is the base of great thinking.The best training school for the formation of good language and expression is most certainly a debating society. It is there that a young man learns how to produce his ideas in a lucid order and with graceful ease.

Strachey Hall, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Thus, “The Siddons Union Club” came into existence in 26^th August 1884 at Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (M.A.-O. College). Presently known as The Aligarh Muslim University, (AMU), Aligarh.

               Henry George Impey Siddons, the first principal of the M.A.-O College(1877). He graduated from the Oxford University. He was an able administrator and experienced educationist. He took a very keen interest in the development and progress of the College. He laid down the charge of his office on 28^thjanuary 1884. 

Mr. H.G.I. Siddons

            “The boarders of the first class Boarding House organised a ‘Reading Room’at their own expense on self-help basis in October, 1880. The formation of the‘UnionClub’of the students was announced by the Principal Mr. Siddonson 25th September, 1881.”1 This was named after to honor him and known as “The Siddons Union Club”.1

Mr. Theodore Beck

After the resignation of Mr. H.G.I. Siddons due to illness, Mr. Theodore Beck appointed as the second principal of M.A.-O. College in 1^st February 1884. He was a distinguished graduate of the Trinity College, Cambridge and had held the office of the president of the Cambridge University Union Society (C.U.U.S.). “The Siddons Union Club” was developed on the modeled of C.U.U.S. In the meeting of the opening ceremony was held at the Club on Tuesday, the 26^th August 1884, at 9 A.M. Kunwar Mahomed Lutf Ali Khan, President of the College Fund Committee was a chair as the President.

The Club was formed exclusively to nurture the students in the aptitude for and elegance in public speaking, civilized argument and energetic debate.

On the occasion, Hon’ble Sir Syed Ahmed Khan proposed that “The Principal of the College shall be the President of the Club, and that the members of the College Committees, the Professors and Teachers of the College and School Departments, the students of the College Classes and those of the first three classes of the School, be eligible for membership of the Club. He will also propose that at first the Rules for the guidance of the Club be framed by the Principal and the Secretary, Managing Committee.”² 

             The Laws of the Club have contains 5 Chapters.² (Some general rules mentioned below).

Chapter I: of the nature of the Club.

(i)   “This Club shall be called in honor of the first President of the M.A.-O. College, The Siddons Union Club.”

(ii)       “The objects of this Club shall be:-      To hold debates.

  To maintain a Library and Reading-Room.”

Chapter II: of the members

(i)   “Students of the College and first three School Classes may become members of this Club on payment of an entrance fee of Rs. 1 and a subscription of 8 Annas per month.”

Chapter III: of the officers.

(i)     “The Principal shall be President.”

(ii)   “Vice-President and Secretary shall be elected by the Club.”

(iii)  “Secretary of the Managing Committee of the College shall be Treasurer of the Club.”

Chapter IV: of the Committee.

(i)  “The Committee shall consist of the four officers, and six members elected by the Club by ballot.

Chapter V: of debates.

(i)   The Committee was fixed the days for debates.

(ii)  No motion can be carried at a private business meeting unless 15 members vote.

Debating Hall (from stage)

“On Saturday, 15^th November 1884, at 7:30 A.M., the first debate of the Club was held. The President, Mr. Beck, was in the chair. Sajjad Hossain, B.A., brought forward the motion “That the spread of female education in India is to be desired, but by home tuition and not by schools and colleges.” After the hon. proposer’s reply, the House divided; Ayes 18; Noes 21. The motion was therefore lost by 3 votes.”³


Debating Hall

The first lecture on agriculture was given in the Club on 21^st November 1884, by Raja Hari Hara Datta Dube Bahadur, of Jaunpur , said that “To improve our country we must first improve ourselves.” The Principal of the College was in the chair.³

 At the foundation an interchange of greetings between C.U.U.S. took place. The following were the text:

Debating Hall

“The President of the Union Club of the M.A.-O. College presents his compliments to the President of the Cambridge University Union Society and begs to inform him that the Cambridge University Union Society has given birth to a similar, though at present small, Society in the far East. He invites the sympathy of members of the ancient and flourishing society at Cambridge for the youthful club founded by men who though different in the race are citizens of the same great Empire. The creed of Aligarh is that the relationship between the English  and Indian subjects of Her Majesty should be one of brotherhood. He hopes that if any member of the Cambridge University Union Society should visit Aligarh he will experience a practical exemplification of this aim.”⁴

