Journalist and traveller James Silk Buckingham, known for his contribution to Indian journalism, passed away on this day. He was 68. He had fought for the freedom of press in India.
Buckingham was born in Falmouth, England. His early years were spent at sea and in a variety of on-shore jobs.
He probably reached Kolkata around 1815. He started a periodical called Calcutta Journal in 1818. The paper was highly critical of the British government in India. It became very popular. The fact that he highlighted in particular that a chaplain held another lucrative job as a government official made the government more hostile toward him.
In 1823, on the order of the acting Governor-General John Adam, Buckingham’s printing presses were seized and he was deported to England.
Later he was compensated with a pension.
Among his books are Travels in Palestine and Travels among the Arab Tribes. He established in London the journal The Oriental Herald. He also wrote extensively about his travels in Europe and North America.