Who was Robert Clive?
Clive engineered British rule in India, fighting several key battles with the French for control of trade in the sub-continent. This helped cement the economic power that allowed the British Empire to grow, as well as forging the strong connections between India and Britain that still exist today. Yet the young Robert Clive was an uncontrollable tearaway who terrorised the people of Market Drayton, and who was only sent to India to get him out of the way. And even more remarkably, he suffered from mental illness – now thought to be bipolar disorder, or what used to be called manic depression – a major handicap to anyone in the 18th Century. Robert Clive was born in September 1725 at Styche Hall, near the village of Moreton Say near Market Drayton.
Statesman and soldier who established British rule in India. (Baron Clive of Plassey). Date and Place of Birth: 29th September 1725, Styche, near Market Drayton, Shropshire, England. Family Background: Eldest son of Richard Clive of Styche. His mother was the daughter of Nathaniel Gaskell of Manchester. Education: Merchant Taylor’s School, London. Statue of Robert Clive in Shrewsbury market place (© A Blagg) Chronology/Biography of Robert Clive: 1743: Sent to Madras, India by the East India Company. Captured by the French. 1746: Escaped from the French. 1751: Made seizure of Arcot, Capital of Chanda Sahib. Held it for eight weeks with a small force until relieved. Went on to capture other French strongholds. 1753: Returned to England. 1755: Returned to India as Governor of Fort Saint David. 1756: Reduced the pirate stronghold of Gheriah. 1757: Recovered Calcutta after British incarcerated in the “Black hole of Calcutta”. Defeated the Mughal Nawab, Sirajud Dawlah at Plassey installed Mi