                       To this letter he had received the following reply from the President of the Cambridge Union:-

              “At the first private business meeting of this term, the following resolution was proposed by the President of the Society' (Mr. W. Howard Stables, Trinity College), and seconded by Mr. J. Austen Chamberlain, Trinity College, and carried with one dissentient.
‘That the Cambridge University Union Society desires to express its satisfaction that a Society based on the same principles as itself has been founded at Aligarh by one of its ex-Presidents, and as a means of displaying its sense of the brotherhood which exists between all subjects of our sovereign, and also of the close tie that binds the two Societies together, herein sends its heartfelt sympathy and congratulation to the President and members of that Society.”(cheers.)⁴

                           The Club had a debating hall, a Library, Reading room and Drawing-room. In 26^th January 1892, Library had some 600 useful  books. In 1^st July 1895, it had 684books. In 1905 it had 1040 volumes. The Newspapers and Magazines were subscribed to its members. The Pioneer, The Indian Mirror, The Times of India, The Bombay Gazette, The Nineteenth Century, The Islam, The Mahomedan Observer, The Aligarh Institute Gazette, The Sirmoor Gazette, The Azad, The NajmulAkhbar and The Alam-e-Tasveer. The Club was to hold Penny Readings and by these, the students improve their reading and were taught to read the foreign language with proper accent and force.

                   The Club was also facilitated indoor games to them. Debates were held twice-a-month in English and once-a-month in Hindustani language. During the time of Mr. Morison, debates were regularly held four times a month, at 7:30 P.M. in winter and at 8 P.M. in summer. Debates were also organized on special occasions to enable distinguished visitors to participate in them.

                    According to the rules of the Club, no proposition can be supported until at least one speaker has spoken against it. The audience has the opportunity to vote 'For' and 'Against' of the proposition.

                  The Club was published 'The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College Magazine' from 1st July 1894, before, it was published with 'Aligarh Institute Gazette' from 5th May 1891. Prof. T.W. Arnold was accountable for it.

Foundation Stone

Mr. Theodore Morison

Debates were being held at Strachey Hall, but during the Principalship of Mr. Beck, the Club was shifted to a Bungalow.It was extended after the donation of Rs. 3,000 from His Highness "the Nawab of Maler Kotla"and there were further donations too from Maulvi Gholam Jabbar Sahib of Hyderabad and many other well-wishers of the College. The foundation stone was laid by Hon’ble Mr. Theodore Morison, M.A., who was the third Principal of M.A.-O. College. The new building was inaugurated by Raja of Mahmudabad on 17^th April 1911.

The club was held debates on political, social and other questions of the day and thus trains the young minds in the art of elocution and they have also proposed the issues related to Muslims of India. Some propositions were discussed below:

1884 
1.  On Wednesday, the 3^rd December, a debate was held in the Club on the subject :- “That this House is of opinion that the good or bad qualities of a man have nothing to do with his birth.” The motion was proposed by Mustafa Khan. After the honorable opener’s reply the House divided. For the motion 8; against, 14. The motion was therefore lost by 6 votes.

2.      17^th December, the Motion was proposed by Badr-ulHasan that “the House is an opinion that in matters of education the responsibility lies on us and not on Government.” For the motion 14, against 7. The motion was, therefore, carried by 7 votes.

1886

3.      On Friday, 8^th January, the following motion was discussed in the Club: “That this House does not believe in ghosts.”The House divided: For the motion 32; against the motion 16.

4.      On 22^nd January, Mohamed Asghar proposed that “The Indian University System had proved a failure.” The vote being for the motion 12 and against 10.

1899

5.      On 13^th February, the motion brought forward by HyderHasan that “The theater exercised a beneficial influence on our morals.” The motion was rejected by 15 votes to 6.

6.      On Sunday, 19^th March, Mohammed Hayat was introduced his motion that “It is of no use for the Indians to improve the indigenous languages of India but they adopt the English language as a medium of communication.” The motion was rejected by 21 votes to 10.

7.      On 4^th March, the proposition was put up by Abdul Kadir Khan, B.A. that “This House condemns private charity.” The motion was carried by 18 votes to 12.

8.      On 8^th April, the question of marriage was taken up by the House, Mohamed Yakub was introduced his proposition in Urdu that “This House is of opinion that love marriages are not happy.” The opposite side winning by 28 votes to 5.

