Richard Carnac Temple

Richard Carnac Temple was born in Allahabad, India, on 15 October 1850. He was the eldest son of Sir Richard Temple (1826–1902), a baronet, and his first wife, Charlotte Frances (née Martindale, d. 1855). His father was from The Nash in Kempsey, Worcestershire and was at that time working as a civil servant in India. His father eventually served as Governor of Bombay Presidency (1877–80), a position that had also been held by his great-grandfather, Sir James Rivett Carnac between 1838 and 1841. After education at Harrow School and, from 1868, at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Temple was commissioned in the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1871. He served in the Third Burmese War from 1885 and as a consequence, in 1887, was given charge of Mandalay following the removal of king Thibaw. From 1895 until his retirement in 1904, he was Chief Commissioner of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was after this and during his retirement that he dedicated himself to writing.