Sir Mark Cubbon

Title: Sir

Epithet: Photograph taken late 19th century of General Sir Mark Cubbon, K.C.B. b.1775-d.1861

Record type: Photographs

Biography: Mark Cubbon, born in Maughold, Isle of Man, was son of the Revd Thomas Cubbon (1739-1828), Vicar of Maughold and Margaret Wilks (1749-1829). The Cubbons are an old Manx family able to trace their ancestors back to the fifteenth century. Mark Cubbon was the nephew of Mark Wilks and through this connection, Cubbon successfully enrolled as a cadet for the Madras infantry in 1800. In 1801 he was a lieutenant in the 5th Madras Native Infantry; by 1816 he had been promoted to captain and afterwards became an assistant commissary-general. Serving in the Pindari War (1817-1818), Cubbon became deputy commissary-general for the Madras presidency in 1822, promoted to major in 1823 and then lieutenant-colonel in 1826.

In 1831 the inhabitants of the city of Mysore rose against the Hindu Rajah, who had been placed on the throne by Lord Wellesley (1760-1842) but ran a corrupted administrative system. The rising was suppressed but a commission was instigated to examine the causes. Cubbon was one of many called in to investigate; the end result saw Cubbon appointed British Commissioner of Mysore, a post he held for 27 years.
Cubbon was an extremely talented administrator and during his time Mysore became very prosperous. He simplified the revenue and judicial systems, encouraged new agricultural ventures (coffee planting) and maintained the Amrit Mahal (cattle) at Hunsur, which had been established by Sultan Haidar Ali (1721-1782) to improve the breed of cattle. In 1839 Cubbon was made colonel of the 5th Madras native infantry, promoted to major-general in 1846 and lieutenant-general in 1852. He was made a Companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath (CB) in 1856 and a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1857.

Cubbon never married. Suffering from ill health, he retired from post in February 1861 and prepared to return to the British Isles after a 61 year absence. During the long journey home his health declined further and he died at Suez in April 1861; his body was interred in Maughold parish churchyard, Isle of Man. A commemorative equestrian statue of Cubbon can be found in Bangalore as well as Cubbon Road and Cubbon Park in the same city.

Occupation / profession: Commissioner for Mysore and Coorg

Nationality: Manx

Gender: Male

Date of birth: 23rd August 1775

Place of birth: Maughold, Garff, Isle of Man

Date of death: 23.04.1861

Place of death: suez

Name Variant: Cubbon, Mark, Sir

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