Samuel Ludlow (surgeon) facts for kids
Samuel Ludlow was a British doctor, also known as a surgeon. He worked for the East India Company, a powerful British trading company that also ruled parts of India a long time ago. Samuel Ludlow worked in India during the early 1800s. He spent many years in Delhi, at a place called the Delhi Residency. This was where the main British official, called the Resident, lived and worked. The Resident was the British representative to the Mughal Court in Delhi. The British took control of Delhi around 1803.
Who Was Samuel Ludlow?
Samuel Ludlow was a British surgeon who lived from the late 1700s until 1853. He was an important medical officer for the East India Company. This company was very powerful. It managed trade and also governed large areas of India for Britain. Ludlow worked in a region called the Bengal Presidency. This was a big administrative area of British India.
His Career in India
Samuel Ludlow started his medical career with the Bengal medical department in 1805. He began as an Assistant Surgeon. In 1806, he moved to the city of Benaras. By 1813, he was transferred to the Delhi Residency. This was a very important place for the British in India.
He was promoted to Surgeon in 1817. By 1828, he held the title of Presidency Surgeon in Delhi. This meant he was a very senior doctor. In 1831, he became a Superintending Surgeon. This was an even higher rank. He moved to different army divisions, including Neemuch and Agra. Later, he served in the Sirhind Division, based in Ambala.
Samuel Ludlow eventually joined the Bengal Medical Board. This was a top medical committee. He retired from the East India Company's service. After retiring, he moved back to England. He settled in Exeter. In 1844, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. This is a special honor for surgeons. He later moved to Bath, where he passed away in 1853.
Ludlow Castle in Delhi
Samuel Ludlow is most remembered today for a house he built. This house was located just outside the old city walls of Old Delhi. He named it "Ludlow Castle." The name was a clever play on his last name. It also referred to the building's small towers, called turrets. It also had decorative battlements, called crenelations. These features made it look a bit like a real castle. It was named after the famous 11th-century Ludlow Castle, Shropshire in England.
Ludlow Castle in Delhi later became the official British Residency. This was the main office and home for the British Resident. Years later, in September 1857, this building became very important. During the Siege of Delhi, British troops used it. They set up a battery there. This battery helped them break through the city wall. It allowed them to retake the city during the Indian Rebellion.
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