Charles Marsack facts for kids

Charles Marsack (born around 1747 or 1748 – died December 22, 1820) was a wealthy landowner and officer in the East India Company army. He started from a modest background but made a large fortune while working in India. There were some old stories, first published in a book called Burke's Landed Gentry, that claimed he was related to royalty. However, these stories were not true. Charles Marsack was actually the son of Jean Charles Marsac, who worked for a royal servant, and Margaret Saunders. His family had come to England from France.

Early Life and Humble Beginnings

Charles Marsack's father, Jean Charles Marsac, was a carpenter's son. He worked for Joachim Lorentz Sollifoffer, who was a page to King George II. When Sollifoffer died, he kindly left money for Charles's widowed mother, Margaret Marsac, and for Charles himself, who was his godson. Charles's father died in 1751 when Charles was young. His mother later remarried.

Adventures in India

Around 1760, Charles Marsack went to India. He joined the East India Company as an Ensign. The East India Company was a powerful British trading company that also had its own army.

Rising Through the Ranks

Charles Marsack quickly moved up in his career. He became a Lieutenant and a Surveyor in the province of Oudh. By 1777, he was promoted to Captain. He led a cavalry unit for the Nabob of Oudh, who was a powerful ruler in India.

Important Journeys

In 1779, Charles Marsack left his army position. The next year, in 1780, he went on a very difficult journey. He traveled from Lucknow to Delhi and back again. His goal was to meet Najaf Khan, another very powerful leader. A local companion who traveled with him wrote about this journey. In 1782, he had to leave Oudh. He later shared his experiences regarding Warren Hastings, a key figure in the East India Company.

Life Back in England

In 1783, Charles Marsack returned to England. He was known as Major Marsack. Soon after, he got married. His wife's family helped him with £20,000. With this money, he bought a large estate called Caversham Park in Oxfordshire. He bought it from Lord Cadogan.

Caversham Park Estate

Charles Marsack worked hard to improve Caversham Park. He restored and made the house bigger. He designed it in the Greek style. He even added a large, impressive Corinthian colonnade at the front. Before Marsack bought it, Thomas Jefferson had described the estate. It had 25 acres of garden, 400 acres of parkland, and 6 acres for a kitchen garden. Today, Caversham Park is in Berkshire. From 1943 to 2018, the BBC used the house. It is now a Grade II listed building, which means it is an important historic building.

Later Years and Family

Charles Marsack served as the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1787. This was an important local position. He passed away at Caversham Park on November 8, 1820. He was survived by his wife, Charlotte Becher, whom he had married in 1783. They had eleven children, and seven of them were still alive when he died. His eldest son, Charles, had died young. The Caversham estate then went to his next oldest son, Richard Henry. Richard Henry was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Grenadier Guards. He later sold Caversham Park in 1844 to William Crawshay II.