Madras Civil Service. Certificate of appointment 1871

A finely printed certificate with manuscript insertions and alterations, 11¾ x 8¾ ins,. appointing James Thomson and permitting him to proceed to Madras per Steamer “Singapore”. The parchment document was issued on 5th September 1861 and is signed by the Under Secretary of State and countersigned John Downton. There are several original folds and a later attempt at rolling.    nov6/1

Sir James Thomson, K.C.S.I. [1848-1927]. a member of the Governor’s Council at Fort St George [Madras], was Acting Governor of Madras between April and December 1905. He was a Scot, educated at the Grammar School and University of Aberdeen, going out to India in 1871 serving first at Godavari becoming Collector & Magistrate there in 1885. From 1889 he was Resident to the rulers of Travancore and Cochin before occupying senior posts in the revenue and salt departments of government. As a member of council he was appointed C.S.I. in 1902 and in 1902 advanced to the honour of Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India