Sir Alexander Bartholomew Grant was an English academic. He was born in 1826 and died in 1884. Educated at Harrow and at Oxford, where he became public examiner. In 1858 he was appointed inspector of schools in the Madras presidency; became professor of history and political economy in Elphinstone College, Madras, in 1860, and its principal in 1862; vice-chancellor of Bombay University in 1863; director of public instruction in Bombay Presidency, 1865; and vice-chancellor and principal of Edinburgh University in 1868. He is best known by his annotated edition of Aristotle's Ethics (first published 1857), and his Story of the University of Edinburgh (1884), published in connection with the University Tercentenary. Research Alexander Grant
Andrew Bell was a Scottish clergyman. He was born in 1753 at St Andrews and died in 1832. He was the author of the mutual instruction or 'Madras' system of education. He took orders in the Church of England, and in 1789 went to India, where he became chaplain at FortSt George, Madras, and manager of the institution for the education of the orphan children of European soldiers. Failing to retain the services of properly qualified ushers, he resorted to the expedient of employing the scholars in mutual instruction; and after his return to Britain published a treatise on the monitorial or Madras system of education. Joseph Lancaster, a dissenter, began to work on the system, and a considerable amount of friction and rivalry ensued between the dissenters and the church party. Dr. Andrew Bell lived long enough to witness the introduction of his system into 12,973 national schools, educating 900,000 English children, and to know that it was employed extensively in almost every other civilized country. He latterly became a prebendary of Westminster, and was master of Sherborn Hospital, Durham. At his death he left 120,000 pounds for the erection and maintenance of schools on his favourite system, 60,000 pounds of which was set apart for his native town. Research Andrew Bell
Sir Henry Bart Pottinger was a distinguished British soldier and diplomat. He was born in 1789 and died in 1843 at Hong Kong. He went to India as a cadet in 1804 and soon became known for his energy and administrative ability. Rising gradually to the rank of major-general, he was, after the Afghancampaign in 1839, raised to the baronetage as a reward for his services. In 1841 he went as minister-plenipotentiary to China, and contributed much to bring hostilities to a conclusion. He was successively governor and commander-in-chief of Hong Kong in 1843 and governor of the Cape of Good Hope in 1846 and governor and commander-in-chief of Madras from 1847 to 1854. Research Henry Pottinger
Sue Mountstuart Elphinstone Frant Duff was a Scottish writer on political and other subjects. He was born in 1829 at Aberdeenshire and died in 1906. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy, The Grange, Bishop Wearmouth, and Balliol College, Oxford. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1854, and in 1857 entered the House of Commons as Liberal member for the Elgin Burghs, which constituency he continued to represent until 1881. He was under-secretary for India in Gladstone's ministry from 1868 to 1874, and under-secretary for the colonies from 1880 to 1881, in which latter year he was appointed governor of Madras. His Indian administration was most successful, and on his retirement in 1886 he was made a GOSI. He was president of the Royal Geographical Society from 1889 until 1893, and of the Royal Historical Society from 1892 until 1899, and was also a trustee of the British Museum. His published works include Studies in European Politics (1866); A Political Survey (1868); Elgin Speeches (1871); Notes of an Indian Journey (1876); Miscellanies, Political and Literary (1879); Memoir of Sir H. S. Maine (1892); Ernest Renan (1893); and Notes from a Diary (published in seven volumes between 1897 and 1905). Research Mountstuart Duff
Robert Clive, LordClive and Baron of Plassey, was the principal founder of the British Empire in India. He is also known as Clive of India. He was born in 1725 at Market Drayton and died in 1774. As a child he formed a protection racket and demanded money from the local shop keepers.
When he was nineteen years old he entered the East India Company's service at Madras as a writer, but in 1747 quit the civil for the military service. It was a perilous time for British interests in India. The French under Dupleix had gained important privileges and large grants of territory, and in alliance with Chunda Sahib, nabob of Arcot,were threatening the very existence of the British establishments.
In 1751 Robert Clive, who had already a reputation for skill and courage, marched on the large city of Arcot with 200 British troops and 300 Sepoys, and took it, although strongly garrisoned, without a blow, withstood a siege by Ghunda Sahib for nearly two months, and at last routed the enemy, took possession of important posts, and returned to Madras completely victorious.
