JERVIS, Thomas Best. Jaffnapatam (Sri Lanka) 2.8.1796 — St.Marylebone, London 3.4.1857. British (Irish) Colonial Officer in India. Lieutenant-colonel. Son of John Jervis (1768–1797) of Madras Civil Service and Elizabeth Ritso. In 1819-30 served in Bombay Engineers, conducted a survey of southern Konkan. Then in London. Developed Indian surveys. Married Anna Sarah Paget (1801–1886), one daughter and one son. He was an ardent evangelical Christian. Together with his elder brother Colonel George Ritso Jervis (1794–1851) he was active in the Bombay Branch of R.A.S. (then Literary Society of Bombay).
Publications: Metrical System of India. 1832; Records of Ancient Science, Exemplified and Authenticated in the Primitive Universal Standard of Weights and Measures. 14+98 p. Calcutta 1835; The Expediency and Facility of Establishing the Metrological and Monetary Systems throughout India, on a Scientific and Permanent Basis. 612 p. Bombay 1836; other writings.
– Translated: Baron von Hügel, Travels in Kashmir and the Punjab. 423 p. L. 1845.
Sources: B. Crosbie, Irish Imperial Networks. Cambridge 2012, 116f.; *W.P. Jervis, Thomas Best Jervis: As Christian, soldier, geographer and friend of India, 1796-1857: a centenary tribute. 342 p. L. 1898 (by his son); *G. Wilkins, Biographical Sketch of Thomas Best Jervis, Lt Colonel… Being the Substance of a Funeral Sermon… 1857; dates in ancestry.com.
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