A match made at Madras: Margaret Maskelyne: Lady Clive

I have always been intrigued by the romance of British Indian history. In keeping with this interest, in the summer of 1953, I found myself at the Fort Museum at Fort. St. George. Madras. There were many items on display that included palanquins, uniforms, pictures and letters written by Robert Clive when he was at both Madras and Fort. St. David. One particular hand written register called: Register No: 1 was the Marriage Register from St. Mary¿s Church in the Fort. Two entries were there - one of Elihu Yale with Catherine Hynmers and somewhat later, Robert Clive and Margaret Maskelyne recorded as 18 February 1753. With just this entry in hand I set out on a search to find out who Margaret was, her family background, how she made her way to Madras, how she met Robert Clive and how her life became inextricably entwined with his for the next 21 years. She represented life in the mid-18th century middle class society, aspiring to become the upper class, both in England and in the transplanted nascent British Indian community.