Robert Short (30 December 1783 – 1859) was a

lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

in the 21st Madras Native Infantry,

Honourable East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

. He later became 54th Lord of the Manor of Solihull.

Early years

Short was born on 30 December 1783 in

Solihull Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...

Warwickshire Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...

. He was born to John and Jane Short, née Mashiter. John Short was a well-known and respected surgeon in

and Jane was from an aristocratic family on her mother's side. Thus, Robert Short had a comfortable childhood and enjoyed the way of life that

and the surrounding area afforded him; 'Urbs in rure' (''town in the country'') is the town's motto. Short was educated at

Solihull School Solihull School is a coeducational Independent school (UK), independent day school in Solihull, West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmi ...

with his five brothers. He was well known within the school even prior to his acceptance. His maternal grandfather, Rev. Richard Mashiter, had been Headmaster until 1769 and his father was a

Feoffee Under the feudal system in England, a feoffee () is a trustee who holds a fief (or "fee"), that is to say an estate in land, for the use of a beneficial owner. The term is more fully stated as a feoffee to uses of the beneficial owner. The use o ...

; a position he held for 57 years. The young Short is said to have enjoyed his days at

and always showed sporting talent.

Career

Following

Short joined the Army of the

and achieved the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 21st Madras Native Infantry at a high point in the

Company rule in India Company rule in India (sometimes, Company ''Raj'', from hi, rāj, lit=rule) refers to the rule of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, when ...

. He retired as an Honorary Colonel on 9 September 1830. He was offered another job by the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

in India although upon his return to England he married Mary Astle in 1835 and so wanted to remain in the marital home. He took several jobs as a

Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in 1838 and served for a 20-year period. He was also elected to the position of Guardian of the Poor Law Union and then as its Chairman. During his career he commended

to traders and his fellow officers resulting in an increase in reputation of the school.

Latter years

He purchased the Lordship of the Manor of Solihulli in 1850 to become 54th Lord of the Manor. He died in 1859 aged 75 and was buried at St Alphege on 2 July. Under his will the Lordship of the Manor passed to the Rev. John Couchman, eldest son of his sister Elizabeth. The Couchmans, who still live locally, remain Lords of the Manor. The Manor House, renamed Manor Cottage, passed to Robert's younger brother, Tomas who was Deputy Master at

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. Up ...

having been beaten to the Headmastership by one Dr

Thomas Arnold Thomas Arnold (13 June 1795 – 12 June 1842) was an English educator and historian. He was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement. As headmaster of Rugby School from 1828 to 1841, he introduced several reforms that were wide ...

References

* http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/family/short.htm * http://www.solihull.gov.uk/akssolihull/images/att2450.doc {{DEFAULTSORT:Short, Robert (Officer) 1783 births 1859 deaths People from Solihull British East India Company Army officers People educated at Solihull School