Thomas de Havilland facts for kids
Thomas Fiott de Havilland (born April 1775 – died 23 February 1866) was a British Army officer and a skilled engineer. He worked in a part of India called the Madras Presidency. Later in his life, he became a judge and a member of the government in Guernsey, an island near France.
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Who Was Thomas de Havilland?
Thomas de Havilland was born in April 1775 at Havilland Hall in Guernsey. His father, Peter de Havilland, was an important leader in Guernsey from 1810 to 1821. Thomas's family had a special symbol, a coat of arms, with three towers and a motto that meant "The Lord is the strongest tower."
Early Life and Military Career
Thomas de Havilland started his military career in 1795. He served in different places, including Colombo and Trichy in India. In 1799, he fought against a ruler named Tipu Sultan. He also went to Egypt in 1801, where he was captured by the French army. Luckily, he was set free in 1802.
Building in India
In 1814, Thomas de Havilland became a civil engineer and architect for the Madras Presidency in India. This meant he was in charge of designing and building important structures. He stayed in this role until he retired in 1825. By 1821, he was the chief engineer in Madras. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1824.
He built many important things, including:
- A strong sea wall in Madras to protect the coast.
- He designed and built St. Andrew's Church in Madras, which is still a famous building.
- At a place called Srirangapatnam, he built a special arch. This arch was 110 feet wide and made from regular bricks. He built it to show that a large bridge with five arches could be built across the Kaveri River. This arch stood for many years but eventually collapsed in 1936.
- He also set up a special marker in Madras to measure the average sea level.
Life After Retirement
After retiring from his work in India, Thomas de Havilland went back to Guernsey. He bought a large estate called Vauxquiédor. He then became a justice, which is like a judge, and a member of the local government.
In 1808, he married Elizabeth Saumarez. They had two sons and two daughters. Sadly, both of his sons passed away before him. After Elizabeth died, he married Harriet Gore in 1828. Thomas de Havilland lived a long life and passed away in Guernsey on February 23, 1866, when he was 90 years old.
