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INDIA - THORPE, Robert. Army Officer, probably to be identified with
Major-General Robert Thorpe (1797-1864), Madras Infantry 1817-1864, Colonel in
1857.
Letter to Lieutenant-Colonel
Thomas Fiott DE HAVILLAND (1775-1866) in GUERNSEY. –
MADRAS (Chennai), September 21st 1841.
4 pp.
in-4, densely written. The letter was sent "via Marseilles". On the back MADRAS PAID postmark, on the front "India"
Fine historical text, mentioning the war in CHINA.
MADRAS 21st Sept. 1841 – all well
My dear
Friend
I have
taken a very bold step and though I may have erred I know well your displeasure
will not be great nor last very long considering that I acted to the best of
any judgement and that of our loved Anne who is never at fault – I have
withheld the duplicate letter you sent to me & recollect we opened the
original addressed to the Secretary.
You were
perfectly correct in your fears that the originals dispatched via Falmouth
would be too late for that mail – but I received the copy via Marseilles and
knowing what has taken place since it was formed you may suppose the state of
perplexity it threw me into – Your name
had been submitted to the ARMY as ACTUARY to the FUND supported by all the
DIRECTORS save Alexander & Larie the first from no wish to oppose you –
but considering this was not the time to employ you the second as a matter of c..
to shew his adherence to MOLERBY.
The Regulation Committee had said they required you – even Crisp who was pro Tom
J..(?) a director I understand said at the Board we would not do without you – cui
bono send in your letters – your appeal to the ARMY was unnecessary – your cutting up of Crisp only tend to make
an enemy – and your animadversions on the Directors only tend to disturb the
feeling at present existing in your favor – I could see nothing in the letters
that would cause injury to the Fund by delay - & I saw much that I thought would ensure the cause all well-wishers to
the Fund must earnestly desire having you for our actuary – Your letters to
myself I kept perfectly quiet – but how to recover the one sent to the
Secretary puzzled me – as I could only obtain from MOLERBY & if he got it & read it – he would only be too happy to work evil with it – On the 13th
when the mail arrived I went to the office & there behold on the table the epistle
I so much desired to walk off with – I then wrote to SIM who had just read his copy - & who perfectly agreed with me
it was better to withhold the letter if possible – but feared MOLERBY would not resign it – I then
spoke to DOVETON the PRESIDENT &
told him I had authority from you to recall a letter which you had addressed to
the Secretary as circumstances had occurred since it was written which induced
you to wish to make some alterations – DOVETON
said he was not aware of any objection to my receiving back the letter & at
all event he would propose it should be returned to me if it came before the
Board – I then addressed a polite note to
MOLERBY stating that he was aware I had authority from you to send out or
to withhold communications and that as some things had occurred which would now
induce you to alter a letter to his address by this mail I requested it might
be returned to me unopened – to my surprise I rec(eive)d a most polite answer
informing me that the letter should be returned as soon as he went to office –
accordingly I received the letter & now have all in my possession – it is a
long story but it is better that you should know exactly how the thing stands
& that the letter can be send in if you desire it – I really do not think
you would have written then had you known what was passing here - & under
this impression I withheld it – The votes are as yet coming in very slowly
& up to this date stand as follows Pro 122 Con. 48 – as to the Directors I
know not what to think of them – DOVETON
.. Butterworth & Bowie are nearly
useless but go with SIM – generally ALEXANDER
is well meaning but is vanity makes him wish to appear singular & he has no
head. – SIM 2 Underwoods McKenzie &
Lush go together with you – Larie
will only go with the Sec. Several letters have been read from up country
members calling upon MOLERBY to resign
– but he has no feelings & will
stick until kicked out – and I think ere long Crisp will be the Secretary –
I suspect MOLERBY added the word
actuary – for SIM declares it was
not done at the Board - & Smith
& myself went over our draft in which we asked for his assistance as .. in
going over the accounts – but not a word about actuary and I fancy it must have
been put in by M(?) either to annoy you or to lower the term actuary – but this
will shew how little the Directors care about the drafts and yet they always
complain when they see it in prints – They lost the double donation entirely by
the way it was sent out - had they said that all married men prior to 33
required to pay up ... according to the rank they held at marriage towards
their marriage quotas it would have been done – but the idea of a rule of
retrospective effect alarmed them all – I have just been examining the .. the
Fund Office & find more of my own friends have come – yet to dwell the 122 –
I can count on the 27th 28th 6th 44th
33rd 39th 40th being nearly if not all unanimous
in favour – so I now really begin to entertain strong hopes of our carrying the
day – Our CHINA NEWS [The FIRST OPIUM
WAR!!] just received is so important that I have sent you the GAZETTE via
Marseilles that you may the first in the little ISLAND [GUERNSEY] to learn it –
as to ELLIOTS – I only regret a shot did
not take off his head instead of poor RUNDALLS leg – Freed Cotun (?) is doing very well – as well as our ART(ILLER)Y &
the 37th N(ATIVE) I(NFANTRY) the Company of BENGAL VOLUNTEERS lost …
(?) the rest went back to CALCUTTA long ago – private letters say the Company
of the 37 N(ATIVE) I(NFANTRY) under HEADFIELD behaved with p.. steadiness –
Heaven only knows where it is to end – TOM [De Havilland’s son – who will die
in CHINA] will be too late for the BATALLIONS – which will be .. (?) & I
suppose tho he may so get in time t.. some TAILS as we hear they are cut off as
the CHINESE rewarding.
