John Theophilus Boileau facts for kids
John Theophilus Boileau (born May 26, 1805 – died November 7, 1886) was a talented British army engineer. He spent much of his life working in India. He helped fix up famous old buildings like the Taj Mahal. He also designed new buildings, such as Christ Church in Shimla and St George's Church in Agra. He even set up a special science station in Shimla to study Earth's magnetism.
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Early Life and Education
John Theophilus Boileau was born in Calcutta, India. His father, Thomas Boileau, worked in India's Supreme Court. When John was very young, his father passed away. His family then moved to England, settling in Bury St. Edmunds.
John went to Grammar School there. In 1819, he got a special scholarship to the East India Company Military Seminary at Addiscombe. This was a school that trained young men to become engineers and officers for the British East India Company in India. John was very good at math and languages. He won awards for his skills.
In 1821, he officially became an officer. He then went for more training with the Royal Engineers.
Work in India
John Boileau arrived back in India in 1822. He started his career by helping to build roads. He worked on important routes, including one between Nagpur and Kamptee.
Designing Buildings
In 1826, John became a chief engineer in Agra. He designed several important buildings there. These included St George's Church, a jail, a college, and army barracks.
In 1829, he married Ann Hanson. On the same day, his brother Henry married Ann's sister!
Restoring Famous Monuments
John Boileau also played a big part in fixing up old Mughal buildings. The Mughals were powerful rulers in India many years ago. John helped restore famous places like Jahangir's palace and the incredible Taj Mahal.
Studying Earth's Magnetism
In 1839, John Boileau was given a new and exciting job. He was asked to set up a special observatory in Shimla. This observatory would study Earth's magnetism. He learned how to do this from a famous scientist named Professor Humphrey Lloyd.
For his important scientific work, John was made a member of the Royal Society in 1840. This is a very old and respected group of scientists. He also joined the Royal Astronomical Society.
While in Shimla, he also designed Christ Church. He helped raise money to build this beautiful church.
Later Career and Retirement
By 1847, John Boileau became a top engineer in the North West Provinces of India. He later lived in Ambala. He retired from the army in 1856 with the rank of Major General.
After retiring, he moved back to England. He spent his time helping the families of soldiers. He also joined a volunteer rifle group.