9.      On Saturday, 22^nd April, a debate was held in the club at 8 p.m. Ali Hussain sahib was in the chair. Mr. Abdul Qadir Khan, B.A. proposed that “This House is of opinion that wealth does more to produce crime than poverty.” Ayes: 5 ;Noes: 16. The motion was lost by a majority of 11 votes.

10.  On 6^th May, Ashraf Ali, B.A. came forward to move that “Music improves health, morals, as well as happiness and is indispensable for a proper culture of the mind.” The proposition carried by 21 votes to 8.

11.  In 16^th May last, HyderHasan has proposed that “This House is of opinion that Urdu Newspapers are doing harm instead of good to the country.” The majority of the voters, who decided by 6 votes to 10 in favor of the Urdu press.

12.  On 29^th October, Mr. Mohamed Asghar says that the “Mohammedans shall never rise again.” The motion was rejected by 59 votes to 14.

1901

13.  On 9^thMarch,Fazl-ul-Hasan moved in Urdu that “This House is of opinion that Pardah System should be abolished in India” (translate from Urdu). The motion was dropped by the majority of 23 votes.

14.  On 23^rd March, Mr. Md. Shafi, B.A. proposed that “The Regeneration of India without the Revival of Religion was impossible.” The motion was carried by an enormous majority of 67.

15.  On 13^th April, Maulana ^Fazl-ul-Hasan proposed in Urdu that “Eastern Poetry has more priority than Western Poetry.”The proposition was carried by a majority of 43 votes.

                    The Club have held debates some these topics too:

“Freedom of the press in a country like India is not desirable.”

·  “The culture of Lucknow is better than that of Delhi.” Lucknow lost by 32 against 11 votes.

·    “Might rule the world and not right.”

·   “The Mohammedans of the New Light have degraded the moral status of native society.”

·  “This House disapproves of the action of The Allahabad University discontinuing the grant for the University Athletic Tournament.”

·  “Whether the existence of parties in a state was or was not favorable to the good government.”

·  “The high hopes about western civilization had proved delusive.”

·   “Lawyers were of the 1^st rate importance to a country.”

Mrs. L. Tipping drew up the scheme of Extempore Debates. Prize named was ‘Tipping Extempore Prize.’

On 6^th April 1901, a set of extempore debates was held. Following the list of proposition discussed:

        i. “War is injurious to human interests.”

      ii. “Sword is mightier than the pen.”

    iii. “Th study of Literature is better than that of Mathematics.”

    iv. “Ghosts are delusions.”

      v. “No education which is not directly useful should be encouraged.”

    vi. “Learning is preferable to wealth.”

  vii. “In education alone is the regeneration of the Mohammedans of India.”

viii. “Examinations are an unnecessary evil.”

At the end of the debates, Mr. Tipping announced that Mrs.  Tipping approved Mr. Abu Mohammad’s speech best. The prize was awarded by her to him.⁵

The following figures give statistical information as to the working of the Club:

6

7

§8
Harold Cox Cambridge Speaking Prize, instituted by Mr. Harold Cox, Professor of Mathematics and Political Economy in 1887.

§  Meston Oxford Prize, introduced in the year 1914.

§  The above two prizes merged to form ‘Harold Cox-MestonPrize’ in 1921. (At the end the name of recipients).

          Annual Evening Party was given by the Club. On the occasion,chief guests, College principal and professors, and students were present.

      The Club was celebrated his anniversary. In the beginning, the Vice-President read his reports. The recitations, penny readings, and the acts were performed very nicely. Urdu and English Poems, Speeches was also delivered.

         In 1898-99 report said that “the balance to the credit of the Club was Rs. 650, 9 As.4Paise and last year it was Rs. 431. 3 As.5 Paise.”⁹

                The Club has organized an election to elect Vice-President, Hony. Secretary. (At the end, mentioned the name of these).

          After the Muslim University Act passed on 1^st December 1920, “The Siddons Union Club” was renamed as “Muslim University Students’ Union” (now AMUSU). The Struggle of revival being forth in overtime. 
Now again it has restored. After the resurrection of the Club the students have gotten the dialectic platform at world level to speak his valuable voice from this great seat of learning.

