Thomas John Newbold facts for kids

Thomas John Newbold (born February 8, 1807 – died May 29, 1850) was an English soldier. He worked for the East India Company. He was also known as a traveler and someone who studied Eastern cultures.

Life of a Soldier and Explorer

Thomas Newbold was born in Macclesfield, England, on February 8, 1807. His father, Francis Newbold, was a surgeon.

In 1828, Thomas became a junior officer in the 23rd Madras light infantry. This was part of the army of the East India Company. The East India Company was a powerful British trading company. It also had its own army in India.

Newbold arrived in India in 1828. He quickly learned local languages. He passed an exam in Hindustani in 1830. He also passed an exam in Persian in 1831.

From 1830 to 1835, Newbold was a quartermaster and interpreter for his regiment. This meant he managed supplies and translated languages. In 1832, he moved to Malacca. He became a lieutenant in 1834.

While in charge of the port at Lingy, he stopped a boat. This boat was supplying people fighting in a conflict. The government of Malacca wanted to stay neutral. Newbold was sued by the boat owner. The court said his action was not legal. However, the court approved of his good intentions. He was paid back for his expenses.

In August 1835, he arrived at the presidency. He was approved as an aide-de-camp. This meant he was a personal assistant to Brigadier-general E. W. Wilson. He held this job until 1840. In 1838, he became a deputy assistant quartermaster-general. In 1839, he became a deputy assistant adjutant-general. He also became a postmaster for the army in the ceded districts.

Newbold left India for a break in early 1840. He visited Jebel Nákas, also known as "Bell Mountain." This is a famous tourist spot in the Sinai peninsula. He visited it in June of that year.

On June 5, 1841, he became a member of the Asiatic Society. This was a group of people who studied Asia. While in England, he gave several talks to the society.

Newbold was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society on January 6, 1842. The Royal Society is a very old and respected group for scientists. He was promoted to captain on April 12. He was called back to India in May.

When he arrived in Madras, he got new jobs. He became an assistant to the commission at Kurnool. He also commanded the horse troops there. From 1843 to 1848, he worked for the governor's agent. This was in Kurnool and Bunganahilly. In 1848, he became an assistant to the resident at Hyderabad.

In June 1845, he was allowed to go to Egypt for two years. Thomas Newbold passed away in Mahabuleshwar on May 29, 1850.

His Writings and Discoveries

Thomas Newbold wrote many scientific papers. The Royal Society's list mentions forty-six of them.

He lived in the Straits of Malacca for three years. During this time, he learned a lot about the Malayan peninsula. He used this information to write papers. These papers were published in journals of the Asiatic societies.

These papers later became a two-volume book. It was called Political and Statistical Account of the British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca … with a History of the Malayan States on the Peninsula of Malacca. It was published in London in 1839.

Newbold also studied the mineral resources of India. He was an expert on the geology of Southern India. Geology is the study of Earth's physical structure and substances. He explored this area very carefully.

He was one of the first to describe Neolithic ashmounds. These are ancient piles of ash from early human settlements. They were found in peninsular India. He published his findings in scientific magazines. Newbold was also a scholar of Eastern cultures. He enjoyed studying Eastern poetry.