In 1753 he sailed to England to recover his health, and was received with much honour. Two years later he was back in India, in his governorship of St David's, from which he was soon summoned to command the expedition sent to Bengal, where the nabobSuraj-ud-Dowlah had attacked the British, destroyed their factories, taken Calcutta, and suffocated over 120 of his prisoners in the Black Hole. Robert Clive soon took possession of Calcutta and brought Suraj-ud-Dowlah to terms, but having no trust in the loyal intentions of the nabob he resolved to dethrone him. With the help of Meer Jaffier, one of the nabob's officers, he effected his purpose, and in the Battle of Plassey completely overthrew Suraj-ud-Dowlah's forces. Meer Jaffier now became the new nabob, and Robert Clive was made governor of Calcutta. Here he was equally successful against the encroachments of the Dutch, defeating their forces both by sea and land.
Robert Clive now visited England again, where his success was highly applauded without much inquiry as to the means; and in 1761 he was raised to the Irish peerage with the title of LordClive, Baron of Plassey. In 1764 fresh troubles in India brought him back, but now as president of Bengal, with command of the troops there. Before his arrival, however, Major Adams had already defeated the Nabob of Oude, and Robert Clive had only the arranging of the treaty by which the Company obtained the disposal of all the revenues of Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa.
In 1767 he finally returned to England. In 1773 a motion supported by the minister was made in the House of Commons, that 'LordClive had abused the powers with which he was intrusted;' but it was rejected for a resolution that 'LordClive had rendered great and meritorious services to his country.' His health was by this time broken, and in one of his habitual fits of melancholy he committed suicide on November the 22nd, 1774.
Robert Clive was of a reserved temper, although among his intimate friends he could be lively and pleasant. He was always self-directed and secret in his decisions, but inspired those under his command with the utmost confidence, owing to his bravery and presence of mind. In private life he was kind and exceedingly liberal. He married the sister of the astronomer - royal Dr. Maskelyne. Research Robert Clive
Sherard Osborn was a British admiral. He was born in 1822 at Madras and died in 1875. Having served in China from 1841 to 1842 he was appointed to command one of the ships of the first Franklin search expedition, and on his return published 'Stray Leaves from an Arctic Journal' in 1852. In 1852 until 1855 he again went to the Arctic. During the Crimean War he led a flotilla of light craft in the Sea of Azov, causing an immense amount of destruction. In the second China War he distinguished himself. Research Sherard Osborn
Sir Thomas Troubridge was a British read-admiral. He was born in 1758 and died in 1807. Commissioned in the navy in 1773, he served in the East Indies. In command of the Culloden he fought at the Battle of St Vincent in 1797, and for his services in the Meditterranean was made a baronet in 1799. Lord of the Admiralty from 180 until 1804, the following year he commanded the Blenheim and sailed for the east Indies. On a voyage from Madras to the Cape, the Blenheim was wrecked off the coast of Madagascar and he was drowned. Research Thomas Troubridge
Lord William Charles Cavendish Bentinck was an English soldier and governor. He was born in 1774 and died in 1839. He was the second son of the third Duke of Portland. He served in Flanders, in Italy under Suwaroff, and in Egypt. He was governor of Madras from 1803 until 1805 and commanded a brigade at Corunna. In 1810 he was British plenipotentiary and commander-in-chief of the troops in Sicily; and in 1813 headed an expedition into Catalonia. In 1814 he endeavoured to stimulate a revolt against the French in Italy and took possession of Genoa. The same year he returned to England and entered Parliament. In 1827 he was sent to India as governor-general. Many wholesome measures marked his administration, which lasted until 1835, when he returned and became MP for Glasgow.
Lord William George Fredericl Cavendish Bentinck was an English politician. He was born in 1802 and died in 1848. He was the son of the fourth Duke of Portland. He entered the army, but quit it to become private secretary to Canning, and in 1827 entered Parliament. Up to 1846 he was a warm adherent of Sir Robert Peel; but in that year came forward as leader of the Protectionists in the House of Commons, abandoning the turf, in which he had long reigned supreme. With the assistance of Disraeli he maintained this position for two years, and though often illogical, and sometimes unscrupulous in his statements, he nevertheless commanded much attention by the vigour and earnestness of his oratory and deportment. Research William Bentinck
William Cotton Oswell was an English explorer. He was born in 1818 at Leytonstone and died in 1893. He spent ten years from 1837 to 1847 as an official of the East India Company in Madras. Then he made successful expeditions into the regions north of the Cape Colony. He organised the transport and commissariat for Livingstone's expedition and shared in the expedition to the Zambezi in 1851. During the Crimean War he worked in the hospitals. Research William Oswell
Abbreviations
Research Alexander Grant
