George Powell Thomas (1808 - 1857) a Major in the 3rd Bengal European Regiment who died at the Battle of Agra during the Indian Mutiny. He was known as an artist, poet and also a first-rate linguist.[1][2]
Early life
He was born 26 August 1808 at Bahramghat near Lucknow, the son of Major General Lewis Thomas C.B., Colonel of the 3rd Regt. of Foot Bengal Army E.I.C.S., and Maria Frances.
Career
He was a talented amateur artist producing 'Sketches of the Himalayas'[2] and in 1846 he published his twenty-four, hand-coloured, lithographed 'Views of Simla'.[3][4] In 1847 he published a book of poems, described as "a volume of very graceful poems, full of feeling and thought."[5]
He was commissioned in 1825,[6] was assistant in the Thagi department in 1835 and in civil employ in the Central Provinces as assistant commissioner from 1835 to 1840. He served as a Captain with the 64th Bengal Native Infantry, taking part in the relief force of Jellalabad (1842).[1][7][8]
He served in Afghanistan under General Sir George Pollock during the Afghan War, where he commanded a corps of Jezailchees. He was promoted to Major in 1851.[9]
He was at home on sick leave on the breaking out of the war with Russia, he applied for and obtained the command of a regiment in the Turkish Contingent under General Vivian.[10][11] He commanded a regiment of Bashi Bazouks under Major-General William Beatson in Turkey, where the Queen conferred upon him the local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in Turkey.[12] He then left for the Crimea as a volunteer and was present at the fall of Sevastopol (1855), for which he received the Crimea medal.[1]
At the battle before Agra on the 15 July 1857, despite being already ill, he commanded and led on five companies of his regiment on the right wing. He was severely wounded in the foot, and his horse also receiving three bullets fell on top of him, thereby injuring his head.[13] He died of his wounds on 4 August in the fort at Agra.[1][14] He was buried in the fort cemetery at Agra.[15]
Personal life
He married Albina Grace Andrews (b 1816, Richmond) 1 August 1831 at Dacca. Their children were Marian Albina (b 1832, Dinapore, Bengal), Charles Lewis Stratford (b 1833, Dinapore, Bengal), Stratford Powell (b 1837, Saugor, Bengal, d 1839),[16] Charles Frederick (b 1843 Subathu, Bengal) Montague George (1844, Calcutta, Bengal), Alice Constance (b 1846, Bath, Somerset), Alfred Campbell (b 1847, d 1848, Allahabad, Bengal), Florence Juliet (b 1849, Meerut, Bengal). His wife died in Richmond in 1889 and is buried in Richmond Old Cemetery, where he is also commemorated.
Publications
Views of Simla. (1846). London: Dickinson & Co.[17]
Poems. (1847). London: Smith, Elder and Co.
Two Tragedies (1852 ). London:W Thacker & Co.[18]
Views of Simla. (2015). Studio Orientalia. ISBN 978-8192450254
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Major George Powell Thomas". Glasgow Herald. 9 October 1857. Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via British Library Newspapers.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Death of Major Thomas" (PDF). The Indian News and Chronicle of Eastern Affaires: 511. 1857 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "Views of Simla". Naval & Military Gazette and Weekly Chronicle of the United Service. 19 September 1846. pp. 6, 7.
- ↑ "Illustrated Works and Prints". The Spectator. 19: 884. 1846 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "LITERARY CHRONICLE". Weekly Chronicle (London). 16 October 1847. p. 3.
- ↑ Stanley, Peter (1998). White Mutiny British Military Culture in India, 1825-1875. p. 53. ISBN 9781850653301.
- ↑ "64th Regiment Native Infantry Proceeding to Afghanistan". The Bengal and Agra Annual Guide and Gazetteer: 238. 1842 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Stocqueler, Joachim Hayward (1843). "Extract of Detachment Orders by Lieutenant Colonel Moseley, Commading. Camp Kawuleur, 25th Jan. 1842.". Memorials of Afghanistan Being State Papers, Official Documents, Dispatches, Authentic Narratives, Etc. Illustrative of the British Expedition To, and Occupation Of, Afghanistan and Scinde, Between the Years 1838 and 1842. Ostell and Lepage. pp. 185–186.
- ↑ "To be Majors". The Edinburgh Gazette (6128): 1086. 25 November 1851.
- ↑ "Her Majesty's Levee". Times. 15 March 1855. p. 10 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ↑ "List of officers in the service of the East India Company about to proceed to the Crimea". Allen's Indian Mail and Register of Intelligence for British & Foreign India, China, & All Parts of the East. 13: 144. 1855 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "Brevet". The Edinburgh Gazette (6479): 378. 30 March 1855 – via The Gazette.
- ↑ Kaye, John William (1876). A history of the Sepoy war in India, 1857-1858 (PDF). Vol. III. London:W H Allen & Co. p. 387.
- ↑ "List of Europeans, whether belonging to the East India Company's Service or not, who have been Killed or Wounded by the hands of Rebels, prepared from Papers on record in the Military Department". The Edinburgh Gazette (6780): 296. 16 February 1858.
- ↑ Blunt, Edward (1911). List of Inscriptions on Christian Tombs and Tablets of historical interest in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (PDF). Allahbad.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ↑ "Deaths". Parbury's oriental herald and colonial intelligencer. 4: 99. 1839 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "Simla. By Captain G P Thomas". Times. 19 August 1846. p. 11 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ↑ "New Books from India". Times. 7 June 1852. p. 2 – via The Times Digital Archive.