Thomas Turner Basset (1759 - 1818)

Born 16 Sep 1759 in Deptford, Kent, England

Descendants

Died 25 Oct 1818 at age 59 in Serampore, India

Biography

Thomas Turner Basset was a native of Kent, possibly he is the Thomas Turner baptised on 16 Sep 1759 in Greenwich, St Nicholas, Deptford, Kent, England, son of John Basset the shipwright in Kingstreet^[1] or the Thomas Basset, born in Tunbridge, Kent, England, mother Elizabeth Basset, christened on 11 Jun 1758.^[2] He became a Cadet in 1778, and sailed for India on the "Ceres" June 16, 1779, at the age of 19 years. As Captain of the Native Infantry, he was in The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) and was wounded at the capture of Delg (?) on Dec 14, 1804. He was Lieut. Col. on Sept 21, 1804, commanding 18th Native Infantry, transferred to 26th and 20th Native Infantry in 1806. He was on detachment to Penang (Prince of Wales Island) in 1808.

He married Clara; they had children:

• William Basset, Circa 1793 - Apr 30, 1809
• Diana Lavenia Basset, b. October 27, 1810, Serampore, Indonesia, d. October 08, 1858, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia.
• Mary Georgiana Basset. She married 10 Jul 1829 in Chandernagore near Hooghly in West Bengal, India, to J.H. Drugeon, Esq., son of the late Colonel Drugeon, and nephew of Baron Drugeon. Mary married John Kiernander, born in India in 1813 and passed away in 1857, at age 44, in Chinsurah, Bengal, India. They had a daughter May 12, 1830.

Col. Basset was invalided and died at Serampore, Oct 25, 1818. He was buried 26 Oct 1818 at Barrackpore, Bengal.^[3]

Through the ranks

• Cadet From 1778 To June 28 1779 in England; Bengal (India)
• 2nd Lieutenant From June 28 1779 To Feb 16 1781 in Bengal (India)
• Lieutenant From Feb 16 1781 To 1797 in Bengal (India)
• Captain from 1797 To Jan 12 1803 in Bengal (India)
• Major from Jan 12, 1803, ^[4] To Sep 21 1804 in Bengal (India)
• Lieutenant Colonel 21 Sep 1804 To June 4, 1813, in Bengal (India) and Penang^[5][6]
• Colonel by Brevet, Honorable East India Company’s service. From June 4, 1813, in Bengal, India. Invalided, and died at Serampore, Oct 25, 1818. ^[7]

Kamoo versus Thomas Turner Bassett (1808)

Law case pertaining to the applicability of English law in Singapore

Penang, November 25, 1808

A "Khidmiggur," or table-servant, to a Military officer stationed at the Settlement Penang in time of peace, is not a " camp-follower," and is not subject to military law, nor liable to be tried by Court-martial. No man is subject to military jurisdiction, but an officer, soldier, or sepoy, or someone connected with the army; nor is any offence cognizable by the military tribunal, or within its jurisdiction, but some act which is a breach of military duty or a neglect of military discipline: and no military person is liable to punishment for breach of military law or discipline, except in consequence of a trial, and the sentence of a Court-martial. By the Charter of 1807, not only was the English Criminal law extended to this Colony, but civil injuries are to be redressed according to English law ; and that even as regards offences or wrongs') committed or done, before the Charter, Defendant was the commanding officer of the 20th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry, stationed at Penang. Kamoo, his house servant, accused him of assault and false imprisonment.

In 1807 the defendant had the plaintiff flogged with the rattan on two or three occasions. Kamoo complained to the Police Magistrate, a civil officer appointed by the Governor, who settled the dispute with an order that Bassett pays Kamoo’s outstanding wages and discharge him.

Bassett then had Kamoo flogged 20 times more and put him in the guardhouse for various periods totalling 3 months. On 18th Nov 1807, Bassett ordered Kamoo onto parade with his regiment where two sepoys were to be flogged for disciplinary offences. After their flogging was completed, Bassett had Kamoo tied up and lashed 100 times as well for alleging to co-workers that Bassett was a bad employer.

Bassett had several grounds of defence. He claimed a right to punish the servant under the Mutiny Act, 27th of George II, or the Articles of War framed under that Act, or by the Company’s native Articles of War which were framed in 1796 by Sir Robert Abercromby, or because the alleged offence pre-dated the Charter of Justice promulgated for Penang and pre-dated the establishment of a Court on the island. At the time of the alleged offences in 1807, Bassett said Penang was a military post subject to army law only.

