Kirkpatrick built the mansion for himself and his Indian wife Khair un Nissa, who bore him two surviving children who were sent to England by the age of five and never saw them again due to the early deaths of their parents.

The building  was at once the embassy of the East India Company to the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the residence of James Kirkpatrick, the British Resident, as well as his successors.
Within its compound there were several quarters, including a zenana (women's quarters) where Khair un Nissa lived.
Within the compound is a miniature model of the building- legend has it that this was so Kirkpatrick's wife, who remained in purdah, could see the entire mansion, including the front.
This scaled model has recently been beautifully restored.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a group of rebels, led by Maulvi Allauddin and Turrebaz Khan, attacked the residency.
After the events of 1857, the British erected martello towers at the residency, which were demolished in 1954.

After independence in 1947, the building became vacant.
In 1949 it was converted into a women's college, Osmania University College for Women.

After a court directive to the Archaeological Survey of India, it is now a protected monument.
However, the building has suffered much damage and part of the ceiling has collapsed.
Kirkpatrick built the mansion for himself and his Indian wife Khair un Nissa, who bore him two surviving children who were sent to England by the age of five and never saw them again due to the early deaths of their parents.
The building  was at once the embassy of the East India Company to the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the residence of James Kirkpatrick, the British Resident, as well as his successors. Within its compound there were several quarters, including a zenana (women's quarters) where Khair un Nissa lived. Within the compound is a miniature model of the building- legend has it that this was so Kirkpatrick's wife, who remained in purdah, could see the entire mansion, including the front. This scaled model has recently been beautifully restored.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, a group of rebels, led by Maulvi Allauddin and Turrebaz Khan, attacked the residency. After the events of 1857, the British erected martello towers at the residency, which were demolished in 1954.
After independence in 1947, the building became vacant. In 1949 it was converted into a women's college, Osmania University College for Women.
After a court directive to the Archaeological Survey of India, it is now a protected monument. However, the building has suffered much damage and part of the ceiling has collapsed.
British Residency, Hyderabad