Share Our Heritage with the World

---

General John Jacob built a 30-feet high dovecote in the premises of his residency, for the pigeons. In the wake of poor communication system and the remoteness of the area he maintained a nursery of pigeons for communication and spying purpose. The nursery was unique in its character and was first of its kind in colonial Sindh. Roger Pearce, the one-time 'gora' Deputy Commission of Jacobabad in his autobiography entitled as "Once a Happy Valley" (Memoirs of an ICS Officer in Sindh, 1938-1948), has very well explained the need of raring pigeons by John Jacob as below:

"The Baloch tribes of the hill areas were accustomed to raiding into the plains of Sindh; Jacob first defeated them in battle, then suppressed their raiding hobby by constant mounted patrols by the regiment he raised, the Scinde horse. The speed of action by his patrols was astonishing, helped by his pigeon postal systems between outposts and Jacobabad."

It is very much intact these days and a large number of wild pigeons still nest in this dovecote, refreshing the long memories of founder of this town.

Open in Google Map: 28.283491, 68.440176

---

---