Thomas Moody (British Army officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Moody
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| Monarch | George IV; William IV; Victoria |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1779 Arthuret, Longtown, Cumbria |
| Died | 5 September 1849 (aged 69–70) Berrywood House Hampshire. |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Tory |
| Spouses | Martha Clement (1784 – 1868), daughter of Richard Clement (1754 – 1829) |
| Relations |
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| Children | 10; 8 of which survived their father, including:
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| Parents | Thomas Moody (1732 – 1796); Barbara Blamire (1740 – 1806). |
| Residences | 7 Alfred Place, Bedford Square; 23 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London. |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (DCL) |
| Occupation | Colonial Office geopolitical expert (1806 - 1849); Director of the British Royal Gunpowder Manufactory (1832 - 1849) |
| Committees | British Parliamentary Commission on West Indian Slavery (1821 - 1828); Inspector of British Gunpowder (1840 - 1849) |
| Awards | Knight of the Order of Military Merit of France (1820); Justice of the Peace (1826); DCL (Oxon). |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Royal Engineers. |
| Years of service | 1797 - 1849 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands | Royal Engineers in West Indies (1829 - 1837) |
| Battles/wars | Napoleonic Wars; Invasion of Guadeloupe (1815) |
Colonel Thomas Moody (1779 – 1849) was an important British expert who worked for the Colonial Office. He was also a leader of the Royal Engineers in the West Indies. Later, he became the director of the British Royal Gunpowder Manufactory and an inspector of gunpowder.
He was honored with a knighthood in France by Louis XVIII. This was for his service during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1828, Moody and his friend Sir James Stirling wanted to start a new settlement in Australia. They offered to use their own money, but the British Government said no.
Thomas Moody was the father of two well-known sons. One was Major-General Richard Clement Moody, who helped found British Columbia. He was also the first British Governor of the Falkland Islands. His other son was Colonel Hampden Clement Blamire Moody, who led the Royal Engineers in China.
Contents
Thomas Moody's Early Life and Family Connections
Thomas Moody was born in 1779 in Arthuret, Longtown, Cumbria, England. His family had a long history of serving the British Empire. He was the third son of Thomas Moody and Barbara Blamire. His mother's family, the Blamires of Cumberland, included important people like William Blamire MP.
Thomas Moody's Circle of Friends and Influences
Moody was a very well-read person. He studied many subjects like history, economics, and physics. He could speak English, French, and Dutch fluently. He read works by famous thinkers like Montesquieu and Charles-Augustin de Coulomb. He was also influenced by African leaders like Toussaint Louverture and Henri Christophe.
He was part of a group in London called the Political Economy Club. Here, he discussed ideas about economics with other smart people. He was known for wanting clear facts to make decisions, not just opinions. People who worked with him described him as "very intelligent" and an "expert on West Indian affairs." He also advised the Duke of Wellington on how to defend the West Indies.
Moody had many important friends. These included Sir Robert Wilmot Horton and Sir James Stirling. He even named some of his children after these friends.
Thomas Moody's Work in the West Indies
Serving as an Aide-de-camp (1797 - 1821)
Thomas Moody first arrived in Barbados in 1797. He taught mathematics and writing at Codrington College. He was so good at math that Lord Seaforth, the British General in Barbados, helped him join the Royal Engineers in 1806.
He quickly rose through the ranks. He became a Lieutenant in 1806 and a Captain by 1814. He served bravely in the Napoleonic Wars. After the wars ended in 1815, he worked for a wealthy planter in Guiana for a year.
Moody also served as an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) to important generals. He worked for Sir James Leith and Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere. He even named one of his sons after Sir James Leith. During his time with Leith, Moody was involved in the successful Invasion of Guadeloupe (1815). For this, he received a knighthood from the French King Louis XVIII in 1820.
In 1816, Moody helped move Africans who had been rescued from slave ships. They were taken to Crown estates in Guadeloupe to work as apprentices, not as slaves. He believed these rescued Africans were very helpful to the British Empire.
