Valentine Blacker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valentine Blacker
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| Born | 19 October 1778 Armagh, Kingdom of Ireland |
| Died | 4 February 1826 (aged 47) Calcutta, British India (now Kolkata) |
| Buried |
South Park Street Cemetery
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| Allegiance | East India Company |
| Branch | Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | Madras Cavalry |
Valentine Blacker (born October 19, 1778 – died February 4, 1826) was an important military officer. He served as a lieutenant colonel in the Honourable East India Company. Later, he became the Surveyor General of India, helping to map large parts of the country.
Valentine Blacker's Journey
Valentine Blacker was born in Armagh, a town in Northern Ireland. His family had a long history in the area. In 1798, he joined the military. He received a "commission," which means he was officially made an officer.
He became a "cornet" in the Madras Cavalry in 1799. A cornet was a junior officer who carried the troop's flag. In 1800, he became an "aide-de-camp" to Colonel Stevenson. This meant he was a personal assistant to a senior officer.
By 1810, Blacker was a "quartermaster-general." This role involved managing supplies and housing for the army. He served in the Deccan region of India in 1817. During this time, he was promoted to "lieutenant-colonel." This is a high rank in the army.
Mapping India
In 1823, Blacker took over a very important job. He became the Surveyor General of India. This meant he was in charge of all the land surveys in India. He made big contributions to the "Trigonometrical Survey of India." This was a huge project to accurately map the entire country using advanced math and measurements.
Blacker worked in Calcutta (now Kolkata) from 1823 until he passed away in 1826. He died from a fever. He was buried in the South Park Street Cemetery in Calcutta. Another famous surveyor, Andrew Waugh, said that Blacker was one of the smartest and most scientific people to lead the survey department, second only to Colonel George Everest.
What He Wrote
Valentine Blacker and his relative, William Blacker, were both lieutenant-colonels. Both of them also wrote books. Sometimes, people get them confused because some of their writings were published "pseudonymously." This means they used a fake name instead of their real one.
In 1798, Valentine Blacker's letters to his father were published. These letters shared military and political news. They also included his thoughts and observations about Indian life and culture.
In 1821, Blacker published a history of the Maharashtra War. This book also talked about the Battle of Khadki. It helped people understand important events in Indian history.