• Recipients of the ‘Harold Cox Cambridge Speaking prize’ :

1888:Aftab Ahmad Khan

1889: Mustafa Khan

1890: Sarfaraz Hossain

1891: Kutbuddin

1892: Ghulam us Saqlain

1893: Nazir Ahmad

1894: Shaukat Ali

1895: Mumtaz Husain

1896: Shaikh Abdullah

1897: Mohammed Asghar

1898: Mohammed Saeed

1899: Ashraf Ali

1900: Sajjad Hyder

1901: Mohammed Hyat

1903: Zarif Mohammed

1904: Tarafdar Husain

1905: Syed Abu Mohammed

1906: R.M. Ghulam Husain

1907: A. Rahman Seohravi

1908: Mukhtar Ahmad

1909: Mohammed Ahmad

1910: Mohd. AbdurRahman

1911: Syed Kalbe Abbas Naqvi

1912: Ameer Ahmad Khan

1913: Mohd. Fazle Amin

• Recipients of the ‘Meston Oxford Prize’:

1914: Syed Ashfaq Husain

1915: Mohd. Aurangzeb Khan

1916: Syed Zaheeruddin

1917: Ibne Hasan

1918: Habibur Rahman

1919: Syed Nurullah

1920: Sultan Mohd. Khan

• Recipients of the ‘HaroldCox-Mestonprize’:

1921: KH. Ghulam-us-Sayadain

1922: S. Mohiuddin Ahmad

1924: Ashraf Hasan Khan

1925: M. Adil Abbasi & A.K. Bijli

1926: Shoukat Umar

1927: Abdul Qadir&  M.M. Ahmad

• Saifi Imdad Ali Gold Medal for Best English Speaker. The list of the recipients:

1953-54: M.A.E. Bulbulia

1954-55: A.A. Khan Soz

1956-57: Syed Mohiuddin

1958-59: S. Shahid Mehdi

1959-60: Shabbir Ahmad Masoodi

1960-61: Afsar Akhter Husain

• Saifi Fida Husain Gold Medal for Best Urdu Speaker. The list of the recipients:

1953-54: M.A. Saeed

1954-55: Abidullah Ghazi

1956-57: Syed Ziaul Hasan Hashmi

1958-59: Syed Tahzibus Sibtain

1959-60: Mohammad Sagheer

1960-61: Basir Ahmad Khan

• Saifi Burhanuddin Gold Medal for Best Urdu Essayist. The list of the recipients:

