John Shore, 1st Baron Teignmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Teignmouth
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Watercolour by George Richmond, 1832
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| Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William | |
| In office October 1793 – March 1798 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | The Earl Cornwallis |
| Succeeded by | Sir Alured Clarke (Acting Governor-General) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 October 1751 St James's, London |
| Died | 14 February 1834 (aged 82) Portman Square, London |
| Resting place | St Marylebone Parish Church |
| Spouse |
Charlotte Cornish
(m. 1786) |
| Children | 9, including Charles John |
| Education | Harrow School |
John Shore, 1st Baron Teignmouth (born October 5, 1751 – died February 14, 1834) was an important British official. He worked for the East India Company, which was a powerful trading company. He became the Governor-General of Bengal from 1793 to 1798. This was a very high position in India at the time. In 1798, he was given the title Baron Teignmouth. He was also the first president of the British and Foreign Bible Society, a group that shares Bibles around the world. John Shore was a good friend of Sir William Jones, a famous scholar who studied Eastern languages and cultures. Shore later wrote a book about Jones's life.
Contents
Early Life and Career in India
John Shore was born in London on October 5, 1751. His father, Thomas Shore, also worked for the East India Company. When John was 14, he went to Harrow School. Later, he studied bookkeeping at a commercial school. In late 1768, at age 17, he sailed to India to work for the East India Company. He started as a "writer," which was an entry-level job.
After arriving in Kolkata (then called Calcutta) in May 1769, Shore worked in a special political department. In 1770, he became an assistant to the board of revenue in Murshidabad. At just 19 years old, he was in charge of collecting taxes and managing legal matters in a large area. He also spent time learning local languages.
In 1772, Shore moved to Rajshahi as a senior assistant. The next year, he worked as a translator. In 1775, he joined the revenue council in Calcutta. He stayed there until 1780. Even though he sometimes disagreed with the Governor-General, Warren Hastings, Shore was appointed to a new revenue committee.
Working with Revenue and Reforms
John Shore earned the trust of Governor-General Hastings by working hard. He oversaw tax collection and helped settle legal cases related to money. He also worked as a revenue commissioner in other areas like Dacca and Behar. He created plans to improve how money was managed and how justice was handled.
Shore felt that the Governor-General was spending too much money. He shared his concerns with another official, Sir John Macpherson, 1st Baronet. However, Macpherson made Shore's private thoughts public, which was seen as a betrayal of trust. Because of this, Shore resigned from his position.
In January 1785, Shore returned to England with Hastings. While in England, he married Charlotte Cornish in February 1786.
Shore was then appointed to the Supreme Council, a very important governing body in India. He returned to India in January 1787. Many of the changes made by Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, another Governor-General, were due to Shore's ideas. In 1789, Shore completed a major project: a ten-year plan for collecting taxes in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. Shore wanted to be careful and study things more, but his plan to give land rights to local landlords (called zamindars) was approved. This became known as the Permanent Settlement.
In December 1789, Shore sailed back to England. He arrived in April 1790. He was offered a special title (a baronetcy) but turned it down. In June 1790, he spoke as a witness in the trial of Warren Hastings. He told the court that Hastings was popular among the Indian people.
Becoming Governor-General
John Shore was chosen to be the next Governor-General of India in September 1792. He was given the title of baronet in October. He arrived in Calcutta in March 1793 and officially became Governor-General on October 28, 1793.
Shore's time as Governor-General was generally peaceful. He followed instructions from England very closely. He allowed the Marathas (a powerful Indian group) to invade the lands of the Nizam of Hyderabad. He also let French forces grow stronger in the service of some Indian rulers. He did not stop Tipu Sahib from preparing for war.
Even though he faced some challenges, Shore bravely handled a problem with the succession in Oudh. He replaced Wazir Ali Khan with Saadat Ali Khan II as the ruler. For his service, Shore was given the title Baron Teignmouth in March 1798.
Later Life and Public Service
After his time as Governor-General, Teignmouth left India in March 1798. In April 1807, he became a member of the India Board, a group that advised the government on Indian affairs. He also became a member of the Privy Council, which meant he could help decide legal appeals related to India.
However, Teignmouth spent most of his later life working on religious and charity projects. He was a key member of the Clapham sect, a group of Christian reformers. From 1802 to 1808, he lived in Clapham, a neighborhood in London. He then moved to central London.
On May 14, 1804, he was elected the first president of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He held this important role for the rest of his life. He helped guide the society, especially on important decisions like which books should be included in the Bible editions they published. He passed away at his home in Portman Square on February 14, 1834, at 82 years old. He was buried in Marylebone parish church.
Teignmouth was also asked to be president of the Royal Society of Literature, but he declined.
Writings and Contributions
Lord Teignmouth was a close friend of Sir William Jones, a famous scholar. Teignmouth took over from Jones as president of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1794. He gave a speech about Jones's life and work, which was later published and translated. He also wrote articles for a magazine called the Christian Observer. He wrote the first annual reports for the British and Foreign Bible Society.
His most famous work was:
- Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Correspondence of Sir William Jones, published in London in 1804. This book was very popular and went through many editions.
He also wrote about sharing Christianity with people in India and defended the British and Foreign Bible Society in a letter.
A painting of Teignmouth was created by Arthur William Devis.
Family Life
Lord Teignmouth and his wife, Charlotte, had three sons and six daughters. His wife passed away in July 1834. His oldest son, Charles John Shore, inherited his title. His second son, Frederick John Shore, married Charlotte Mary Cornish. One of his daughters, Anna Maria, married Thomas Noel Hill, who fought in the Battle of Waterloo. Another daughter, Caroline Dorothea, married Rev. Robert Anderson. John Shore was also the great-uncle of the poet Louisa Catherine Shore.
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