George Harris, 3rd Baron Harris
Encyclopedia
George Francis Robert Harris, 3rd Baron Harris GCSI
(14 August 1810 – 23 November 1872), was a British
peer, Liberal
politician and colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Trinidad from 1846 to 1854 and Madras from 1854 to 1859.
Harris was born to George Harris, 2nd Baron Harris and his wife Eliza Selina Anne on 14 August 1810 and educated at Merton College, Oxford
and Christ College, Oxford. Harris joined the Liberal Party
and served as the Governor of Trinidad from 1846 to 1854 and Madras from 1854 to 1859. Harris retired as Governor of Madras in 1859 and died in England in 1872 at the age of 62.
in the Fourth Mysore War. Harris had his early education at Eton College
and under the private tutorship of Rev. John Shaw before joining Merton College, Oxford
in 1829. Harris completed his matriculation from Merton College and graduated in arts from Christ Church, Oxford
in 1832.
where he worked for a time for the Church of England
. In 1846, Harris was appointed Governor of Trinidad.
Harris served as Governor of Trinidad from 1846 to 1854. During his tenure, Harris revamped the prevailing education system thereby laying down the foundation for the present-day system of education prevailing in Trinidad. Harris also mooted the idea of importing indentured labourers from India to replace the plantation slaves who had been freed following the abolition of slavery. Harris is considered to be one of Trinidad's best ever administrators though he had also been criticized for favouring his own men in appointments.
was established in 1857 when Harris was the Governor. In September 1854, Harris headed the Torture Commission appointed to investigate the allegations of torture inflicted on Indian peasants by revenue officials.
Throughout his tenure, Harris was critical of the attitude of the Anglo-Indian
press in Madras and tried to regulate the freedom of the press. He criticized them as
When the Indian Rebellion of 1857
broke out, the province of Madras remained loyal to the British Crown. As a result, Harris lent the whole Madras Army
to the Government of India for quelling the rebellion. The Madras Army participated in the relief of Cawnpore
in which Lieutenant-Colonel James George Smith Neill
of the Madras Fusiliers indulged in indiscriminate massacre of Indians and was eventually killed. However, there is also evidence that suggests that one of the 52 regiments of the Madras Army refused to volunteer for service during the mutiny.
Harris continued even after the transfer of sovereignty over India from the British East India Company
to the British crown in 1858, eventually resigning as Governor in 1859.
politician.
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
(14 August 1810 – 23 November 1872), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer, Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician and colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Trinidad from 1846 to 1854 and Madras from 1854 to 1859.
Harris was born to George Harris, 2nd Baron Harris and his wife Eliza Selina Anne on 14 August 1810 and educated at Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
and Christ College, Oxford. Harris joined the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and served as the Governor of Trinidad from 1846 to 1854 and Madras from 1854 to 1859. Harris retired as Governor of Madras in 1859 and died in England in 1872 at the age of 62.
Early life and education
Harris was born on 14 August 1810 to George Harris, 2nd Baron Harris and his wife Eliza Selina Anne. He was the grandson of George Harris, 1st Baron Harris, who had commanded the army of the British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
in the Fourth Mysore War. Harris had his early education at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and under the private tutorship of Rev. John Shaw before joining Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
in 1829. Harris completed his matriculation from Merton College and graduated in arts from Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
in 1832.
Governor of Trinidad
Harris was beset will ill-health and remained bed-ridden for sometime in the city of Pau in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he worked for a time for the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. In 1846, Harris was appointed Governor of Trinidad.
Harris served as Governor of Trinidad from 1846 to 1854. During his tenure, Harris revamped the prevailing education system thereby laying down the foundation for the present-day system of education prevailing in Trinidad. Harris also mooted the idea of importing indentured labourers from India to replace the plantation slaves who had been freed following the abolition of slavery. Harris is considered to be one of Trinidad's best ever administrators though he had also been criticized for favouring his own men in appointments.
Governor of Madras
Soon after taking over as Governor of Madras, Harris found grave deficiencies in the police system in the Presidency and reorganised the force introducing reforms that would eventually give rise to the Indian police as it exists today. On 1 July 1856, Harris flagged off the first regular passenger train service in the province between the city of Madras and the town of Arcot. The University of MadrasUniversity of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
was established in 1857 when Harris was the Governor. In September 1854, Harris headed the Torture Commission appointed to investigate the allegations of torture inflicted on Indian peasants by revenue officials.
Throughout his tenure, Harris was critical of the attitude of the Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
press in Madras and tried to regulate the freedom of the press. He criticized them as
When the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
broke out, the province of Madras remained loyal to the British Crown. As a result, Harris lent the whole Madras Army
Madras Army
The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of the British India within the British Empire.The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three...
to the Government of India for quelling the rebellion. The Madras Army participated in the relief of Cawnpore
Siege of Cawnpore
The Siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857. The besieged British in Cawnpore were unprepared for an extended siege and surrendered to rebel Indian forces under Nana Sahib, in return for a safe passage to Allahabad. However, under ambiguous circumstances, their...
in which Lieutenant-Colonel James George Smith Neill
James George Smith Neill
Brigadier-General James George Smith Neill was a British soldier.Neill was born near Ayr, Scotland and educated at the University of Glasgow. Entering the service of the British East India Company in 1827, he received his lieutenant's commission a year later...
of the Madras Fusiliers indulged in indiscriminate massacre of Indians and was eventually killed. However, there is also evidence that suggests that one of the 52 regiments of the Madras Army refused to volunteer for service during the mutiny.
Harris continued even after the transfer of sovereignty over India from the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
to the British crown in 1858, eventually resigning as Governor in 1859.
Later life and death
Lord Harris died in November 1872, aged 62, and was succeeded in the barony by his son Robert Harris, 4th Baron Harris, who became a successful cricketer and ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.