Hugh Hastings Romilly
Encyclopedia
Hugh Hastings Romilly was an explorer and third son of Colonel Frederick Romilly and Elizabeth, daughter of William Elliot, third earl
of Minto. He was born in London on 15 March 1856, and, at first, educated at the Rev. C. A. Johns's school at Winchester, and then at Repton
. He entered Christ Church, Oxford
, on 10 October 1874, but took no degree, leaving to enter the business of Messrs. Melly & Co., merchants, of Liverpool.
He was of adventurous disposition, and joined in Fiji
in October 1879 Sir Arthur Gordon, the governor (afterwards Lord Stanmore). On 12 November he accompanied his chief to Tonga
, and, in December, to Rotumah, in connection with the annexation of that island. He arrived again in Fiji on 17 April 1880, and returned to Rotumah on 18 September 1880 as deputy-commissioner on its annexation to the British crown.
In early 1881, owing to continued ill-health, he rejoined Sir Arthur Gordon, who had gone to New Zealand
as governor, but in March he was appointed deputy-commissioner for the Western Pacific, and started for his first long tour through these seas in H.M.S. Beagle
. He visited New Hanover, the Admiralty group, Hermit Islands, Astrolabe Bay in New Guinea, the Louisiade archipelago, Woodlark Islands, and the Trobriands. After a visit on sick leave to England, succeeded by a short stay in Fiji, he was ordered to New Guinea for the first time, at the end of 1883. In November 1884 he was one of the party which declared the British protectorate over part of New Guinea.
By some misunderstanding he hoisted the British flag in advance of the formal declaration of protectorate. He gave effective aid in the early administration of the new colony, and on the death of the chief administrator, Sir Peter Scratchley
, he acted as administrator in charge of the settlement from December 1885 to the end of February 1886, but went to London in June to supervise the New Guinea exhibits at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition.
For these services he was created a C.M.G. On 17 Jan. 1887 he once again started for the Pacific, staying en route in Egypt and Australia, and in June took up the appointment of deputy-commissioner and consul of the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, residing chiefly at Port Moresby, New Guinea. His task during 1888 and 1889 was peculiarly trying. There was a good deal of native hostility, and he was much isolated, owing largely, he believed, to the neglect of the home authorities. Finally, in 1890, he resigned his offices.
In 1891 Romilly went out to Africa in command of an expedition for the Northumberland Mining Syndicate, and travelled for some time in Mashonaland. While there he contracted fever, and, returning home, died at Cecil Street, Strand, London, on 27 July 1892. He was unmarried.
Romilly is described by Sir Arthur Gordon as of "a quick intelligence, great physical strength, and an easy temper." His writings prove that he possessed all the qualifications for an explorer of new lands and a student of native ways. A portrait forms the frontispiece of the memoir by his brother, Samuel H. Romilly.
Romilly published: 1. A true Story of the Western Pacific in 1879–80, London, 1882 (2nd edit. with portrait, 1893). 2. The Western Pacific and New Guinea, London, 1886. 3. From my Verandah in New Guinea, London, 1889.
Attribution:
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
of Minto. He was born in London on 15 March 1856, and, at first, educated at the Rev. C. A. Johns's school at Winchester, and then at Repton
Repton
Repton is a village and civil parish on the edge of the River Trent floodplain in South Derbyshire, about north of Swadlincote. Repton is close to the county boundary with neighbouring Staffordshire and about northeast of Burton upon Trent.-History:...
. He entered Christ Church, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, on 10 October 1874, but took no degree, leaving to enter the business of Messrs. Melly & Co., merchants, of Liverpool.
He was of adventurous disposition, and joined in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in October 1879 Sir Arthur Gordon, the governor (afterwards Lord Stanmore). On 12 November he accompanied his chief to Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, and, in December, to Rotumah, in connection with the annexation of that island. He arrived again in Fiji on 17 April 1880, and returned to Rotumah on 18 September 1880 as deputy-commissioner on its annexation to the British crown.
In early 1881, owing to continued ill-health, he rejoined Sir Arthur Gordon, who had gone to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as governor, but in March he was appointed deputy-commissioner for the Western Pacific, and started for his first long tour through these seas in H.M.S. Beagle
HMS Beagle (1872)
HMS Beagle was a schooner of the Royal Navy, built by John Cuthbert, Millers Point, New South Wales and launched in December 1872.She commenced service on the Australia Station at Sydney in 1873 for anti-blackbirding operations in the South Pacific...
. He visited New Hanover, the Admiralty group, Hermit Islands, Astrolabe Bay in New Guinea, the Louisiade archipelago, Woodlark Islands, and the Trobriands. After a visit on sick leave to England, succeeded by a short stay in Fiji, he was ordered to New Guinea for the first time, at the end of 1883. In November 1884 he was one of the party which declared the British protectorate over part of New Guinea.
By some misunderstanding he hoisted the British flag in advance of the formal declaration of protectorate. He gave effective aid in the early administration of the new colony, and on the death of the chief administrator, Sir Peter Scratchley
Peter Scratchley
Sir Peter Henry Scratchley K.C.M.G. was special commissioner for Great Britain in New Guinea 1884-1885 and defence adviser for Australia....
, he acted as administrator in charge of the settlement from December 1885 to the end of February 1886, but went to London in June to supervise the New Guinea exhibits at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition.
For these services he was created a C.M.G. On 17 Jan. 1887 he once again started for the Pacific, staying en route in Egypt and Australia, and in June took up the appointment of deputy-commissioner and consul of the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, residing chiefly at Port Moresby, New Guinea. His task during 1888 and 1889 was peculiarly trying. There was a good deal of native hostility, and he was much isolated, owing largely, he believed, to the neglect of the home authorities. Finally, in 1890, he resigned his offices.
In 1891 Romilly went out to Africa in command of an expedition for the Northumberland Mining Syndicate, and travelled for some time in Mashonaland. While there he contracted fever, and, returning home, died at Cecil Street, Strand, London, on 27 July 1892. He was unmarried.
Romilly is described by Sir Arthur Gordon as of "a quick intelligence, great physical strength, and an easy temper." His writings prove that he possessed all the qualifications for an explorer of new lands and a student of native ways. A portrait forms the frontispiece of the memoir by his brother, Samuel H. Romilly.
Romilly published: 1. A true Story of the Western Pacific in 1879–80, London, 1882 (2nd edit. with portrait, 1893). 2. The Western Pacific and New Guinea, London, 1886. 3. From my Verandah in New Guinea, London, 1889.
Attribution:
External links
- Romilly, Hugh Hastings (1856 - 1892) Biographical Entry - The Australian Dictionary of Biography Online