The Bizarre end of James Pattle — “the greatest liar in India”
The events you are about to read are true. It is not clear whether they happened in quite the way it was reported, but that is something we will come to. But apparently, they did happen, so do bear with….
Here is the background.
James Pattle was a senior judge in British Colonial India. He was born in Bengal in 1775 although his family returned to England when he was four years old. He then went back to India in the service of the notorious East India Company. There was nothing unusual about that — it was a well-trodden path for those from Britain wishing to make some money. Pattle, evidently working hard (and probably having the right connections), secured regular promotions until he became a judge in the Court of Appeal in Murshidabad. In fact, he worked for no less than 53 years. He was one of the longest-serving employees of the East India Company.
Not only was Pattle busy with his work but he also had other interests to occupy his time. He set up the first icehouse in Calcutta; he was chairman of a tea company; he was on the board of the Civil Service Annuity Fund. He bought and sold several horses as well as buying…
