Early Life and Career
Born in London to the Scottish poet Allan Cunningham, he had his early education at Christ's Hospital, London. He later studied at the M.E.I Company's Seminary at Addiscombe, and at the R.E. Estate at Chatham. He joined the Bengal Engineers at the age of 19 as a Second Lieutenant and spent the next 28 years in the service of British Government of India. Soon after arriving in India in June 1833, a meeting with James Prinsep sparked his lifelong interest in Indian archaeology and antiquity. He was ADC to Lord Auckland, the Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1840. On 30 March 1840, he married Alicia Maria Whish, daughter of Martin Whish B.C.S. He was appointed as Colonel R.E in 1860. Cunningham retired in 1861, having attained the rank of Major General.
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