Robert Brooke
Encyclopedia
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Governor of the island of St Helena from 1788 to 1800.He married in 1775, Anna Maria Mapletoft, daughter of Reverend Robert Mapletoft, Assistant Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the East India Company at St John's, Calcutta; they had five sons and two daughters.
Early history
Brooke was born in Rathavan House, Co.Cavan, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and entered the service of the 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...
in 1764 as a cadet, aged 20. After a career in military administration in India, he took sick leave and moved to Co. Kildare in Ireland. In 1775 he married Anna Maria Mapletoft Wynne and built Killybegs House (demolished in 1958).
He attempted to establish a cotton industry in the area and the town of Prosperous
Prosperous, County Kildare
Prosperous is a village in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is within the townland of Curryhills, at the junction of the R403 and R408 regional roads, about from Dublin. Its population of 1,939 makes it the 14th largest town in County Kildare....
owes its origin to the vision and ideals of Robert Brook . The late eighteenth century was a time of attempted industrial development in Ireland and the industry upon which Prosperous was founded in 1780 was cotton manufacturing. The name chosen by Brook for his industrial town could only be the product of a confident dream. Within six years had failed miserably. He spent his own money, that of his wife and the grants he received from Grattan's parliament. His losses were almost the equivalent of the national debt. He employed almost 4,000 by 1784, yet by 1786 the works and all his remaining property had to be abandoned to his creditors. Prosperous declined to such an extent as to be described by Lewis in 1837 as ‘little more than a pile of ruins' situated 'in a low marshy spot, surrounded by bogs and without water of importance nor reasonable hope of its revival'.
Despite having overstayed his leave in 1775, he applied for re-instatement in the army and although the request was initially refused, in actual fact he was almost immediately made governor on Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
. He was appointed to the post of Governor of Saint Helena
Governor of Saint Helena
The Governor of Saint Helena is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha...
in 1788 to replace Daniel Corneille..
St Helena
Brooke was appointed following a garrison mutiny under a civilian governor, and it is likely that his military background was seen as helpful to the maintenance of order. However, Brooke is best known for the extensive development and building works that were initiated during his administration. These included:- Introduction of a signalling system to announce the arrival of ships
- Building of defensive positions against attack
- Building pipe networks to transport fresh water
- Extension of farming across the island
- Creation of a safe landing jetty
In addition, Brooke was responsible for the introduction of rules to restrict ill-treatment and encourage the well-being of slaves. He also used the location of St Helena, mid-way between Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
to support the vulnerable position of British-held Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
at the end of the eighteenth century with soldiers and supplies, for which he was awarded a diamond-hilted presentation sword by the East India Company. He raised an island militia, and even tried to grow breadfruit
Breadfruit
Breadfruit is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family, Moraceae, growing throughout Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands...
and sago
Sago
Sago is a starch extracted in the spongy center or pith, of various tropical palm stems, Metroxylon sagu. It is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas, where it is called saksak and sagu. A type of flour, called sago flour, is made from sago. The largest supply...
on the island, receiving seedlings from Captain William Bligh
William Bligh
Vice Admiral William Bligh FRS RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A notorious mutiny occurred during his command of HMAV Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers...
in 1792.
Retirement
Brooke retired in 1800 leaving the island on 16 March 1800. An interim governor, Lieutenant-Governor Francis Robson, was appointed until 11 Mar 1802 when Brooke was succeeded as Governor by his sister-in-law's husband: Colonel Robert Patton of the East India Company. Brooke died in 1811 at his home in Bath, SomersetSomerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.