Edward Bosc Sladen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
Edward Bosc Sladen
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| Born | 20 November 1831 |
| Died | 4 January 1890 (aged 58) |
| Education | Oswestry School |
| Occupation | British army officer |
| Spouse(s) |
Sophia Catherine Harrison
(m. 1861; died 1865)Katherine Jane Carew
(m. 1880) |
| Children | Edward Sydney Sladen Marion Ethel Sladen Gerald Carew Sladen |
| Parent(s) | Ramsey Sladen Emma Bosc |
Sir Edward Bosc Sladen (born November 20, 1831, died January 4, 1890) was a brave officer in the British Indian Army. He worked in both India and Burma. He is best known for helping to set up a temporary government in Upper Burma and for being present when King Thibaw surrendered.
Contents
Early Life
Edward Sladen was born in Madras, British India (which is now called Chennai) on November 20, 1831. His father was Dr. Ramsey Sladen, who worked for the British East India Company. His mother was Emma Bosc.
Edward went to school at Oswestry School in Shropshire, England.
Army Career
Edward joined the East India Company's army on April 14, 1849. He became a second lieutenant in the 1st Madras fusiliers in September 1850. He fought in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in December 1852 and January 1853.
Later, he became an assistant commissioner in Tenasserim (now the Tanintharyi Region). He was badly hurt in 1856-57 while fighting against groups called Karens and Shans. He then returned to India. In March 1858, he helped recapture Lucknow from Indian soldiers.
Working in Mandalay
In 1866, Edward went to Mandalay in Burma. He was a representative for the chief commissioner there. In August of that year, he narrowly escaped from rebels who had killed three royal princes. During the trouble, he helped almost all the Europeans and other Christians in Mandalay get to safety in Rangoon. The governor-general thanked him for his brave actions.
After the rebellion ended, he returned to Mandalay. In May 1867, he convinced the king not to execute three young princes. He saved two of them. Soon after, he helped the king agree to a new trade and extradition treaty. This treaty was officially approved on November 26, 1867.
From 1876 to 1885, Sladen was a commissioner in the Arakan division. In 1885, he joined the British forces sent to fight against King Thibaw. When the British troops arrived in Mandalay on December 28, 1885, Sladen went into the royal palace. He received King Thibaw's surrender. On February 17, 1886, the governor-general, Lord Dufferin, praised Colonel Sladen. He said Sladen's courage and knowledge helped greatly with the king's surrender.
Mission to China
After his time with the Madras fusiliers, Edward joined the Indian staff corps. In 1868, he led a special mission to the Chinese border. This trip started on January 13 from Mandalay. They traveled through Bhamo to Moulmein and then into Yunnan Province, China. The group returned in September.
Information gathered on this journey was published in a book called Official Narrative of the Expedition to China via Bhamo. Edward also wrote about the geography of the area. During his visit to Tengyue (Momien) in 1868, he found a woodblock printed history of the town. He brought it back to England, and it is now at the British Museum. He also brought back other items from Southwest China and Burma.
Personal Life
In 1861, Edward Sladen married Sophia Catherine Harrison. They had a son and a daughter:
- Edward Sydney Sladen (1862–1921), who became a Lieutenant Colonel in the 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers.
- Marion Ethel Sladen (1863–1897).
Sophia passed away in 1865. In 1880, Edward married Katherine Jane Carew. They had one son:
- Brig. Gen. Gerald Carew Sladen (1881–1930), who was a decorated military officer.
Edward Sladen was knighted on November 26, 1886. He retired from the army on April 14, 1887. He died in London three years later, on January 4, 1890.
Descendants
Through his daughter Marion, Edward Sladen was the grandfather of Lionel Fielden (1896–1974). Lionel went to Eton College and Brasenose College, Oxford. He became a successful producer at the BBC. He also founded and managed broadcasting in India, which is now called All India Radio. Lionel Fielden was a friend of famous people like Mahatma Gandhi.
Published Works
Edward Sladen wrote the Official Narrative of the Expedition to China via Bhamo. He also wrote about the geography of the region for the Royal Geographical Society.
