Job Charnock

Job Charnock (d. 1693) was the English founder of Calcutta.

He went out to India in 1655 or 1656, apparently not in the East India Companys service, but soon joined it. He was stationed at Cossimbazar, and subsequently at Patna. In 1685 he became chief agent at Hugh?. Being besieged there by the Mogul viceroy of Bengal, he put the companys goods and servants on board his light vessels and dropped down the river 27 m. to the village of Sutanati, a place well chosen for the purpose of defence, which occupied the site of what is now Calcutta. It was only, however, at the third attempt that Charnock finally settled down at this spot, and the selection of the future capital of India was entirely due to his stubborn resolution.

He was a silent morose man, not popular among his contemporaries, but always a faithful man to the Company. He is said to have married a Hindu widow.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.