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 and Anne ( Lewis). His father was offered a knighthood for his service in the 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.
When Thomas's father died in 1791 the family moved to Edinburgh where he attended Edinburgh High School.
Robertson died at his home at 68 Eaton Square, London, on 6 July 1863.
Career
Robertson was appointed Judge of the courts of the Ṣadr Dīwānī ʿAdālat and Ṣadr Nizāmat ʿAdālat at the Bengal Presidency in 1804.The Bengal directory and annual register In 1822, he became District Magistrate in Chittagong;Arakan around 1830 - Social Distress and Political Instability in the Early British Period and from March 1825 to August 1825 he served as Agent to the Governor General in Arakan.COLLIS, M.S. 1932. 'Campbell Robertson in Arakan' Journal of the Burma Research Society 13: 257-260.
From 1825 to 1826 Robertson was British Political Officer of Arakan in Burma. In 1826 he was Civil Commissioner in Pegu and Ava when the Treaty of Yandaboo was signed on 24 February 1826.Treaty of Yandaboo, 24 February 1826 In 1832 he was the Agent to the Governor General on the North East Frontier Agency.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]
From 11 November 1835 to 27 January 1840 Robertson was Member of the council of the Governor General;The India List and India Office List By India Office, Great Britain he was also President of the council of India & Deputy Governor of BengalThe Asiatic Journal and Monthly Miscellany 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.The India list and India Office list for 1905 By Great Britain, India Office He was also District Magistrate of Kanpur.The Province of Agra, its history and administration By Dharma Bhanu He was provisionally Governor-General for some time.The Asiatic journal and monthly register for British and foreign India ...
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."
Works
Family In 1830 Robertson married Amelia Jane Elliot (11 October 1810 – 19 June 1837); with whom he had three children.A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain as well as the royal families of EuropeSOUTH-AFRICA-IMMIGRANTS-BRITISH-L Archives He married his second wife, Emma Jane Anderdon, daughter of John Proctor Anderdon, in 1852.
References