Alexander Bannerman
Encyclopedia
Sir Alexander Bannerman (7 October 1788 – 30 December 1864) was a British merchant, vintner
, politician and colonial governor.
. Bannerman served as the city's provost and in 1837, was elected dean of Marischal College, Aberdeen.
in the British House of Commons
, sitting as a Radical, and remained an MP until his retirement in 1847. Together with his wife, Margaret Gordon the grand daughter of former Governor Walter Patterson
, Bannerman returned to the colony of her birth, when he took up the appointment in 1851 as governor of Prince Edward Island. On this occasion he was made a Knight Bachelor
. Bannerman instituted responsible government
on the island but was removed in 1854 due to political unrest in which he favoured the Reformers. Subsequently he was governor of the Bahamas
until 1857, when he returned north to become governor of Newfoundland, the second governor since responsible government had been granted.
He clashed with John Kent, the premier of Newfoundland, whom he felt was corrupt. Bannerman accused Kent's government, as did Bishop Mullock, of using relief aid as patronage, and also accused Kent of being unreasonable in negotiations with France over the French Shore
. In 1861, after Kent had accused Bannerman of conspiring with the courts and opposition Conservative Party of Newfoundland against a proposal to reduce the salaries of judges, Bannerman dismissed the Kent government and appointed the leader of the opposition
, Hugh Hoyles
as the new Premier.
Kent's Liberal Party of Newfoundland defeated the Conservative government in a Motion of No Confidence
resulting in an election campaign that was fought along sectarian lines with Catholics
largely voting Liberal and Protestants
largely voting Conservative. The Protestant Conservative Party of Newfoundland narrowly defeated Kent's Liberals. Extensive rioting led to disputed results, with the Conservatives having a majority of only two until in a peaceful by-election Harbour Grace returned two Conservatives.
Bannerman' initial action in dismissing Kent had been rash and the Colonial Office told him so, but Hoyles, the new Premier, moved towards non-sectarian government, both bishops called for order, and the politics of class replaced the politics of religion. Bannerman resigned as governor in 1864 and returned to England where he caught a cold and, in his enfeebled state, fell down a flight of stairs causing his death on 30 December in Mayfair, London aged 76.
Bannerman Park
in St. John's commemorates his name in Newfoundland.
, in Kirkcaldy
, Scotland, "who was attracted by her intelligence and wit." Her family considered Carlyle as an unsuitable marriage prospect, and she eventually married Bannerman, a distant cousin. Lady Bannerman was born in Charlottetown
on Prince Edward Island
, a granddaughter of Walter Patterson
who had been the Island's first governor.
Vintner
A vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
, politician and colonial governor.
Background
Known as "Sandy", he was the son of Thomas Bannerman. He was a prominent businessman in his hometown of Aberdeen, Scotland managing the family wine business as well as having a hand in trading and whalingWhaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
. Bannerman served as the city's provost and in 1837, was elected dean of Marischal College, Aberdeen.
Career
In 1832 he became Member of Parliament (MP) for AberdeenAberdeen (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 until 1885. It was represented by one Member of Parliament , elected by the first past the post voting system.- 1832 to 1868 :...
in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, sitting as a Radical, and remained an MP until his retirement in 1847. Together with his wife, Margaret Gordon the grand daughter of former Governor Walter Patterson
Walter Patterson
Walter Patterson was the first British colonial Governor of Prince Edward Island.-Birth and life in the military:...
, Bannerman returned to the colony of her birth, when he took up the appointment in 1851 as governor of Prince Edward Island. On this occasion he was made a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
. Bannerman instituted responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
on the island but was removed in 1854 due to political unrest in which he favoured the Reformers. Subsequently he was governor of the Bahamas
Colonial heads of the Bahamas
This is a list of colonial heads of the Bahamas. The first English settlement in the Bahamas was on Eleuthera. In 1670, the king granted the Bahamas to the Lords Proprietors of the Province of Carolina, but the islands were left to themselves. The local pirates proclaimed a 'Privateers'...
until 1857, when he returned north to become governor of Newfoundland, the second governor since responsible government had been granted.
He clashed with John Kent, the premier of Newfoundland, whom he felt was corrupt. Bannerman accused Kent's government, as did Bishop Mullock, of using relief aid as patronage, and also accused Kent of being unreasonable in negotiations with France over the French Shore
French Shore
The French Treaty Shore resulted from the 1713 ratification of the Treaty of Utrecht. The provisions of the treaty allowed the French to fish in season along the north coast of Newfoundland between Cape Bonavista and Point Riche. This area had been frequented by fishermen from Brittany since the...
. In 1861, after Kent had accused Bannerman of conspiring with the courts and opposition Conservative Party of Newfoundland against a proposal to reduce the salaries of judges, Bannerman dismissed the Kent government and appointed the leader of the opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
, Hugh Hoyles
Hugh Hoyles
Sir Hugh Hoyles was a politician and lawyer who served as the third premier of the Newfoundland Colony. Hoyles was the first premier of Newfoundland to have been born in the colony, and served from 1861 to 1865. Born in St...
as the new Premier.
Kent's Liberal Party of Newfoundland defeated the Conservative government in a Motion of No Confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
resulting in an election campaign that was fought along sectarian lines with Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
largely voting Liberal and Protestants
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
largely voting Conservative. The Protestant Conservative Party of Newfoundland narrowly defeated Kent's Liberals. Extensive rioting led to disputed results, with the Conservatives having a majority of only two until in a peaceful by-election Harbour Grace returned two Conservatives.
Bannerman' initial action in dismissing Kent had been rash and the Colonial Office told him so, but Hoyles, the new Premier, moved towards non-sectarian government, both bishops called for order, and the politics of class replaced the politics of religion. Bannerman resigned as governor in 1864 and returned to England where he caught a cold and, in his enfeebled state, fell down a flight of stairs causing his death on 30 December in Mayfair, London aged 76.
Bannerman Park
Bannerman Park
Bannerman Park is a Victorian-style urban park located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The park was officially opened in 1891. Sir Alexander Bannerman, Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland from 1857 to 1864 , donated the land to create the park. Today, the park is surrounded by...
in St. John's commemorates his name in Newfoundland.
Family
In 1825, Bannerman married Margaret Gordon, who was later identified as "Carlyle's first love" by her biographer, who tells of the young schoolmaster Thomas CarlyleThomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during the Victorian era.He called economics "the dismal science", wrote articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and became a controversial social commentator.Coming from a strict Calvinist family, Carlyle was...
, in Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
, Scotland, "who was attracted by her intelligence and wit." Her family considered Carlyle as an unsuitable marriage prospect, and she eventually married Bannerman, a distant cousin. Lady Bannerman was born in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, a granddaughter of Walter Patterson
Walter Patterson
Walter Patterson was the first British colonial Governor of Prince Edward Island.-Birth and life in the military:...
who had been the Island's first governor.