James Macrae
Encyclopedia
James Macrae was a Scottish seaman and administrator who served as the President of Fort St George
from 1725 to 1730. He is known for naval exploits against the pirate Edward England
and for reforming the administration of Madras Presidency
.
, Scotland
. Little is known about his ancestry; according to the history of the clan Macrae his paternal grandfather was one John Macrae, also known as Ian Mac Ian Oig Dubh, "Black John the young son of John". Macrae's father died when he was barely five years old and the family moved to the town of Ayr
where they lived in a thatched hut. Macrae's mother found a job as a washerwoman
. Macrae did not have any formal education of his own but picked up bits and pieces of knowledge on the world about him. He added his own to the family's meagre earnings by delivering messages. Tired of poverty, Macrae soon ran away from home and sailed to India
.
J. Talboys Wheeler, writes that Macrae was "tired of this monotonous life" and "with the energy he showed then he would have assimilated the passionate desire to embark in commercial ventures of the time" More prosaically, Dr. Eric J. Graham, Scottish historian specializing in maritime history, concludes that embarking at sea in 1692, "Macrae fled a life close to starvation".
in service of the British East India Company
and rose to become captain. While functioning as the skipper of the Cassandra, Macrae encountered the fabled pirate Edward England
near the Comoros
on August 17, 1720. While Robert Kirtby and the Dutch vessel assigned to assist Macrare fled the scene, Macrae single-handedly engaged England. During a naval battle which lasted over three hours, Macrae and his men killed about a hundred of England's pirates who numbered about 500. However, seven more hours later, they faced heavy reverses and were forced to abandon ship. This naval battle was later described by Graham as the "bloodiest engagement and killing of pirates along the African coast".
Macrae enlisted the support of the king of the island and engaged the pirates once more. But injured in his head and with a price upon him set by Edward England, Macrae was forced to escape. Ten days later, however, Macrae surrendered to England and after a heated debate on his fate, the pirates finally pardoned him and left the island on September 3, 1720. Macrae, himself, left five days later arriving at Bombay on October 26, 1720.
On the retirement of the then Governor of Madras Nathaniel Elwick on January 15, 1725, Macrae succeeded to his post. Macrae began an ambitious reform program. It increased the profits of the company, cut spending, and improved the exchange rate between gold and silver. In terms of public health, he launched a study of the city and its surroundings in order to reduce the high mortality rate. As a deviation from the company's general policy of discouraging indigenous trade and industries, Macrae promoted free trade and industry during his tenure. He restored decrepit buildings and strengthened fortifications and promoted the first Protestant mission to the city in 1726.
Soon after Macrae became governor, there was a general unrest among the Nizam
's soldiers in Visakhapatnam
due to the indebtedness of the Nizam prompting fears that the soldiers might invade the city of Madras. Macrae sent a small army which restored order in the city. In December 1726, Macrae commissioned a revenue survey of the city. The houses and people within the limits of the city were enumerated and their castes and occupations recorded. On September 24, 1726, King George I issued a charter
giving judicial powers to the Madras city administration. As per the charter, the mayor and aldermen of Madras were made a Court of Record and were authorized to handle civil suits.The Governor of Madras and his council constituted the higher court of appeal.
Macrae also exposed the corrupt practises of the Bombay governor Walsh who had tampered with official accounts. Due to this expose, Walsh was recalled and replaced as Governor of Bombay by Robert Cowan. Back in England, Walsh launched several charges against Macrae thereby prompting a detailed investigation. The ensuing scandal compelled Macrae to resign in February 1730. He was succeeded as Governor by George Morton Pitt on May 14, 1730.
in 1730 and settled in the London
suburb
of Blackheath
. At Blackheath, Macrae researched on his clan MacGuire and traced their ancestry to Ayr
. Macrae, himself, moved to Ayr, a couple of years later. In 1733, he was admitted as a citizen of the city of Ayr. He also financed an equestrian statue to William II of Scotland at Glasgow
.
In 1736, Macrae purchased a property belonging to Hugh Bailie of Monktown. He, subseqently, surrendered the barony of Houston in Dumfriesshire
. Macrae died in July 1744 and was buried in the cemetery of the church of Monktown. A monument to his memory was erected by John Swan in 1750.
Fort St George
Fort St George is the name of the first English fortress in India, founded in 1639 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai. The construction of the Fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally a no man's land...
from 1725 to 1730. He is known for naval exploits against the pirate Edward England
Edward England
Edward England, born Edward Seegar in Ireland, was a famous African coast and Indian Ocean pirate captain from 1717 to 1720. The ships he sailed on included the Pearl and later the Fancy, for which England exchanged the Pearl in 1720...
and for reforming the administration of Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
.
