Thomas Greenhill
Encyclopedia
Thomas Greenhill was an English colonial administrator
, one of the early pioneers of the East India Company
and the Agent of Madras for two terms from 1648 to 1652 and 1655 to 1658.
, Greenhill was sent on a mission to the Raja of Chandragiri which resulted in the issue of a new grant in October/November 1645. By this grant, the Raja confirmed an older grant and ceded the village of Narikamedu to the Company.
(the first famine since the start of British rule in Madras) when Greenhill became Agent in 1648. In September 1648, Greenhill arranged for rice to shipped aboard the ship Blessing from Persia. These fears were , however, short-lived as Madras had completely recovered from the famine by April 1649.
Greenhill's tenure as Agent of Madras was marked by a shocking scandal. One Mr.Thomas and Ms.Elizabeth Bland levied a charge against Greenhill that the Agent had fathered an illegitimate offspring through Elizabeth whom he had compelled to undergo an abortion in the fifth month of her pregnancy. These charges caused great trouble to the Agent and his reputation. However, later, during the course of a trial, Elizabeth admitted that the accusation was forged by her in order to profit by the criminal case against Greenhill.
English colonial empire
The English colonial empire consisted of a variety of overseas territories colonized, conquered, or otherwise acquired by the former Kingdom of England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries....
, one of the early pioneers of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and the Agent of Madras for two terms from 1648 to 1652 and 1655 to 1658.
Early life
Greenhill arrived in India in 1632 to serve in the Company's Masulipatnam factory. During the agency of Thomas IvieThomas Ivie
Thomas Ivie was an English colonial administrator, the third agent of Madras after Andrew Cogan and Francis Day. He served in his post from 1644 to 1648.....
, Greenhill was sent on a mission to the Raja of Chandragiri which resulted in the issue of a new grant in October/November 1645. By this grant, the Raja confirmed an older grant and ceded the village of Narikamedu to the Company.
Tenure as Agent of Madras
Madras was in the grips of a famineFamine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
(the first famine since the start of British rule in Madras) when Greenhill became Agent in 1648. In September 1648, Greenhill arranged for rice to shipped aboard the ship Blessing from Persia. These fears were , however, short-lived as Madras had completely recovered from the famine by April 1649.
Greenhill's tenure as Agent of Madras was marked by a shocking scandal. One Mr.Thomas and Ms.Elizabeth Bland levied a charge against Greenhill that the Agent had fathered an illegitimate offspring through Elizabeth whom he had compelled to undergo an abortion in the fifth month of her pregnancy. These charges caused great trouble to the Agent and his reputation. However, later, during the course of a trial, Elizabeth admitted that the accusation was forged by her in order to profit by the criminal case against Greenhill.