Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet GCSI
, PC (14 March 1832 – 14 January 1907) was a British soldier, Conservative
politician and colonial administrator.
, Scotland, Fergusson was the eldest son of Sir Charles Fergusson, 5th Baronet, and his wife Helen, daughter of David Boyle. He was educated at Cheam
, Rugby
, and University College, Oxford
(although he left without taking a degree). He entered the Grenadier Guards
in 1851 and served in the Crimean War
where he was wounded. He retired from the army in 1859.
and represented the constituency in parliament from 1854 to 1857 and 1859 to 1868. He was Under-Secretary of State for India
under Lord Derby
from 1866 to 1867 and Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
from 1867 to 1868 under Derby and Benjamin Disraeli and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1868. He served as Governor of South Australia from 1868 to 1873, as Governor of New Zealand between 1873 and 1874, when he resigned, and as Governor of Bombay between 1880 and 1885. Following his retirement, he returned to the House of Commons
, as Member of Parliament for Manchester North East
, which he represented between 1885 and 1906. He again held political office as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
between 1886 and 1891 and as Postmaster General
between 1891 and 1892 in Lord Salisbury
's Conservative administration
.
, in 1859. They had two sons and two daughters. Lady Edith died in October 1871, aged 32. Fergusson married secondly Olive, daughter of John Henry Richman, in 1873. They had one son. She died of cholera
in January 1882. He married thirdly Isabella Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Twysden and widow of Charles Hugh Hoare, in 1893. They had no children. Fergusson's son Charles and grandson Bernard Fergusson
both became Governors-General of New Zealand
. Fergusson was killed in an earthquake in Jamaica
in 1907, aged 74. The town of Jamestown, South Australia
and Fergusson College
in Pune (in his day, Poona), India are named in Fergusson's honour.
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...
, PC (14 March 1832 – 14 January 1907) was a British soldier, Conservative
Conservative 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 and colonial administrator.
Background and education
Born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland, Fergusson was the eldest son of Sir Charles Fergusson, 5th Baronet, and his wife Helen, daughter of David Boyle. He was educated at Cheam
Cheam School
Cheam School is a preparatory school in Headley in the civil parish of Ashford Hill with Headley in the English county of Hampshire. It was founded in 1645 by the Reverend George Aldrich in Cheam, Surrey and has been in operation ever since....
, Rugby
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
(although he left without taking a degree). He entered the Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in 1851 and served in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
where he was wounded. He retired from the army in 1859.
Political and administrative career
Fergusson was elected Member of Parliament for AyrshireAyrshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Ayrshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1868, when it was divided into North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire....
and represented the constituency in parliament from 1854 to 1857 and 1859 to 1868. He was Under-Secretary of State for India
Under-Secretary of State for India
This is a list of Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and Permanent Under-Secretaries of State at the India Office during the period of British rule between 1866 and 1948, and for Burma from 1858-1948....
under Lord Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
from 1866 to 1867 and Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
-Non-permanent and parliamentary under-secretaries, 1782-present:*April 1782: Evan Nepean*April 1782: Thomas Orde*July 1782: Henry Strachey*April 1783: George North*February 1784: Hon. John Townshend*June 1789: Scrope Bernard*July 1794: The Hon...
from 1867 to 1868 under Derby and Benjamin Disraeli and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1868. He served as Governor of South Australia from 1868 to 1873, as Governor of New Zealand between 1873 and 1874, when he resigned, and as Governor of Bombay between 1880 and 1885. Following his retirement, he returned to the 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...
, as Member of Parliament for Manchester North East
Manchester North East (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester North East was one of several Parliamentary constituencies created in 1885 from the former Manchester constituency. It was abolished in 1918....
, which he represented between 1885 and 1906. He again held political office as Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
|The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has been a junior position in the British government since 1782, subordinate to both the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and since 1945 also to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs...
between 1886 and 1891 and as Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between 1891 and 1892 in Lord Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
's Conservative administration
Conservative Government 1886-1892
Principal source: C. Cook and B. Keith, British Historical Facts 1830–1900...
.
Family
Fergusson married firstly Lady Edith Christian, daughter of James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of DalhousieJames Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie KT, PC was a Scottish statesman, and a colonial administrator in British India....
, in 1859. They had two sons and two daughters. Lady Edith died in October 1871, aged 32. Fergusson married secondly Olive, daughter of John Henry Richman, in 1873. They had one son. She died of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
in January 1882. He married thirdly Isabella Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Twysden and widow of Charles Hugh Hoare, in 1893. They had no children. Fergusson's son Charles and grandson Bernard Fergusson
Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae
Bernard Edward Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae, KT, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, OBE was a brigadier in the British Army, military historian and the last British-born Governor-General of New Zealand.- Military service :...
both became Governors-General of New Zealand
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
. Fergusson was killed in an earthquake in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in 1907, aged 74. The town of Jamestown, South Australia
Jamestown, South Australia
Jamestown is a town in the Mid North region of South Australia north of Adelaide. It is on the banks of the Belalie Creek and on the railway line between Gladstone and Peterborough, and ultimately on the main line linking Adelaide and Perth to Sydney...
and Fergusson College
Fergusson College
Fergusson College is a degree college in western India, situated in the city of Pune. It was founded in 1885 by the Deccan Education Society and at that time was the first privately governed college in India. It is named after Sir James Fergusson, the Governor of Bombay, who donated a then...
in Pune (in his day, Poona), India are named in Fergusson's honour.