Theo Metcalfe

{{Short description|British Bengal civil servant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{For|the Emmerdale character|Theo Metcalfe (Emmerdale)}} '''Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe, 5th Baronet''' (1828–1883) was a British Bengal civil servant of the [[East India Company]]. He is noted for his part in the [[1857 Indian Rebellion]], and his vindictive behaviour in the aftermath.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}}

==Early life== Born at [[Delhi]] on 28 November 1828, he was eldest son of [[Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe, 4th Baronet]], by his second wife, Felicite Browne, the daughter of J. Browne, of the Bengal Medical Board.<ref name="DNB">{{cite DNB|wstitle=Metcalfe, Theophilus John|volume=37}}</ref><ref name="ODNB">{{cite ODNB|id=18623|first=Katherine|last=Prior|title=Metcalfe, Sir Theophilus John}}</ref>

Theophilus Metcalfe was first sent to [[Addiscombe Military Seminary]] in [[Croydon]], south London, but was moved to [[East India Company College]] in [[Hertfordshire]], after an illness had cost him the use of his right eye, ruling out a military career.<ref name="ODNB"/> In 1848 he entered the [[Bengal Civil Service]].

==Documentation of the Koh-i-Noor== In 1849, the [[Treaty of Lahore]] transferred possession of the [[Koh-i-Noor]] diamond from Maharaja [[Duleep Singh]] to [[Governor-General of India|Governor-General]] [[James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie|Lord Dalhousie]].<ref name="Dalrymple 2017">{{cite book | url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/koh-i-noor-9781408888841/ | title=Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond | publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] | last1=Dalrymple |first1=William | authorlink1=William Dalrymple (historian)|last2=Anand |first2=Anita |authorlink2=Anita Anand | year=2017 | page=352 | isbn=9781635570762}}</ref> As part of preparations for sending the diamond to England, Dalhousie tasked Metcalfe with writing a history of the Koh-i-Noor.<ref name="Dalrymple 2017"/> His instructions were "to collect and record as much accurate and interesting information regarding the Koh-i-Noor" as he could find.<ref name="Dalrymple 2017"/> After interviewing courtiers, jewelers, and local gossips he drafted a report about which he said, "I cannot but regret that the results are so very meagre and imperfect". Still, this report was the earliest account of the history of the Koh-i-Noor which anyone has been able to find. Metcalfe's report is the basis for most histories of the Koh-i-Noor describing it before 1849.<ref name="Dalrymple 2017"/>

==Activities during 1857 Indian Rebellion== Metcalfe joined his father at Delhi, and succeeded to the baronetcy in 1853.<ref name="DNB"/> In 1857, Metcalfe was appointed joint-magistrate and deputy-collector, first grade, at [[Meerut]], and deputy-collector at [[Fatehpur Sikri|Futtepore]]. On the morning of 11 May 1857 he brought information to Delhi that Meerut mutineers of the previous day were crossing the river to the city. He aided the escape of European inhabitants, and himself reached safety with the help of the Nawab of Jhajjar.<ref name="ODNB"/>

Metcalfe went to [[George Anson (British Army officer, born 1797)|George Anson]]'s army at [[Kurnaul]]. On 6 June, he was there when the [[Corps of Guides (India)|Corps of Guides]] arrived on its march towards the [[siege of Delhi]]. He diverted the Guides into punitive attacks on villages, and the corps was delayed from the [[Battle of Badli-ki-Serai]].<ref name="DNB"/> [[File:Different views of the Metcalfe House, Delhi, 1843.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|Views of [[Metcalfe House#The town house|Metcalfe House]], Delhi, from 1843]] At Delhi Metcalfe led the cavalry that attacked the rebels' rear at the [[Battle of Najafgarh]], and, during the assault of 14 September, guided [[George Campbell (1824–1892)|George Campbell]], with the [[52nd light infantry]], in the street fighting. The family residence, [[Metcalfe House#The town house|Metcalfe House]] in [[Delhi]], had been gutted by the rebels, and burned. After Delhi fell, Metcalfe exacted retribution.<ref name="DNB"/> He did not intervene to save the Nawab of Jhajjar, and the impression was gained that he, rather than the commissioner Charles Saunders, was in charge.<ref name="ODNB"/>

Metcalfe was appointed assistant to the agent at Delhi and deputy-collector at Futtepore in 1858, and went home on sick furlough in 1859. Ill-health prevented his return to India. He was made [[Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath|C.B.]] in 1864, and retired on an invalid pension in 1866. He died in Paris, on 10 November 1883, aged 54.<ref name="DNB"/>

==Family== Metcalfe married: first, in 1851, Charlotte, daughter of [[John Low (East India Company officer)|Sir John Low]], died at [[Simla]] in 1853, leaving one child, Sir Charles Herbert Theophilus Metcalfe, 6th Baronet (1853–1928), a civil engineer; and secondly, in 1876, Katherine Hawkins, daughter of James Whitehead Dempster of [[Dunnichen]], [[Forfarshire]].<ref name="DNB"/><ref>{{cite ODNB|id=35001|first=Simon|last=Katzenellenbogen|title=Metcalfe, Sir Charles Herbert Theophilus,}}</ref>

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==External links== ;Attribution {{DNB|wstitle=Metcalfe, Theophilus John|volume=37}}

{{s-start}} {{s-reg|uk-bt}} {{s-bef|before=[[Sir Thomas Metcalfe, 4th Baronet|Thomas Metcalfe]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Metcalfe baronets|Baronet]]<br />'''(of Chilton)''' | years=1853–1883}} {{s-aft|after=Charles Metcalfe}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Metcalfe, Theophilus John}} [[Category:1828 births]] [[Category:1883 deaths]] [[Category:British East India Company civil servants]] [[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]] [[Category:Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom]]