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Sir Thomas Metcalfe, 4th Baronet

Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe, 4th Baronet, KCB (2 January 1795 – 3 November 1853) was an East India Company civil servant and agent of the Governor
Sir Thomas Metcalfe, Bt
General of India at the imperial court of the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.[2][3]

Contents
Biography
Family
Death
Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi
Architectural legacy
References Sir Thomas Metcalfe, Bt, on a
Further reading picture from the Delhi Book
External links Born 2 January 1795
Portland Place,
London
Biography Died 3 November 1853
Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe was born on 2 January 1795 at 49 Portland Place, London, and christened on 27 March 1795 in St Marylebone Parish Church, Saint (aged 58) [1]
Marylebone, London, England. He arrived in Delhi in 1813 and lived there for forty years.[4] His elder brother, Charles Metcalfe (1785–1846), was Resident to the Mughal Metcalfe House,
Emperor's court, and briefly the provisional Governor General of Bengal (1835–36). He married Fe'licite Anne Browne on 13 July 1826. Delhi, British India
Resting St. James' Church
In 1830, Metcalfe began to build the "Metcalfe House" on the outskirts of Delhi, taking land belonging to Gurjar villagers. He filled it with his collections of art, books and
place near Kashmiri Gate,
relics of Napoleon.[5] The Metcalfe House was called Matka Kothi by the bearers and khansamahs (chefs) serving Sir Thomas, as they found it difficult to pronounce the
Delhi
name Metcalfe.[6]
28°39′56.2″N
In 1835, Metcalfe became the agent at Delhi after the murder of William Fraser and ran the "Delhi Territory", the area around the old capital under British control since 77°13′53.5″E
1803.[6] He succeeded his brother as Baronet in 1844, and became an important figure in the cultural climate of Delhi.[4] Occupation Governor-General's
Agent at the Imperial
While working in India as the Governor-General's Agent at the Imperial court of the Mughal Emperor, between 1842 and 1844, Metcalfe ordered a series of images of the court of the Mughal
monuments, ruins, palaces and shrines from Delhi artist named Mazhar Ali Khan, and later an album termed as Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi (also Dehlie Book or Emperor
Delhi Album) was compiled by Metcalfe in 1844, containing 89 folios around 130 paintings by Indian artists, [7] and including descriptive text and touching words and was
Employer East India Company
sent to his daughter Emily as she headed from an English schooling to join him in Delhi. The album has now been acquired by the British Library.[8][9]
Title Baronet
During the rainy season he used to stay at 'Dilkusha' (Delight of the Heart), which was built on the first floor of the tomb of Mohammed Quli Khan, brother of Adham Successor Sir Theophilus
Khan, general of Mughal Emperor, Akbar, situated south east of the Qutb complex in Mehrauli, an area which was also the traditional retreat of the Mughals for the Metcalfe, 5th Baronet
season.[10] While his main house was a colonial bungalow, built in 1844, its library contained over 20,000 books including Napoleon memorabilia, however during the
Spouse(s) Grace Clark (1815-);
Uprising of 1857 the library was destroyed and looted.[11] He was invested with the Order of the Bath, and became a Knight Commander in the same order.[12]
Fe'licite Anne Browne
Metcalfe was allegedly poisoned by one of Bahadur Shah's queens in 1853.[4][13] He was buried in a grave to the east of the Skinner Family's cemetery, at the St. James' (1826 - her death,
Church near Kashmiri Gate, Delhi.[14] 1842)

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During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Metcalfe House was sacked by the Gurjar villagers from whom the land was taken to Children Sir Theophilus John
erect the building.[15] Metcalfe, 5th Baronet
Emily Ann Theophila
Metcalfe
Family
Charles Theophilus
His father was Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe, 1st Baronet and his mother was Susannah Sophia Selina Debonnaire. His Metcalfe
father first went to India in 1767 as a cadet in the King’s Army, eventually becoming a Director of the British East India Georgiana Charlotte
Company.[16][17] Theophila Metcalfe
Eliza Theophila
He married, firstly, Grace Clarke, daughter of Alexander Clarke, on 7 June 1815, by whom he had one daughter. He married,
Debonnaire Metcalfe
secondly, Felicite Anne Browne on 13 July 1826, by whom he had one son and two daughters. He was succeeded in his title by
Sophia Selena
his eldest son, Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe, 5th Baronet, who was also in the Indian Civil Service.
Theophila Metcalfe

Dilkhusa (Delight of the Heart) the
country house of Metcalfe, in
Mehrauli, Metcalfe album, 1843
Death
In 1853 Metcalfe suffered a digestive disorder which led to his slow death. His doctors believed that the ailment was caused by
poison. Metcalfe's family, and Metcalfe himself, suspected that he was being administered poison on the instructions of Zinat
Mahal, the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar's favorite wife.[18]

Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi

Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi, also called the Delhi Book, is an album consisting of 89 folios with approximately 130 paintings by Indian artists. The paintings depict
Dilkusha with Qutb Minar in the
Mughal and pre-Mughal monuments of Delhi, the lives of native Indians as well as other contemporary material. Metcalfe added extensive descriptions to almost all
background, Mehrauli
paintings. He had assembled the album to be a gift for his daughters in England, and he sent it to them in 1844. The most important feature of the album is that it shows
buildings as they were before the siege of Delhi during the Indian Mutiny. Many of these structures were razed, vandalized or suffered neglect in the years following the
Mutiny.

