William Lennox Cleland was born at Paddington, London in 1797. His early education was superintended by the Earl of Buchan till the death of his parent, when he entered High School at Edinburgh. In 1818 he started studying for the English bar and was called to it in 1822. In the December of 1822 he sailed for Bombay, and then to Calcutta in 1824, where he was barrister till his death. In Calcutta, he supported at his own expense a Native school. [Ref: The Bengal Obituary: Or, a Record to Perpetuate the Memory of Departed Worth: Being a Compilation of Tablets and Monumental Inscriptions from Various Parts of the Bengal and Agra Presidencies, Holmes and Co., 1851] His last will and testament declares that he bequeaths to his wife Harriet Erskine Cleland all his possessions, especially his “horses, cattle, carriages, household furniture, books… law books… linen weaving and other apparel, plate china, glass wares and liquors”, as well as a sum of sicca rupees 5000. Eldest son of Walter Cleland (born c.1775), a merchant who resided in Calcutta for a time, and amassed there a large fortune, ultimately returning to London. Married Harriet Erskine Fullerton (c.1800-11.02.1875) on 30.07.1816 at Kaimes-House and had by her a daughter Margaret Fraser Cleland (1821-06.02.1902). Harriet was the youngest daughter of the late Captain Fullerton of the 71st regiment of foot. She later married George Glen of Brompton, Middlesex on 22.09.1936 at St. Gile’s Church, Oxford. [Ref: Lady’s Magazine and Museum of the Belles-Letteres, July 1836: 280] Margaret married Sir Samuel Davenport (1818-1906), landowner and parliamentarian in Adelaide, Australia on 01.06.1842. He was a member of the Legislative Council and an ardent promoter of agriculture and new industries in South Australia. Davenport was knighted in 1884, and in 1886 appointed KCMG and awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Cambridge. [Ref: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol 4, 1972]
For an obituary, see https://books.google.co.in/books?id=ARlxAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA229&lpg=PA229&dq=w.... For more on his wife see https://books.google.co.in/books?id=GEgFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA280&lpg=PA280&dq=w.... For the sermon preached at Union Chapel, Calcutta on his death by Rev. J. Hill on November 1832, see https://books.google.co.in/books?id=hq8OAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA277&lpg=PA277&dq=w...
Purba Hossain