Norman Marjoribanks
Encyclopedia
Sir Norman Edward Marjoribanks KCIE
, CSI
(October 16, 1872 – 1939) was an Indian magistrate and civil servant of British origin who served as the acting Governor of Madras from June 29, 1929 to November 11, 1929.
Marjoribanks was born in 1872 into a Scottish family and was educated in India and the United Kingdom. In 1891, he passed the Indian Civil Service exam and was allocated to the Madras Presidency
. He served as the home member of the Governor's executive council in the 1920s and as the acting Governor of Madras until the arrival of Governor-designate, George Frederick Stanley
from England. Marjoribanks also served in the committee which investigated the problems of Tamil indentured labourers in Sri Lanka.
. He received his higher education from Belfast Royal Academy
, Royal University of Ireland
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He passed his Indian Civil Service examinations in 1891 and was appointed as Assistant Collector and magistrate.
. When Goschen's tenure came to an end, Marjoribanks was appointed acting Governor until the arrival of George Frederick Stanley
.
, the Government of India
aPpointed a commission under Charles George Todhunter to investigate the condition of the plantation Tamils of Ceylon. On October 22, 1916, the Government of Madras overruled the decision of the Indian Government and replaced Todhunter with Marjoribanks. C. E. Low, the Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, complained to Sir George Barnes over the "bad behaviour" of the Madras Government. He suspected the abilities of Marjoribanks, saying "he is not quite class enough, socially and from the point of personality, to do us well". Barnes then conveyed his strong opposition to the India Office
. However, the Governor of Madras, Lord Pentland
gave Marjoribanks his full support:
The Emigration Bench examined his service record and approved his candidature saying that "his record looks as if he is a pretty good man". Eventually, a delegation comprising Marjoribanks and A. K. G. Ahmad Thambi Marakkayar left for Ceylon on November 19, 1916 and spent six months gathering information from the planters and the Government of Ceylon. The team prepared a report which was submitted at a conference held at London in May 1917. In the final report, the team pointed out the defects of the existing kangani system. But strangely, the report did not examine indentured labour on the whole. As a result, when the report was made public, it was criticized by Indian nationalists.
at the age of 67.
in 1919 and later promoted to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Star of India
in 1922.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, CSI
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...
(October 16, 1872 – 1939) was an Indian magistrate and civil servant of British origin who served as the acting Governor of Madras from June 29, 1929 to November 11, 1929.
Marjoribanks was born in 1872 into a Scottish family and was educated in India and the United Kingdom. In 1891, he passed the Indian Civil Service exam and was allocated to the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. He served as the home member of the Governor's executive council in the 1920s and as the acting Governor of Madras until the arrival of Governor-designate, George Frederick Stanley
George Frederick Stanley
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Frederick Stanley GCSI GCIE CMG was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician who served as a member of the UK Parliament for Preston and later, Willesdon East...
from England. Marjoribanks also served in the committee which investigated the problems of Tamil indentured labourers in Sri Lanka.
Early life
Norman Marjoribanks was born in India on October 16, 1872 and received his early education at Bishop Cotton's School and College, BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. He received his higher education from Belfast Royal Academy
Belfast Royal Academy
The Belfast Royal Academy is the oldest school in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school situated in north Belfast. The Academy is one of eight Northern Irish schools whose Headmaster is a member of the Headmasters' and...
, Royal University of Ireland
Royal University of Ireland
The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the University Education Act 1879 as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on April 27, 1880 and examinations were opened to candidates irrespective of...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He passed his Indian Civil Service examinations in 1891 and was appointed as Assistant Collector and magistrate.
In the Civil Service
Marjoribanks served in Madras as Assistant Collector and Magistrate from October 29, 1893 to July 1901. In March 1900, he was appointed Officiating Under-Secretary of the Revenue Department. He served as a member on the Board of Revue and the Commissioner of Salt and Excise, Madras. He also served as the Home member in the executive council of the Governor of Madras, under George Goschen, 2nd Viscount GoschenGeorge Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
George Joachim Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen GCSI GCIE CBE VD PC was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1895 to 1906 and as Governor of Madras from 1924 to 1929....
. When Goschen's tenure came to an end, Marjoribanks was appointed acting Governor until the arrival of George Frederick Stanley
George Frederick Stanley
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Frederick Stanley GCSI GCIE CMG was a British soldier and Conservative Party politician who served as a member of the UK Parliament for Preston and later, Willesdon East...
.
Commission on the situation of Plantation Tamils of Ceylon
Following protests against indentured labour by activists of the Indian independence movementIndian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
, the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
aPpointed a commission under Charles George Todhunter to investigate the condition of the plantation Tamils of Ceylon. On October 22, 1916, the Government of Madras overruled the decision of the Indian Government and replaced Todhunter with Marjoribanks. C. E. Low, the Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, complained to Sir George Barnes over the "bad behaviour" of the Madras Government. He suspected the abilities of Marjoribanks, saying "he is not quite class enough, socially and from the point of personality, to do us well". Barnes then conveyed his strong opposition to the India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
. However, the Governor of Madras, Lord Pentland
John Sinclair, 1st Baron Pentland
John Sinclair, 1st Baron Pentland, GCSI, GCIE was a Scottish Liberal Party politician, soldier, peer, administrator and Privy Councillor who served as the Secretary of Scotland from 1905 to 1912 and the Governor of Madras from 1912 to 1919.Baron Pentland was born John Sinclair to Sir John...
gave Marjoribanks his full support:
The Emigration Bench examined his service record and approved his candidature saying that "his record looks as if he is a pretty good man". Eventually, a delegation comprising Marjoribanks and A. K. G. Ahmad Thambi Marakkayar left for Ceylon on November 19, 1916 and spent six months gathering information from the planters and the Government of Ceylon. The team prepared a report which was submitted at a conference held at London in May 1917. In the final report, the team pointed out the defects of the existing kangani system. But strangely, the report did not examine indentured labour on the whole. As a result, when the report was made public, it was criticized by Indian nationalists.
As Acting Governor of Madras
Marjoribanks served as the Home member in the Executive Council of Governor George Goschen. When Goschen's term came to an end in July 1929, Marjoribanks was appointed as acting Governor of Madras until the arrival of governor-designate, George Frederick Stanley from England. Marjoribanks served as Acting Governor of Madras from June 29, 1929 to November 11, 1929.Later life
On the expiry of his term, Marjoribanks returned to England. He died in 1939 in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
at the age of 67.
Honours
Marjoribanks was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian EmpireOrder of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
in 1919 and later promoted to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Star of India
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...
in 1922.