1953-54: Zahiruddin Ahmed Siddiqi

1954-55: Sadiqur Rehman Kidwai

1956-57: Anwar Siddiqi

1958-59: Syed Ishtiaque Hasnain Abidi

1959-60: Dilnawaz Ahmad Siddiqi

• ·        The Siddons Union Club (Vice President)10

1884-87: Sajjad Husain

1887-88: M. Badrul Hasan

1888-89: Mirza Qasim Beg

1889-90: Habibullah Khan

1890-91: Mazharul Haq

1891-92: Ahmed Husain

1892-93: Syed Zainuddin

1893-94: Syed Ahmad Ali

1894-95: Qamar Ali

1895-96: K. Mahmud Husain

1896-97: Abdullah

1897-98: Mohammed Asghar

1898-99: Ali Hassan

1899-1900: Mohd. Hayat

1900-01: K. Ghulam Sibtain

1901-02: Zarif Mohammad

1902-03: S. Raza Ali

1903-04: S. Mustafa Husain

1904-05: Abdul Hamid Khan & K. Mohd. Akram

1905-06: Muzaffar Mohd. Khan & A. Rahman Siddiqi

1906-07: Tasaddoq Ahmed Khan

1907-08: A. Rahman Seoharvi

1909: Karim Hyder Lodhi

1910: Abdul Qayyum Malik

1911: Siddiq Hasan Baduni

1912: Mohd. Abdur Raheem

1913: Mohd. Elyas Burny

1914: Ameer Ahmad Khan

1915: Syed Ashfaq Husain

1916: Mohd. Fazle Amin Alomeri of Khairabad

1917: Mohd. Aurangzeb Khan of Kulanch

1918: Zakir Husain Khan

1919: Mohammad Hayat of Madras

1920: K.M. Khuda Bakhsh

• ·       The Siddons Union Club (Secretaries)10

1884-85: S. Mohammad Ali

1885-87: M. Aziz Mirza

1887-88: Mir Welayat Husain

1888-89: Sheikh Masood Ali

1889-90: Syed Tufail Ahmad

1890-91: Mohammad Daud

1891-92: Mohd. Alaul Hasan

1892-93: Shaukat Ali

1893-94: Zafar Ali

1894-95: Shakoor Baksh

1895-96: Mohsin Husain

1896-97: Ziaullah Khan

1897-98: Misbahul Osman

1898-99: Sajjad Hyder

1899-1900: Abdul Kadir Khan

1900-01: Mohammad Faiq

1901-02: S. Nasiruddin Hyder

1902-03: Mohamed Mosanna

1903-04: Ashfaq Husain

1904-05: Talamuz Husain

1905-06: Syed Ashfaq Husain & MohammedIshaq

1906-07: Abdul Majid Qureshi

1907-08: Syed Bunyad Husain

1909: Nazir Hasan Ansari

1910: Zahiruddin Farooqi

1911: Abdul Ghani Ansari

1912: H. Mohd. Ibraheem

1913: Shah Alam Khan

1914: Muzaffar Husain Khan

1915: Syed Asad Md. Ali & Syed Shafaat Husain

1916: S. Zaheeruddin

1917: Shaikh Ali Jawed

1918: Mohammad Abdussami

1919: Rashid Ahmad Siddiqi

1920: Mohamad Haziq

• ·       The Siddons Union Club (Librarians)10

1902: Nawab Ali

1903: Haji Mohammed Khan

1904: Syed Hussain

1905: Nizam Mohammad

1906: M.I.M. Waheed

1907: Syed Saghir Ali

1908: H. Abdul Aziz & Inamur Rahman

1909: Mohd. Zaheeruddin

1910: Mohd. Haider Khan & Fakhruddin Ahmad

1911: Abdul Hai Lari

1912: Shah Abdul Rauf & Basheer Ahmad Siddiqi

1913: Mohd. Abdul Rafay

1914: Mohd. Nuruddin Sufi

1915: Syed Munawwar

1916: Mohd. Hanif

1917: Mohd. Nasiruddin Alvi

1918: Iqbal Mohammad Khan & Mohammad Amin

1919: Manzoor Hasan Khan

1920: Sufi Ahmad Bakhsh

References:

1:Bhatnagar S.K. 'History of MAO College', 1969, Published by Asia Publishing House, P.73.

2: The Aligarh Institute Gazette, 26^th Aug, 1884; Vol.: XIX; No.: 69; P. 134.

3: The Aligarh Institute Gazette, 22^nd Nov, 1884; Vol.: XIX; N0.: 94; P. 304-305.

4: The Aligarh Institute Gazette, 20^th Dec. 1884; Vol.: XIX; No.: 102; P. 358.

5: M.A.-O. College Magazine, May, 1901; Vol.: IX; No.: 5; P. 18-21.

6: M.A.-O. College Magazine, 1^st July, 1895; Vol.: 2; No.: 7; P. 267.

7 & 9: M.A.-O. College Magazine, 1^st Jan, 1900; Vol.: VIII; No.: 1; P. 3-9.

8: The Aligarh Monthly, Vol. III, No. 3, March 1905, P. 8-15.

10: 'Directory, AMU Old Boy's (Alumni) Association, Aligarh'. Published by Nizam Educational & Welfare Society, Azamgarh. P. A-16.

Bibliography:

Ø  'The Aligarh Institute Gazette': 22^nd Nov, 6^th Dec, 9^th Dec, 20^th Dec, 1884; 19^th Jan 1886, 5th May 1891, 26^th Jan 1892, 1^st  December 1920.

Ø  'The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College Magazine',: 1^st July, 1^st Oct, 1894; 1^stjan, 1^st March, 1^st July, 1^st Aug, 1^st Dec, 1895;1^st Jan, 1896; Feb, March, 15^th April, April, 1^st May, 15^th May, 1^st June, 15^th June, 1^st July, 15^th Nov, 1^st Dec, 1899; 1^stjan, 1^st& 15^th Feb,1900; April, May, 1901;

Ø  'The Aligarh Monthly': March,1905,(Registered No. A 234).

Ø  'History of MAO College', 1969, Author:S.K. Bhatnagar, Published by Asia Publishing House.

'Sir Syed our Fan e Tamir', 2001, writer: IftikharAlam Khan. Published by Publication Division, Muslim University, Aligarh-202002.