Robert Orme facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Orme
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Robert Orme, after the bust by Joseph Nollekens.
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| Born | 25 December 1728 Anjengo, Travancore State
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| Died | 13 January 1801 (aged 72) Great Ealing, Middlesex
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| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | historian |
Robert Orme (born December 25, 1728 – died January 13, 1801) was an important British historian. He wrote many books about India. His father was a doctor who worked for the British East India Company. This company was a powerful trading group. Robert Orme also joined the Company in India in 1743. He became known as a top expert on India.
He was chosen to be a member of the Council at Fort St. George, Madras. This was between 1754 and 1758. While on the Council, he helped send a young man named Robert Clive to Calcutta. Clive led a special group to punish those involved in the 1756 "Black Hole" incident. Orme went back to England in 1760. In 1769, he became the official historian for the British East India Company.
Orme wrote a major work called A History of the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan from 1745. This was published in parts from 1763 to 1778. He also wrote Historical Fragments of the Mogul Empire, the Morattoes and English Concerns in Indostan from the year 1659 in 1782.
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Robert Orme's Early Life
Robert Orme was born on Christmas Day in 1728. His birthplace was Anjengo, in Travancore State, India. He was the second son of Alexander Orme. His father was a doctor and surgeon for the East India Company.
When he was about two years old, Robert was sent to London. He lived with his aunt, Mrs. Robert Adams. From 1734 to 1741, he went to Harrow School. After that, he worked for a year at the Royal African Company.
Working for the East India Company
In 1742, Orme traveled to Calcutta, India. His older brother, William, already worked there for the East India Company. Robert first worked for a trading company in Calcutta. He even sailed to Surat.
In 1743, he became a "Writer" for the East India Company. This was a junior position. He quickly gained a good reputation. People knew he understood Indian customs well. In 1752, he was asked for his ideas on how to manage the police in Calcutta.
In 1753, he visited England. While he was away, he was chosen to join the council at Madras. He returned to India in September 1754. He played a big part in planning military actions in the Carnatic. He suggested that Robert Clive should lead an important mission. Orme and Clive were good friends for many years. However, their friendship ended around 1769.
From 1757 to 1758, Orme was a chief accountant for the Company. By the end of 1758, his health was poor. He left India with some money he had earned. The ship he was on was captured by the French in 1759. He eventually reached France in 1760.
Becoming a Historian and Later Years
In 1760, Orme bought a house in London. He became a member of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1770. From about 1769 until he died, he was the paid historian for the East India Company.
In 1792, Orme moved to Great Ealing, near London. He passed away there on January 13, 1801, at 72 years old. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Mary's, Ealing. He admired the famous writer Samuel Johnson.
Robert Orme's Important Books
In 1752, Orme started writing A General Idea of the Government and People of Indostan. This work was finished later and published after he died. Orme was allowed to use the official records of the India House. He also got information from the Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau, a French general. Orme visited him in France in 1773.
In London, Orme built a large library. He organized all the notes and information he had collected since 1742. These notes were for his history books about India. In August 1763, he published the first part of his main work. It was called A History of the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Indostan from the year 1745. The second part came out in 1778. Many people praised his work.
Historian George Bruce Malleson thought Orme's history was mostly correct. However, he felt Orme did not give enough credit to the French. Orme once said he would think of every sentence in his mind before writing it down. His main history book had many editions.
In 1782, Orme published Historical Fragments of the Mogul Empire, of the Morattoes, and of the English Concerns in Indostan from the year 1659. This book was reprinted in 1805. It included a short story about Orme's life. It also had parts of his letters to other historians. This book also contained his essays. These included "On the Origin of the English Establishment … at Broach and Surat." Another was "A General Idea of the Government and People of Indostan."
Orme's Family and Legacy
Robert Orme was married, but he kept this a secret from many of his friends. After he died, the East India Company gave his widow a yearly payment.
A sculpture of Orme was made in 1774 by Joseph Nollekens. Orme was 46 years old at the time. This sculpture was given to the East India Company. A picture of it can be seen in his book Historical Fragments.
Orme left all his books and writings to his friend, John Roberts. Roberts was a leader of the East India Company. Orme asked him to give these items to the Company. This collection went to the library of the India Office. It included many volumes of printed and handwritten materials about India. It also had letters, maps, and plans. Orme's maps were very important. They showed hundreds of places for the first time.
