Thomas Gore Browne
Encyclopedia
Colonel Sir Thomas Robert Gore Browne KCMG
CB
(3 July 1807 – 17 April 1887) was a British
colonial administrator, who was Governor of St Helena, Governor of New Zealand
, Governor of Tasmania and Governor of Bermuda
.
, Buckinghamshire, England. He served with the British Army in Afghanistan
and India
. In 1824 he purchased an Ensigncy
in the 44th Foot, but three months later exchanged into the 28th Foot. In 1829 he purchased a Captaincy. In 1836, as a Major
, he exchanged into the 41st Foot. In 1842 he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army, in 1845 he purchased the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 41st Foot, and in 1849 he exchanged into the 21st Foot. He became Governor of St Helena in 1851. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army in 1854, by which time he was back in his original regiment, the 44th Foot. In 1857 he exchanged from the 14th Foot to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 43rd Foot.
. His handling of Māori land issues were a contributing factor in the outbreak of the First Taranaki War
: despite divisions among Waitara
Maori over the ownership of land, Browne persisted with the purchase of the disputed Pekapeka block, further inflaming tensions between Maori and English settlers. On 5 March 1860, Browne ordered the military occupation of the land, leading to the outbreak of war 12 days later.
The town of Gore
, New Zealand was named after him.
in the Army in 1864.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(3 July 1807 – 17 April 1887) 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...
colonial administrator, who was Governor of St Helena, Governor 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....
, Governor of Tasmania and Governor of Bermuda
Governor of Bermuda
The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
.
Early life
Browne was born in AylesburyAylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
, Buckinghamshire, England. He served with the British Army in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1824 he purchased an Ensigncy
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 44th Foot, but three months later exchanged into the 28th Foot. In 1829 he purchased a Captaincy. In 1836, as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, he exchanged into the 41st Foot. In 1842 he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army, in 1845 he purchased the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 41st Foot, and in 1849 he exchanged into the 21st Foot. He became Governor of St Helena in 1851. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army in 1854, by which time he was back in his original regiment, the 44th Foot. In 1857 he exchanged from the 14th Foot to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 43rd Foot.
Governor of New Zealand
In September 1855 he was appointed Governor of New Zealand, replacing temporary Administrator Robert WynyardRobert Wynyard
Sir Robert Henry Wynyard was a New Zealand colonial administrator, serving at various times as Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster Province, Administrator of the Government, and was the first Superintendent of Auckland Province.-Lieutenant Governor of New Ulster:From 26 April 1851 to 7 March 1853,...
. His handling of Māori land issues were a contributing factor in the outbreak of the First Taranaki War
First Taranaki War
The First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
: despite divisions among Waitara
Waitara, New Zealand
Waitara is the name of a town and a river in the northern part of the Taranaki Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Waitara is located just off State Highway 3, 15 km northeast of New Plymouth....
Maori over the ownership of land, Browne persisted with the purchase of the disputed Pekapeka block, further inflaming tensions between Maori and English settlers. On 5 March 1860, Browne ordered the military occupation of the land, leading to the outbreak of war 12 days later.
The town of Gore
Gore, New Zealand
Gore is a town, surrounding borough, and district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.-Geography:The Gore District has a land area of 1,251.62 km² and a resident population of...
, New Zealand was named after him.
Governor of Tasmania
From 1861 until 1868 he was Governor of Tasmania. He was promoted ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Army in 1864.
See also
- First Taranaki WarFirst Taranaki WarThe First Taranaki War was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori and the New Zealand Government in the Taranaki district of New Zealand's North Island from March 1860 to March 1861....
- New Zealand land warsNew Zealand land warsThe New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
- Waitara, New ZealandWaitara, New ZealandWaitara is the name of a town and a river in the northern part of the Taranaki Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Waitara is located just off State Highway 3, 15 km northeast of New Plymouth....
- History of New PlymouthHistory of New PlymouthThe city of New Plymouth, New Zealand, has a history that includes a lengthy occupation and residence by Maori, the arrival of white traders and settlers in the 19th century and warfare that resulted when the demands of the two cultures clashed....