Working as a Parliamentary Commissioner (1821 - 1828)
In 1821, a plan was made to investigate the conditions of enslaved people in the West Indies. This was because many people believed that the Slave Trade Act 1807, which made slave trading illegal, was not being followed. Moody and John Dougan were chosen to be the commissioners. Their job was to report to Lord Bathurst, who was in charge of the colonies.
Moody's role was to gather facts and provide clear information. He believed that decisions should be based on facts, not just opinions. He even created new "Brown Books" to collect more detailed information from every colony. He also wrote articles to explain the government's policies.
Moody and Dougan started their work in Tortola in 1822. They interviewed both masters and apprentices. Moody believed that the reports from masters about their apprentices were not always reliable. He insisted that he and Dougan should give their own opinions.
There were disagreements between Moody and Dougan. Dougan believed Moody was too easy on the plantation owners. Dougan eventually resigned from the commission in 1822. Moody returned to London in 1824 and presented his own report to the British Parliament in 1825.
Moody's report suggested that some form of controlled labor was needed for Africans in the West Indies. He called his idea a "Philosophy of Labour" and himself a "practical philanthropist." He believed that only Black people could do the hard work in the hot climate. His final idea was that Africans in the West Indies should return to West Africa.
His reports were supported by Lord Bathurst and the British Parliament. However, some groups, like the abolitionists, disagreed strongly with Moody's ideas. They wanted a system where Black people could work freely. Moody defended his views in private letters and newspapers. For their work, both Moody and Dougan were made Justices of the Peace.
Offer to Settle Australia (1828)
In 1828, the British Government decided not to go ahead with plans to settle the Swan River Colony in Australia. So, Sir James Stirling and Moody offered to create a private group to settle Australia using their own money. They wanted to follow the same ideas that William Penn used when settling Pennsylvania. However, the government turned down their offer.
Later Career and Achievements (1828 - 1849)
After his work as a commissioner, Moody continued to advise the Duke of Wellington on defending the West Indies. From 1829 to 1832, he led the Royal Engineers in the West Indies.
In 1832, he was appointed Director of the Royal Gunpowder Manufactory at Waltham Abbey. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1830 and became a Colonel by 1847. He also received a special degree from the University of Oxford in 1834.
The British Government often asked Moody for advice on important engineering projects. These included railway lines like the Caledonian Railway. His good reputation also helped his son, Richard Clement Moody, become the Governor of the Falkland Islands in 1841 at the young age of 28.
Thomas Moody lived in several places in London, including Bedford Square and Bolton Street. He passed away on September 5, 1849, at Berrywood House in Hampshire.
Thomas Moody's Marriage and Children
On January 1, 1809, Thomas Moody married Martha Clement (1784 – 1868). She was the daughter of Richard Clement. Thomas and Martha had 10 children together. Eight of their children were still alive when Thomas passed away.
Here are some of their children:
- Thomas (born 1809 in Barbados, died 1839). He became a Captain in the 70th Regiment of Foot.
- Susannah (born 1811 in Barbados, died 1884). She never married.
- Richard Clement Moody (born 1813 in Barbados, died 1887). He became a Major-General. He was the first Governor of the Falkland Islands and helped found British Columbia. He married Mary Susannah Hawks and had 13 children.
- Sophia (born 1814 in Georgetown, Guyana, died 1888).
- James Leith (born 1816 in Barbados, died 1896). He was named after Sir James Leith, a general his father admired. James Leith Moody became a Chaplain in the Royal Navy and British Army. He served in places like China and the Falkland Islands.
- Shute Barrington (born 1818 in Teignmouth). He was named after Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham. Shute Barrington Moody studied engineering and sugar production. He reported to Parliament on sugar manufacturing in the West Indies.
- Stapleton Cotton (born 1819, died 1820 in Barbados).
- Hampden Clement Blamire (born 1821 in Bedford Square, died 1869). He became a Colonel in the Royal Engineers and led them in China.
- Clementina Barbara (born 1822 – died 1864).
- Wilmot Horton (born 1824 in Mayfair, died 1853). He became a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery.
Images for kids
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Moody received a knighthood in the French Order of Military Merit
