George Weldon (Deputy Governor of Bombay)

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George Weldon (died 1697) was an English merchant and the Deputy Governor of Bombay.

Life[edit]

John Ovington described Weldon as "a gentleman well descended".[1] According to one source, he was Deputy Governor of Bombay from 1688, succeeding on the death of Sir John Wyborne.[2] Another source puts John Vaux, and George Cooke who died, between Wyborne and Weldon, who was Deputy Governor from 1690.[3]

In 1689 Weldon, described as a factor, was sent to Vasai (Bassein) with Abraham Navarro, by Sir John Child, 1st Baronet as Governor. The mission was to treat for terms with the Mughals; Child died in 1690 before they returned to Bombay.[4][5] Aurangzeb settled the state of war that had existed with the East India Company in February 1690, on heavy conditions.[6] Weldon died on his voyage back to England and was buried in Mauritius in 1697.

Family[edit]

Weldon married Susannah, the widow of Sir John Child, in 1692; she was the daughter of Captain John Shaxton or Shackstone, a previous Deputy Governor.[7]

Legacy[edit]

Susannah Weldon erected a monument on his grave that served as a landmark for shipping. Its location became known as Baie du Tombeau (Tomb Bay), which may refer to Weldon's monument, or an earlier loss of Dutch ships there in 1615.[8]

References[edit]

  • Dictionnaire toponymique de l'Île Maurice, Société de l'histoire de l'Île Maurice 1997, article "Baie du Tombeau"

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ John Ovington (1696). A Voyage to Suratt: In the Year, 1689. Tonson. p. 155.
  2. ^ Mainwaring, Arthur Edward; Harold Carmichael Wylly. "Crown and Company, the historical records of the 2nd Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, formerly the 1st Bombay European Regiment". Internet Archive. London: A. L. Humphreys. p. 77. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  3. ^ Cunha, Joseph Gerson da (1900). "The Origin of Bombay". Internet Archive. Bombay: Society's Library. p. 324. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  4. ^ Burnell, John (1933). "Bombay In The Days Of Queen Anne, Second Series Volume LXXII". Internet Archive. London: Hakluyt Society. pp. 18 note. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  5. ^ William Bolts (1998). Considerations on India Affairs. Taylor & Francis. pp. 59–. ISBN 978-0-415-15520-5.
  6. ^ Brijen Kishore Gupta (1962). Sirajuddaullah and the East India Company, 1756-1757: Background to the Foundation of British Power in India. Brill Archive. pp. 5–. GGKEY:RS7D7HRH8KA.
  7. ^ Watson, I. B. "Child, Sir John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/5289. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. ^ Martine Maurel (February 2007). Mauritius. New Holland Publishers. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-84537-647-5.