George Harris, 3rd Baron Harris
Governor of Trinidad | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Belmont, Kent, United Kingdom | 14 August 1810
Died | 23 November 1872 United Kingdom | (aged 62)
Spouse | Sarah Cummins |
Military Service | |
Allegiance | Great Britain |
Service/ | British Militia |
Years of service | 1864 - 1872 |
Rank | Honorary Colonel |
Unit | East Kent Militia |
George Francis Robert Harris, 3rd Baron Harris
Early life and education
Harris was born on 14 August 1810 to
He succeeded his father in June 1845 to the barony and the family seat of Belmont House. He also became joint patron of Athlone Yacht Club in 1845 with Lord Castlemaine and Hon. L. H. King-Harman following the death of his father.
Harris was beset will ill-health and remained bed-ridden for some time in the city of Pau in France where he worked for a time for the Church of England.
Governor of Trinidad
In 1846, Harris was appointed Governor of Trinidad, a role he kept until 1854. In 1850 he married Sarah, daughter of Port of Spain archdeacon George Cummins.[2] During his tenure, Harris revamped the prevailing education system thereby laying down the foundation for the present-day system of education in Trinidad. Harris also mooted the idea of importing indentured labourers from India to replace the plantation slaves who had been freed following the abolition of slavery. Harris is considered to be one of Trinidad's best administrators though he has also been criticized for favouring his own men in appointments.
Governor of Madras
Soon after taking over as Governor of Madras, Harris found grave deficiencies in the police system in the Presidency and reorganised the force introducing reforms that would eventually give rise to the Indian police as it exists today. On 1 July 1856, Harris flagged off the first regular passenger train service in the province between the city of Madras and the town of
Throughout his tenure, Harris was critical of the attitude of the
disloyal in tone, un-English in spirit, and wanting in every principle
When the
Harris continued even after the transfer of sovereignty over India from the
Later life and death
Lord Harris died in November 1872, aged 62. In 1850 he had married Sarah, daughter of the Venerable George Cummins, Archdeacon of Trinidad. She died only three years later.
In 1864 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the East Kent Militia.[4] He presided in 1870 over the East and West Kent Club and was until his death president of the Kent County Cricket Club.[5]
Lord Harris was succeeded in the barony by his son
Arms
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Notes
- ^ Athlone Sentinel 13 June 1845
- ^ Caribbean-Beat.com: The Governor’s Attic
- ISBN 0-14-100554-8
- ^ Army List.
- ^ "A short history of Kent cricket". Wisden. 1907. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- ^ Burke's Peerage. 1949.
References
- ISBN 0-8108-3173-2.
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, [page needed]
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages [better source needed]