Young GARRARD has gone to join as 1er
Ens(i)gn he has been most fortunate & will get his lieut(enan)cy by my
promotion. I hope about this time year – you may tell his mother the REGIMENT is now one of the steadiest in
the service the young men well disposed & gentlemanlike & that I
believe I am the the mildest in the Corps – yet I will endeavour to keep him
all right – Now through too painful a subject to say much on. I must allude to
your sad sad parting our sweet LIZ
we now suppose fairly on her way to T.. H.. God grant her a safe & speedy
passage and she may rest assured as fervent prayers will be offered up for her
happiness from the East as from the West – Her mildness & sweetness of
disposition must ensure her friends where ever she may go – may success as …
attend her good husband whose character you d.. as all we can desire. In your
last letters – and may you my ever loved Pa be assured to meet once more in
this world we ardently pray – the bitterness of parting is o’er – may our next
letters assure us of y(ou)r tranquillity. Dear little Willy wrote in such
spirits at the happiness he had felt in having you .. for but 2 days under his …
by saying you were looking well – Best love to dear Mrs. D. H. & Emilia I
hope …
Rob. Thorpe
Biographies, notes etc.:
Thomas Fiott de Havilland
was the son of
Peter de Havilland and Carterette Fiott, 1788-9 he attended Elizabeth College
in GUERNSEY, 1791 nominated for a
cadetcy in India, 1792 returned to Guernsey and sailed for India in the
Ponsbourne (to Madras), 1793 ensign in the Engineers, took part in the SIEGE OF PONDICHERRY, 1794 assistant to Major
Trapaud, chief engineer in the Southern Division, 1795 supervised building work
at Dindigul, 1796, took part in the
expedition to capture COLOMBO, promoted to Lieutenant, 1799 war against MYSORE, attached to Lt. Col. Brown’s detachment,
fell dangerously ill with fever, appointed
superintendent of the military building at MADRAS, 1800 appointment was
rescinded, he was sent to Seringapatem, appointed in December to the expedition
which was being sent to dislodge the
French from EGYPT, reached Alexandra, surveyed Lake Mareotis, 1802
April-May engaged in constructing wells on the route to SUEZ, left for MALTA in July, came home via Italy and France, 1803
reached Guernsey, engaged to Elizabeth
de Sausmarez (Eliza), left England for India on board the Admiral Aplin on
28th august, 1804 Admiral
Aplin captured by the French vessel the Psyche east of Ceylon, de Havilland was
released on parole and taken to CALCUTTA in a Portuguese ship, arrived at
MADRAS 11th april, the commander-in-chief, General Stuart, informed
him that his parole debarred him from performing any military duties (until December),
1805 posted first to Bellary, and then
to Berar and Candeish, where he undertook survey work, 1806 promoted to
captain, in Bombay, sailed then from
Bombay to Madras, 1807 appointed as engineer at Seringapatem, where he was stationed the next three years, 1808
Eliza arrived at Madras and they
were married, 1809 mutiny in the army, the
most serious at Seringapatem on 29th
july, de Havilland was among the
mutineers, then was arrested and detained at Bangalore, 1810 in England,
1811 first in England, in Guernsey, building houses, 1812 de Havilland was
finally restored to his commission in the Madras Engineers, 1814 departure from
Portsmouth of Thomas and Eliza for India, arrived at Madras in September, 1815
sent as commanding engineer in the expedition against the MARATHAS in February,
appointed superintendent of Tanks in Summer, promoted to Major, 1816 some
months at CHITTOOR, built ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL, Madras,
to the design of Colonel Caldwell, 1818 death of Eliza, began work on St. Andrew’s Church in Madras, his finest architectural design, 1820 St.
Andrew’s Church completed, 1821 appointed acting-chief engineer, in the absence of Caldwell, 1823 returned to
Europe, 1824 promoted lieutenant-colonel, 1825 officially retired, 1828 marriage
to Harriet Gore, 1829-1830 built Havilland Hall, 1836 elected constable of St.
Andrew’s parish, 1842 elected jurat.
In appearance Thomas de Havilland was short and slight. At the age of 20
he was just under 5 feet 6 inches in height, and nine stone in weight. He
possessed a strong constitution and great physical and mental energy. He was
intelligent and clever.
St. George's Cathedral, Madras / Chennai that de HAVILLAND had accomplished in 1816. (picture for illustration, source: wikipedia)
Postgeschichte histoire postale stampless letters Vorphilatelie
P.S. For your additionnal information, there exists an interesting biography of Tom Fiott de Havilland's father, with the following title:
(picture for illustration)
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