Thomas Campbell Robertson

{{short description|British civil servant (1789–1863)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} {{Use British English|date=April 2019}} {{Infobox person |name = Thomas Campbell Roberstson |birth_date = {{Birth date|1789|11|9|df=y}} |death_date = {{death date and age |1863|7|6 |1789|11|9 |df=yes}} |spouse = {{plainlist| *Amelia Jane Elliot *Emma Jane Anderson}} |children = 3 }}

'''Thomas Campbell Robertson''' (9 November 1789 – 6 July 1863) was a British [[civil servant]] in the [[Bengal Civil Service]] in India.

==Personal life== Thomas Campbell Robertson was born in [[Kenilworth]] on 9 November 1789, the youngest son of Captain George Robertson {{small|[[Royal Navy|RN]]}} and Anne ({{nee}} Lewis). His father was offered a knighthood for his service in the [[Battle of Dogger Bank (1781)|Battle of Dogger Bank]] in 1781, and his mother was the daughter of [[Francis Lewis]] (1713–1802), one of the signers of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]].<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB |id=23813 |title=Robertson, Thomas Campbell}}</ref>

When Thomas's father died in 1791 the family moved to [[Edinburgh]] where he attended [[Edinburgh High School]].<ref name="ODNB"/>

Robertson died at his home at 68 [[Eaton Square]], London, on 6 July 1863.<ref name="ODNB"/>

==Career==

Robertson was appointed Judge of the courts of the [[Sadr Diwani Adalat|Ṣadr Dīwānī ʿAdālat]] and [[Sadr Nizamat Adalat|Ṣadr Nizāmat ʿAdālat]] at the [[Bengal Presidency]] in 1804.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=O94NAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA36 The Bengal directory and annual register]</ref> In 1822, he became District Magistrate in [[Chittagong]];<ref>[http://www.rakhapura.com/scholars-column/arakan-around-1830---social-distress-and-political-instability-in-the-early-british-period.asp Arakan around 1830 - Social Distress and Political Instability in the Early British Period]</ref> and from March 1825 to August 1825 he served as Agent to the Governor General in [[Rakhine State|Arakan]].<ref>COLLIS, M.S. 1932. 'Campbell Robertson in Arakan' Journal of the Burma Research Society 13: 257-260.</ref>

From 1825 to 1826 Robertson was British Political Officer of [[Rakhine State|Arakan]] in [[British Burma|Burma]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Myanmar.htm#Arakan|title=Myanmar}}</ref> In 1826 he was Civil Commissioner in [[Pegu]] and [[Inwa|Ava]] when the [[Treaty of Yandaboo]] was signed on 24 February 1826.<ref>[http://projectsouthasia.sdstate.edu/Docs/history/primarydocs/Treaties/Burma/002.htm Treaty of Yandaboo, 24 February 1826] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202003039/http://projectsouthasia.sdstate.edu/Docs/history/primarydocs/Treaties/Burma/002.htm |date=2 December 2008 }}</ref> In 1832 he was the Agent to the Governor General on the North East Frontier Agency.<ref>[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=059-f4_19&cid=-1&Gsm=2008-06-18#-1 The National Archives: British Library, Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections: Records of the Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India: Board's Collections [IOR/F/4/1487 - IOR/F/4/1532]]</ref>

From 11 November 1835 to 27 January 1840 Robertson was Member of the council of the Governor General;<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=3VQTAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA118 The India List and India Office List By India Office, Great Britain]</ref> he was also President of the council of India & Deputy Governor of Bengal<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=mScoAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA53 The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Miscellany]</ref> On 4 February 1840 he was posted as Lieutenant-Governor of the [[North-Western Provinces]] where he served for eleven months till 31 December 1842.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=b2NPAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA130 The India list and India Office list for 1905 By Great Britain, India Office]</ref> He was also District Magistrate of Kanpur.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=3sMBAAAAMAAJ&q=%22T.+C.+Robertson%22+governor The Province of Agra, its history and administration By Dharma Bhanu]</ref> He was provisionally Governor-General for some time.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=UiEYAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22T.+C.+Robertson%22+governor&pg=RA1-PA317 The Asiatic journal and monthly register for British and foreign India ...]</ref>

In his book ''Civility and Empire'' (2002), Professor Anindyo Roy of [[Colby College]] describes Robertson as an arch-colonialist and quotes him as saying, "the natives of India are better servants than subjects; and it is in the former capacity alone that we can ever expect to command their co-operation in any emergency."<ref>{{cite book|last=Roy|first=Anindyo |title=Civility and Empire: Literature and Culture in British India, 1821-1921|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_keBAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT144|date=10 November 2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=1-134-40834-X|page=144}}</ref>

==Works== * {{cite book  |title=Remarks on Several Recent Publications Regarding the Civil Government and Foreign Policy of British India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kogfAAAAYAAJ |year=1829 |publisher=J. Murray |oclc=254174822}} *{{cite book  |title=Political Incidents of the First Burmese War |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6KD3t6bImggC |year=1853 |publisher=Richard Bentley}} * {{cite book  |title=The political prospects of British India |url=https://archive.org/details/ldpd_12334347_000 |year=1858 |publisher=Thomas Hatchard |oclc=26525661}}

==Family== In 1830 Robertson married Amelia Jane Elliot (11 October 1810 – 19 June 1837); with whom he had three children.<ref>[http://thepeerage.com/p4822.htm A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain as well as the royal families of Europe]</ref><ref name="daughter">[http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/SOUTH-AFRICA-IMMIGRANTS-BRITISH/2008-08/1217678868 SOUTH-AFRICA-IMMIGRANTS-BRITISH-L Archives]</ref><ref name="ODNB"/> He married his second wife, Emma Jane Anderdon, daughter of [[John Proctor Anderdon]], in 1852.<ref name="ODNB"/><ref>{{cite book |title=Descent of the family of Casamayorga, or Casamayor, from the royal houses of Castille and Leon, compiled from the archives of the College of arms at Madrid |date=1871 |page=4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-voGAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA4 |language=en}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{succession box | title=[[List of Governors of Assam|Commissioner of Assam]] | before=David Scott | after=Francis Jenkins | years=1831 – 1834}} {{succession box | title=[[List of Lieutenant Governors of the North-Western Provinces|Lieutenant Governor of North-Western Provinces]] | before=''Vacant'' Administered by the [[Governor-General of India]], [[George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland|Lord Auckland]] {{center|previously by- Sir [[Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe|C. T. Metcalfe]]}} | after=''Vacant'' Administered by the [[Governor-General of India]], [[George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland|Lord Auckland]] {{center|followed by- Sir [[George Russell Clerk|G. R. Clerk]]}} | years=4 February 1840 – 31 December 1842}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Thomas Campbell}} [[Category:1789 births]] [[Category:1863 deaths]] [[Category:People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh]] [[Category:Members of the Council of India]] [[Category:British East India Company civil servants]] [[Category:Lieutenant-governors of the North-Western Provinces]]