Collection search - Letter from Alexander Watt Robe, an official stationed at the headquarters of the British ordnance survey in the Tower of London [textual record]

Record information – Brief
1
Letter from Alexander Watt Robe, an official stationed at the headquarters of the British ordnance survey in the Tower of London [textual record]

Hierarchical level:

Item

Date:

1826.

Reference:

R3954-0-2-E, MG24-H36, Volume number: 1

Type of material:

Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

101157

Context of this record:

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Letter from Alexander Watt Robe, an official stationed at the headquarters of the British ordnance survey in the Tower of London
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Record information – Details
Date(s):

1826.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

0.1 cm of textual records (2 p.).

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Item is a single letter from Alexander Watt Robe, an official stationed at the headquarters of the British ordnance survey in the Tower of London, dated 25 February, 1826. The letter is addressed to Lieut.-Col. Charles Ellicombe, of the Royal Engineers, and informs the latter of Lieut. Joseph Portlock's departure for Ireland with Col. Thomas Frederick Colby, in order to assist in the British government's ordnance survey of that country. In the letter, Robe also passes on a memorandum from Portlock to Ellicombe which concerns Portlock's work a few years earlier in surveying and designing Portlock Harbour on the north shore of Lake Huron, Upper Canada. The plans for the harbour were submitted to Ellicombe for his approval.

Provenance:

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Ellicombe, Charles Grene, 1783-1871

Biography/Administrative history:

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Ellicombe, Charles Grene, 1783-1871 : General Sir Charles Grene Ellicombe, son of Rev. William Ellicombe, the Rector of Alphington, Devon, was born in his father's rectory on 3 August 1783, and after receiving his education in parochial schools, and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, obtained a commission as first Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 1 July, 1801.

For a while he was employed on the military works and fortifications of Portsmouth, then in 1903 became one of the first group of British engineers to be stationed in Ceylon. He rose rapidly through the ranks; by 1811, he had been promoted to first Captain. That same year he joined the Army under Wellington, and for the next three years participated in most of the major battles of the Penninsular War in Spain and Portugal.

Following the war, he worked for a time as commanding engineer in the south of England. In 1821, he was appointed to the staff of the Inspector-General of fortifications at the ordnance office in London, an appointment he retained for a period of twenty-two years. He became Colonel Commandant of the Royal Engineers in 1856, obtained the rank of full General in 1861, and in 1862 was made a Knight Commander of the Bath. He died at home in England on 7 June, 1871.

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General note:

The letter was transferred from the former Cartographic and Architectural Archives Division. Copies of the plans of Portlock Harbour are available from the Cartographic and Architectural Archives Division.

Varying form of title:

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Charles Grene Ellicombe
Subject heading:

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Ireland - Surveys, 1826 Tower of London, 1826

Portlock Harbour (Upper Canada) - Surveys, 1826 Alexander Watt Robe, 1826

Great Britain - Army, 1826 Great Britain. Army. Royal Engineers, 1826

Lieutenant Joseph Patlock, 1826

Colonel Thomas Frederick Colby, 1826

Lake Huron, 1826
Source:

Private

Former archival reference no.:

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MG24-H36
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Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Volume [MG24 H 36] 1

[Consultation 90 Open]

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Date modified:: 2024-06-27