Besides Younghusband’s writing in 1906 mentioning Mr. Kennard’s role in development of Kashmiri Houseboats, following is the only description available of actual Mr. Kennard’s houseboat.
“No European is allowed to build or own a house in Kashmir and the result is that the numerous visitors to the happy valley live for a great portion of their time in house boats. These boats are very large and comfortable. They are hired for the season with furniture, a staff of servants and a kitchen boat attached, and the occupants move about from place to place along the numerous waterways of Kashmir and lead an idyllic river life amid beautiful scenery, anchoring where they please and spending their time in fishing, shooting and reading and other amusements. We visited one house boat at Srinagar belonging yo a Mr. Kennard, which was a regular villa built in two stories. The interior was panelled with carved wood and the furnishing and upholstering were all the most perfect taste. Mr. Kennard was at home and very kindly showed us over his beautiful floating residence.”
~ ‘A narrative of His Highness the Maharaja’s trip to Kashmir in 1918’ by R. H. Campbell (1919) about the visit of Maharaja of Mysore to Kashmir. (The direct impact of this visit was that Mysore got Mysore Boy Scouts, and a copy of Shalimar Garden in the form of Brindavan Gardens. Also, in Srinagar, the temple on Shankaracharya got an electric bulb, a gift from the Maharaja of Mysore, forever changing the night view of the hill.
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