illiam Makepeace Thackeray was born in Calcutta on 18 July Both his parents were of Anglo-Indian descent, and his father, Richmond Thackeray, was appointed to a lucrative position as Collector of a district near Calcutta soon after William's birth. Richmond Thackeray died of a fever in , and his son was sent home to England at five years old to be educated, stopping at St. Helena on.