in
Calcutta Claude Martin was born on 5 January 1735 in the rue de la Palme,
Lyon, France. He was the son of Fleury Martin (1708–1755), a casket maker, and Anne Vaginay (1702–1735), a butcher's daughter. At his local parish school he excelled in mathematics and physics. After leaving school he was apprenticed to a local silk weaver. He was posted to
India where he served under Commander and Governor
Joseph François Dupleix and General
Thomas Arthur Lally in the
Carnatic Wars against the
British East India Company. When the French lost their colony of
Pondichéry in 1761, he accepted service in the
Bengal Army of the
East India Company in 1763, ultimately rising to the rank of Major General. He was initially employed at the then-new
Fort William in
Calcutta,
Bengal, and afterwards on the survey of Bengal under the English Surveyor General
James Rennell. In 1776, Martin was allowed to accept the appointment of Superintendent of the Arsenal for the
Nawab of Awadh,
Asaf-ud-Daula, at
Lucknow, retaining his rank but being ultimately placed on half pay. He resided in Lucknow from 1776 until his death. It was the 'Reign of Terror' during the French Revolution that prevented him from returning "in a carriage".
Black Stork in a Landscape, now in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York, is one of these. Martin's love of art can be seen not only in his acquisition of art, but also in the design of his houses, his friendship with noted artists like
Renaldi,
Hodges and
Zoffany (who included him in at least two paintings). after Polier had departed from India. It is obvious however that he cared for his favourite mistress Boulone, and she is the subject of a painting by
Zoffany in 1795 which is still at La Martiniere Boys' School in Lucknow today. Renaldi is possibly the sculptor for a copper and silver medal (30 mm in diameter) issued by
Nawab Asaf-uddula, which bears Martin's image and his motto. On the reverse side it says in Persian: All the furnishings and treasures of Constantia, as well as those from Martin's first Lucknow house, the Farhat Baksh, were auctioned on his death, as he had requested. The great chandeliers were bought for the Government House (now Raj Bhavan) in Calcutta, where they still hang, but the majority of his collection was dispersed to private buyers.
As Nawab '' (
Johan Zoffany, ). Claude is to the right in a shorter red jacket. During Martin's stay in Lucknow, he acquired significant wealth as part of the ruling
coterie; he was in charge of the state arsenal, designed and constructed many buildings, and acquired vast tracts of land. This favourable set of circumstances catapulted Martin into the upper crust of Lucknow and he had to conform to the social mores of a contemporary society. Given his unconventional views (as revealed in his
Will) this transition must have been not too difficult. He most probably enjoyed his role as a
nawab. He gave regular parties for the British as well as the nawabi aristocracy and participated with gusto in the social and cultural activities of Lucknow. He had a city residence (the Farhat Baksh) and a country palace, the Constantia. He had other properties in Lucknow, Kanpur, Bhazipur and Benaras as well, from which he derived a substantial income. Keeping his last will and testament in view he was a kind master, concerned about the welfare of his staff and servants.
As banker and businessman Claude Martin was an astute businessman with a diversity of interests. He was well known for his financial skills, and it was said that he never ran after money, but made it come to him. Part of his immense fortune came from the bank he started at Lucknow. He loaned money to the Nawab of Awadh, the largest loan being for the sum of £250,000 in 1794, which he apparently retrieved with difficulty. features this aspect of Claude Martin.
As philanthropist Martin was a charitable person and philanthropist by heart as is reflected in the following excerpt from his
last will and testament: "I give and bequeath the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand rupees for to be placed at Interest in the most secure manner possible in the East India Company or Government papers bearing interest and that interest to be employed for the poor first having divided this Interest in three portions or parts one – for the relief of the poor of Lucknow of any religion – for the poor of Calcutta – for the relief of the Poor of Chandernaggur".
As educationist Of all the European adventurers in India, Claude Martin is singular in that he left the greater part of his wealth to a variety of charities. Being almost entirely self-educated, he realised the value of formalised education and willed a major part of his fortune to the creation of three institutions of learning in
Calcutta,
Lucknow and in his birth town of
Lyon in France which are all named
La Martiniere College. All three schools all celebrate Founder's Day on 13 September, the anniversary of Martin's death. Claude Martin's ideas on education are reflected in the following extract from his writings: Though his will had not mentioned any ethnic or religious restrictions on those who would be allowed to apply to the institutions of learning, the La Martinier College in Calcutta (after thirty years of litigation) only permitted European and Armenian Christians to apply. Coming about due to changing attitudes towards race among the
Company administration in India, the school only permitted Indian students (of any religious denomination) to apply in 1935. ==Personal life==