Thomas Greenhill

Thomas Greenhill was an English colonial administrator and the Agent of Madras for two terms (1648-1652, 1655-1658).

He arrived in India in 1632 to serve at Masulipatnam factory. During the agency of Thomas Ivie, Greenhil was sent on diplomatic mission to the Raja of Chandragiri which resulted in success. By a new grant (1645), Raja confirmed the earlier trading regulations and he ceded the village of Nawrikamedu to the English East India Company.

While he was an Agent in 1648 Madras was threatened by the famine and Greenhill arranged for rice to be shipped from Persia to prevent its escalation. His reputation was gravely harmed by the charges that he had fathered an illegitimate offspring to Ms. Elizabeth Bland whom he had forced to abort in the fifth month of pregnancy. During the trial, Elizabeth admitted that she fabricated the charge.

He died in Madras of excessive drinking in 1658 and was buried there.