Order of the Star of India. Sir James Thomson, K.C.S.I. Grant of his knighthood, Madras 1904

Sir James Thomson, K.C.S.I. Grant of Knight Companion of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India 1904

The Grant of the dignity of a Knight Commander of the Order of the Most Exalted Star of India to James Thomson Esquire, C.S.I. is on two sides of a bifolium watermarked Whatman, 12½ x 8 ins as originally folded. It bears the paper seal of the Order and is signed at the head Edward R & I. [King Emperor Edward VII]. It is boldly signed beneath the date of 2nd September 1904 St John Broderick  as Secretary of State for India. Thomson’s award, the only one of that date, was noted as Member of the Council of the Governor of Madras, and Acting Governor of Madras the latter office being one he held between April and December 1904 during the absence of Lord Ampthill. The document is in excellent, clean condition, still a little curved where it has been in a roll of other documents. Included with the grant are two typed letters from the Chief Secretary on folio sheets of writing paper embossed in red with the royal arms and GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS in an oval, regarding the award.    aug30/1                    

Sir James Thomson, K.C.S.I. [1848-1927] held this post from 1901 to 1906 and 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 1904 advanced to the honour of Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India.