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| The journey from Wales to India in the C18th was long and perilous, taking many months. |
| The destination of two members of the Landeg family was the Kingdom of Bengal |
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Two members of the Landeg family went to India in the employ of the Honourable East India Company. The first to go was John Landeg [1742-1808]. John served as an officer in the Bengal Presidency and rose to the rank of Major whilst on active service. John fathered at least one child whilst in India. His son, also named John, was brought back to Wales and educated as a gentleman at Carmarthen Grammar School. In the meantime his father was awarded the retired rank of Lt. Colonel and used the fortune he'd acquired whilst in India to purchase his mother's ancestral home, Brinwhilach, in Llangyfelach. Lt. Colonel John Landeg's exploits in India are not known in detail but it is fact that a contingent of native infantry was known as 'Landeg's Army'. He was active in supporting the native rulers at one point in his career and his rank of Major [the equivalent of a much higher rank in the British army] no doubt gave him access to native women of high social status. It appears that a liaison between him and such a lady resulted in the birth of his son John along with several siblings.
At the end of his career he sailed home in the East India Company ship 'William Pitt',repeating the arduous journey he'd undertaken decades earlier when a raw recruit.
Years after John's return from Bengal, his nephew, Lewis Thomas Landeg embarked on the same journey. Rising to the rank of Captain Lewis ended his career in disgrace. He humiliated a native woman by ordering her head to be shaved and landed up being court marshalled. He died in Calcutta gaol in 1810, thankfully some years after his uncle's death.
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