Early Life
James Macrae was born in 1677, in AyrshireAyrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Little is known about his ancestry; according to the history of the clan Macrae his paternal grandfather was one John Macrae, also known as Ian Mac Ian Oig Dubh, "Black John the young son of John". Macrae's father died when he was barely five years old and the family moved to the town of Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
where they lived in a thatched hut. Macrae's mother found a job as a washerwoman
Washerwoman
Washerwoman may refer to:* Alternanthera caracasana, a plant* a woman working in washing* The Irish Washerwoman, a traditional and well known Irish jig...
. Macrae did not have any formal education of his own but picked up bits and pieces of knowledge on the world about him. He added his own to the family's meagre earnings by delivering messages. Tired of poverty, Macrae soon ran away from home and sailed to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
J. Talboys Wheeler, writes that Macrae was "tired of this monotonous life" and "with the energy he showed then he would have assimilated the passionate desire to embark in commercial ventures of the time" More prosaically, Dr. Eric J. Graham, Scottish historian specializing in maritime history, concludes that embarking at sea in 1692, "Macrae fled a life close to starvation".
Early career
Little is known about the first thirty years of his life. Macrae worked as a seamanSeaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
in service of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and rose to become captain. While functioning as the skipper of the Cassandra, Macrae encountered the fabled pirate Edward England
Edward England
Edward England, born Edward Seegar in Ireland, was a famous African coast and Indian Ocean pirate captain from 1717 to 1720. The ships he sailed on included the Pearl and later the Fancy, for which England exchanged the Pearl in 1720...
near the Comoros
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
on August 17, 1720. While Robert Kirtby and the Dutch vessel assigned to assist Macrare fled the scene, Macrae single-handedly engaged England. During a naval battle which lasted over three hours, Macrae and his men killed about a hundred of England's pirates who numbered about 500. However, seven more hours later, they faced heavy reverses and were forced to abandon ship. This naval battle was later described by Graham as the "bloodiest engagement and killing of pirates along the African coast".
Macrae enlisted the support of the king of the island and engaged the pirates once more. But injured in his head and with a price upon him set by Edward England, Macrae was forced to escape. Ten days later, however, Macrae surrendered to England and after a heated debate on his fate, the pirates finally pardoned him and left the island on September 3, 1720. Macrae, himself, left five days later arriving at Bombay on October 26, 1720.
Governor of Madras
The East India Company, impressed by the Macrae's abilities appointed him Superintendent in 1723, to investigate and end the chronic corruption that affected the English settlements on the west coast of Sumatra. In 1723, Macrae was appointed Deputy Governor of Fort St David. Macrae showed good administrative acumen as Deputy Governor. As deputy governor, Macrae promoted trade and commerce.On the retirement of the then Governor of Madras Nathaniel Elwick on January 15, 1725, Macrae succeeded to his post. Macrae began an ambitious reform program. It increased the profits of the company, cut spending, and improved the exchange rate between gold and silver. In terms of public health, he launched a study of the city and its surroundings in order to reduce the high mortality rate. As a deviation from the company's general policy of discouraging indigenous trade and industries, Macrae promoted free trade and industry during his tenure. He restored decrepit buildings and strengthened fortifications and promoted the first Protestant mission to the city in 1726.
Soon after Macrae became governor, there was a general unrest among the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
's soldiers in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
due to the indebtedness of the Nizam prompting fears that the soldiers might invade the city of Madras. Macrae sent a small army which restored order in the city. In December 1726, Macrae commissioned a revenue survey of the city. The houses and people within the limits of the city were enumerated and their castes and occupations recorded. On September 24, 1726, King George I issued a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
giving judicial powers to the Madras city administration. As per the charter, the mayor and aldermen of Madras were made a Court of Record and were authorized to handle civil suits.The Governor of Madras and his council constituted the higher court of appeal.
Macrae also exposed the corrupt practises of the Bombay governor Walsh who had tampered with official accounts. Due to this expose, Walsh was recalled and replaced as Governor of Bombay by Robert Cowan. Back in England, Walsh launched several charges against Macrae thereby prompting a detailed investigation. The ensuing scandal compelled Macrae to resign in February 1730. He was succeeded as Governor by George Morton Pitt on May 14, 1730.
Later years
Macrae returned to Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in 1730 and settled in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Blackheath
Blackheath
Blackheath is the name of a number of places:*Blackheath, London, England**Blackheath, Kent *Blackheath, Surrey, England**Blackheath, Surrey *Blackheath, West Midlands, England*Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia...
. At Blackheath, Macrae researched on his clan MacGuire and traced their ancestry to Ayr
Ayr
Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
. Macrae, himself, moved to Ayr, a couple of years later. In 1733, he was admitted as a citizen of the city of Ayr. He also financed an equestrian statue to William II of Scotland at Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
In 1736, Macrae purchased a property belonging to Hugh Bailie of Monktown. He, subseqently, surrendered the barony of Houston in Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a registration county of Scotland. The lieutenancy area of Dumfries has similar boundaries.Until 1975 it was a county. Its county town was Dumfries...
. Macrae died in July 1744 and was buried in the cemetery of the church of Monktown. A monument to his memory was erected by John Swan in 1750.