The Court held that only soldiers were subject to military discipline and although the offences pre-dated the establishment of English Law on Penang, the Court would give damages albeit of a smaller amount than would be given in similar circumstances if the offence post-dated those laws.

This was the second occasion Bassett had been convicted of mistreating his servants. On the first occasion, the damages awarded were $20. This time damages would be $150 with costs. If it happened again the Court indicated it would award full damages.

Comment: Kamoo, a native of Bengal, was an employee of Turner. Turner was a Lieutenant-Colonel of 20th Regiment, Bengal Native Infantry. Kamoo has been severely ill-treated by Turner during his employment: On 20 July 1807, Kamoo was whipped 20 times and he complained to the Police Magistrate. Angered by the complaint, Turner sent someone to fetch Kamoo and later beat him with another 20 stripes of rattan and confined him. On 13 Nov 1807, Kamoo was brought into the Grand Parade and was tied and whipped 100 times for defaming the defendant to the Magistrate. Kamoo was later confined for two and a half months and subsequently dismissed from the employment. Kamoo filed an action for assault, battery and false imprisonment against Turner, claiming damages for $600. Decision: The Charter of Justice applies retrospectively to civil injuries which have been sustained and crimes which have been committed before the Charter came into force. The object of the Charter is to protect the Natives from oppression and injustice, the same watchful care towards the European or British subjects. Nonetheless, Kamoo was only awarded $150 for damages (as the case happened before RCJ, which would otherwise be awarded a larger amount).^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1812; Reference Number: P78/NIC/005
2. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J761-1HD : 10 February 2018, Thomas Basset, ); citing Tunbridge, Kent, England, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,469,268.
3. ↑ On the 26th day of October 1818, Lieut. Col. T. Turner Basset, of the Invaledo Establ;ishment, was buried at Barrackpore (British India Office Deaths & Burials).
4. ↑ Asiatic Annual Register 1804 (Bengal Military Promotions): "8th Native Regiment, Captain Thomas T Basset, to be Major, from the 12th of January, 1803, vice Ball, promoted. Bengal Jan 12 1803
5. ↑ The governor-general in council is pleased to make the following promotions in consequents of the orders for raising the 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th regiments of native infantry. The officers now promoted to rank from the 21st of September 1804.Majors [..] Thomas Turner Basset [..] te be lieutenant-colonels from the 21st September 1804.
6. ↑ Fact: Occurrences For April 1807 4 April. Mr. W. C. Clubley, appointed deputy secretary. Government Orders. Fort Cornwallis 10 April. The whole of the troops at the presidency to parade this afternoon, at half-past four o'clock, in front of the Government-house, to attend the remains of the honourable Philip Dundas, late Governor &c., &c., &c., of this island, to the place of interment, with all military honours due to his high rank and station. Lieutenant-colonel Basset to command. Three rounds of light cartridges per man to be served to the 20th regiment, which corps only is to fire over the grave, on account of the narrowness of the ground. Forty-five minute guns, corresponding with the years of age of the deceased, to be held in readiness to be fired during the funeral procession, and to be commenced by signal from the Government-house. The Bengal artillery to furnish the carrying party. The garrison colours to be hoisted at half-mast at sunrise, and continue until sunset. (signed) JOHN DRUMMOND, Town Major. 13 April. A salute of 19 guns to be fired, on H. S. Pearson Esq. taking his seat as governor of this island. Also a salute of 11 guns on W. E. Phillips, Esq. taking his seat as member of council. By order of the honourable the governor and council. (signed) Thomas Raffles, Secretary to government. Penang Apr 4 1807
7. ↑ Alphabetical List of the Officers of the Bengal Army. Compiled by MessrsDodwell & Miles. Publishers: Longman, Orme, Brown, London 1838
8. ↑ SHistory 1793-1843, Chapter 25 - Asia 1801-1813. www.houghton.idv.hk
9. ↑ CASES HEARD AND DETERMINED IN HER MAJESTY'S SUPREME COURT OF THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS, 1808—1884. YOLUME I. [Civil Cases.] KAMOO v. THOMAS TURNER BASSETT.

See also:

• Smart Match™: Schmutzer de Ganjuran Family site
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 20 May 2016, 23:27), entry for Thomas Turner Bassett(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LZJH-JRC); contributed by various users.
• Colonel Thomas Turner Bassett (b. Bet. 1759 - 1760, d. date unknown), This text was written in a family report by CH Bogaardt in 1991 compiled with data from a collection from Lt. Col. Arnold Gaymans.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Ed Visser for creating Basset-415 on 7 Aug 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Ed and others.

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