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 Dictionary of Indian Biography (Buckland) |
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 Dictionary of Indian Biography G to I
| Date transcribed | 2011-04-00 | | Transcribed by | Peter Bailey | | Comment | Note that notables of Indian, Afghan, etc. origin do not always follow the alphabetical name pattern established by Buckland in his original work. |
| | Surnames | Holwell | | | First Name(s) | John Zephaniah | | | Year of Birth | 1711 | | | Year of Death | 1798 | | | Entry | Governor : son of Zephaniah Holwell, timber merchant : born Sep. 17. 1711 : educated at Richmond, and Iselmond, near Rotterdam : studied surgery at Guy's Hospital : to Calcutta in 1732 as surgeon's mate on an Indiaman : employed as surgeon in the Company's ships to the Patna factory : at the Dacca factory : at Calcutta. 1736-48 : alderman : principal surgeon : twice Mayor : perpetual zamindar of the 24 Parganas in 1751 : Seventh in the Council : when the fort at Calcutta was attacked by the Nawab Suraj-ud-daula on June 18, 1756, and the Governor Drake and others retreated down the river on 19th, Holwell was called on to take charge of the defence. He was one of the 23 survivors of the 146 persons in the Black Hole on the night of June 20-1 : was sent to Murshidabad and kept in irons there : set at liberty, July 17 : joined the ships at Fulta : went to England in Feb. 1757 : returned to Bengal : in the Council : succeeded Clive as temporary Governor of Bengal from Jan. 28, 1760, until Vansittart assumed office on July 27, 1760. In 1761 he and others were dismissed by the Court of Directors for signing a despatch remonstrating against Vansittart's appointment, but he had retired in Sep. 1760 : in retirement, he wrote on historical, philosophical and social science subjects : also his Narrative of the Black Hole, Interesting Historical Events relative to the Province of Bengal and the Empire of Hindustan, 1765-71 ; Indian Tracts, 1758, 1774, and other works, showing his knowledge of the religion and customs of the Hindus. He erected, at the N.E. corner of Dalhousie Square, Calcutta, a monument to those who died in the Black Hole : this monument was removed in 1819 : re-erected in 1902 : Holwell died at Pinner, Nov. 5, 1798 |
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A List of eminent persons who served in British India, together with short biographical notes of each
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