Per PAYNE & CO – WINE MERCHANTS & REGIMENTAL AGENTS

Payne and Company were Wine Merchants and Regimental Agents based in Calcutta with branches in London, Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manilla. On Monday 14 December 1868 they placed a large advertisement on the front page of The Times of India advising the opening of a branch in Elphinstone Circle (immediately opposite the Custom House) in Bombay. Payne and Co claim to have been supplying most of the Messes in India and in evidence they provide a list of the “Regiments and Batteries which have entrusted us with their orders since the Mutiny in 1857” which include the names of the Mess Presidents responsible for placing orders.. These comprise:
11 Regiments of British Cavalry
82 Regiments of British Infantry
07 Brigades of Horse Artillery
53 Brigades of Royal Foot Artillery
26 Regiments of Bengal and Madras Cavalry
61 Regiments of Bengal Infantry
11 Regiments of Late Bengal Infantry
15 Regiments of Bombay and Madras Infantry
22 Miscellaneous Regiments.
Those regiments which did not include the name of the Mess President have been excluded from the data base.