Papers of Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange

The papers consist of a letter from Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange to Captain Henry Harkness, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to send an extract from a letter that he had received from his son, Thomas Lumisden Strange in Tellicherry, (Thalassery) India. Strange asks that the extract be brought before the Council of the Society, if Harkness deems it of sufficient importance. This letter is dated 9 February, 1837. The extract, dated 4 September 1836, is written in a different hand. It concerns the attempt by Francis Rawdon Chesney to find an overland route to India via the Euphrates. Thomas Lumisden Strange recommends that the route should continue to be explored despite the loss of life on the expedition, and believed that the Persian Sultan 'might be induced to farm to us this division of his dominions'.

Sir Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange (November 30, 1756 – July 16, 1841) was, from 1789 to 1797, the sixth Chief Justice of Nova Scotia. He became the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Madras and in that capacity was also the first Chief Justice of the Madras Presidency, British India from 1801 to 1817.

Thomas Lumisden Strange (1808–1884) was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange. He was educated at Westminster School, and on leaving in 1823 went out to his father in India, becoming a writer in the East India Company's civil service at Madras in 1825. Strange was appointed an assistant-judge and joint criminal judge in 1831, became sub-judge at Calicut in 1843 and civil and sessions judge at Tellicherry in 1845. He was a special commissioner for investigating the Molpah disturbances in Malabar in 1852, and for inquiring into the system of judicature in the presidency of Madras in 1859, and was made judge of the high court of judicature in 1862. Strange resigned on 2 May 1863. He died at Norwood on 4 September 1884.

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The papers were sent by Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange to the Royal Asiatic Society.

These papers were catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

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The papers were written by Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange and his son, Thomas Lumisden Strange.

The Council Minutes for 18th February 1837 record: 'Read a note from Sir Thomas Strange. Resolved, that the thanks of the Council be communicated to Sir Thomas Strange for his kind attention.'