The tomb of Sir Thomas Metcalfe at

St. James' Church near Kashmiri
Gate, Delhi

Different views of the Metcalfe House, St. James' Church, Delhi A panorama in 12 folds showing the
Delhi, 1843, which now houses the procession of the Emperor Bahadur
Laser Science and Technology Centre Shah Zafar II to celebrate the feast of
(DRDO). the 'Id., 1843.

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Details of the tomb of Colonel James Description of assassination of Scenes from a Royal procession, and
Skinner C.B. at St. James' Church, William Frazer, Agent to the a party of Skinner's Horse regiment.
Delhi, and Styles and titles in Persian Governor-General of India, on 22
of Metcalfe as Agent of Governor- March 1835, in Delhi.
General of India(right page)

Architectural legacy

One of Metcalfe's Another of Metcalf's

"follies", a chhatri, with follies, close to the Qutb
Jamali Kamali Mosque Minar parking lot,
in the background, Mehrauli.
Mehrauli.

References
3. Metcalf, Thomas R. "Metcalfe, Sir Thomas Theophilus, fourth baronet". Oxford Dictionary of National
1. Biography and Genealogy (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~adgedge/Research
Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/40847 (https://doi.org
/Metcalfe,%20John/english%20metcalfe/pafg07.htm#265)
/10.1093%2Fref%3Aodnb%2F40847). |access-date= requires |url= (help) (Subscription or UK
2. "Metcalfe, Sir Thomas Theophilus (1795-1853)" (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches public library membership (http://www.oxforddnb.com/help/subscribe#public) required.)
/pidocs.asp?P=P19710). National Register of Archives. The National Archives. Retrieved
4. "Images Of A Lost Empire" (http://www.redhotcurry.com/entertainment/museums/delhi_book.htm).
2007-05-31.
Redhotcurry Limited. 2003-08-18. Retrieved 2007-05-31.

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5. "Reminiscences of Imperial Dehlie" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070108065800/http://www.the-
south-asian.com/Sep2003/metcalfe_album_of_imperial_delhi.htm). the-south-asian.com. September
2003. Archived from the original (http://www.the-south-asian.com/Sep2003
/metcalfe_album_of_imperial_delhi.htm) on 2007-01-08. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
6. "This time, that age" (http://www.hindu.com/mp/2003/12/29/stories/2003122900700200.htm). Metro
Plus Delhi. The Hindu. 2003-12-29. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
7. " 'The Delhi Book' of Thomas Metcalfe" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070322175902/http:
//www.bl.uk/collections/delhibook.html). Prints, Drawings and Photographs Section. The British
Library. Archived from the original (http://www.bl.uk/collections/delhibook.html) on 2007-03-22.
Retrieved 2007-05-31.
8. "Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi" (http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/addorimss
/t/019addor0005475u00055vrb.html). British Library.
9. "About the Delhi Book" (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2003/aug
/16/art.highereducation). The Guardian. 16 August 2003.
10. The tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan, brother of Adham Khan, converted to a residence by Sir Thomas
Theophilus Metcalfe (http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/addorimss
/t/019addor0005475u00081vrb.html) British Library.
11. Sir Theophilus Metcalfe's House, Delhi. (http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/photocoll
/s/019pho000000052u00004000.html) British Library.
12. Kenneth G Metcalf. "Metcalf Family History and Genealogy" (http://www.metcalfhistory.com
/family_history.htm). Metcalf History. Retrieved 2007-05-31.
13. A case of Delhi poisoning? (http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/04/05/stories/2004040500720200.htm)
Hindu, April 5, 2004.
14. The tomb of Sir Thomas Metcalfe in Delhi (http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/addorimss
/t/019addor0005475u00085vrb.html) British Library.
15. Sen, Geeti; Ashis Banerjee (2001). The Human Landscape. Orient Longman. p. 236.
ISBN 81-250-2045-4.
16. Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe, 1st Baronet (1745-1813). (http://www.bl.uk/catalogues
/indiaofficeselectpd/FullDisplay.aspx?RecordId=015-000008945) British Library.
17. Prints & Drawings full record display for shelfmark P2204 (http://www.bl.uk/catalogues
/indiaofficeselectpd/FullDisplay.aspx?RecordId=015-000014831) British Library.
18. A case of Delhi poisoning? (http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/04/05/stories/2004040500720200.htm)

Genealogy of Metcalfes (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~adgedge/Research/Metcalfe,%20John/english%20metcalfe/pafg06.htm)

Detailed description of Metcalfe House Delhi, 1843 (http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/apac/addorimss/f/019addor0005475u00084vrb.html) British Library.

Further reading
The Golden Calm: an English lady's life in Moghul Delhi : reminiscences by Emily, Lady Clive Bayley, and by her father Sir Thomas Metcalfe, by Emily Bayley, Thomas Metcalfe, edited by M. M. Kaye. Published
by Webb & Bower.
Thomas Metcalf. Imperial Connections: India in the Indian Ocean Arena, 1860–1920 Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0-520-24946-2.
Metcalfe History (http://www.metcalfhistory.com/family_history.htm) www.metcalfhistory.com

External links
About the Delhi Book (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2003/aug/16/art.highereducation) The Guardian
'The Delhi Book' of Thomas Metcalfe (http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/prdraw/delhibook/index.html) British Library

Baronetage of the United Kingdom

Baronet
Preceded by Succeeded by
(of Chilton)
Charles Theophilus Metcalfe Theophilus John Metcalfe
1846–1853

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