Harry Graham Haig
Sir Harry Graham Haig KCSI, CIE | |
---|---|
Governor of the United Provinces | |
In office 6 December 1934 – 9 March 1939 | |
Home Secretary to the Government of British India | |
In office April 1926 – April 1930 | |
Preceded by | Sir H. D. Craik |
Succeeded by | Sir H. W. Emerson |
Personal details | |
Born | 43 Kensington Gardens, Kensington, London, W. | 13 April 1881
Died | 14 June 1956 Valelands, Oxted, Surrey, United Kingdom | (aged 75)
Nationality | British |
Spouse | Agnes Catherine Pollock |
Relations | Eyre Chatterton |
Alma mater | New College, Oxford |
Profession | Civil servant |
Sir Harry Graham Haig KCSI CIE JP ICS (13 April 1881 – 14 June 1956) [1] was a British administrator in India.[2][3]
Haig was an opponent of
Family
Harry was born at 43 Kensington Gardens, Kensington, London to Henry Alexander Haig, a city merchant, and his wife Agnes Catherine Pollock. His family were wealthy upper-middle class that originated in trade from Scotland. Harry was educated at Winchester College. He won a scholarship to go up to New College, Oxford in 1900. Two years later he took a second in Mods (classical moderations) and after four years at Oxford he achieved a first in Literae humaniores. That autumn 1904 he was third place in the national examinations for the Indian Civil Service (ICS). He was appointed to the officer cadre of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) then considered the most senior civil service province in British India. He returned to England, but on 25 August 1908 he married Violet May, daughter of Joseph Deas of the Indian Civil Service. In 1910 he was appointed to be an Under-secretary to the government of United Provinces, yet only for two years.
Career
Haig liked India, and so resolved to remain there during World War One. He joined the Indian Army Reserves Corps of officers. In 1920 he resumed a civil service career in finance. Appointed a deputy secretary in the department of the Government of India. Now at the heart of Indian power, he was soon promoted to be Secretary to the Fiscal Commission, where he had a knowledge and understanding of taxation. The government in London was attempting to make savings by imposing more of the financial burden upon India for its own service upkeep. In 1923 he was attached to the Royal Commission on superior civil services. Two years later he became private secretary to the new Liberal Viceroy, the Marquess of Reading. In 1926 he was appointed secretary of the home department in India. His record of service, fifteen years at the top of the Indian service was only equalled by Sir Malcolm Hailey. Haig became expert in policing and home affairs. He was resolved to prevent Gandhi's non-cooperation movement from breaking up British rule, and yet knew how alarmist tactics could ignite an orgy of violence. Recommending a new Intelligence-led police operation to track rebels, Gandhi made a personal plea to end the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) feared for its rigorous methods of arrest and detention. By 1933 the
Leaving the British India leaders to cajole Gandhi into attending the Second Round Table Conference in London. Haig attended both conferences in 1930-31. he was in the chair of the committee that expanded the jurisdiction of the
At once the home department deployed a tough policy of detention against the Congress while being on the telegraph hotline to London in conversation with the cabinet. Gandhi was an old man incapable of defeating the British forces, so they were happy for the policy to be to decline his position.
When war broke out in Europe he returned to England. In 1940 he was appointed Regional Commissioner for Civil Defence in Manchester.[11] Haig was an Anglican, and regularly attended church. He was appointed Chairman of the Indian Church Aid Association under the diocesan control of his brother-in-law, Bishop Eyre Chatterton. He became an active member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. In 1952 he was invited to the silver jubilee of Agra University in the province he once governed. Sir Harry died at home, Valelands, Oxted, Surrey.
References
- ^ ISBN 0521139589(p. 84)
- The Governor of Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ Low, D. A. (1885–1900). "Haig, Sir Harry Graham". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- ^ Haig note of 28 December 1932, R.J. Moore, The Crisis of Indian Unity 1917-1940, p.289.
- ^ Devendra Singh, Meerut Conspiracy Case and Communist Movement in India 1929-35, (Research India, 1990), pp.37, 41, 51.
- ^ Collected Writings Mahatma Gandhi, p.51.
- ^ Haig note, 15 November 1933 in D.A. Low, Civil Martial Law, p.186.
- ^ Leader 7 December 1934.
- ^ M. Reza Khan, Liaquat Ali Khan (OUP, 2003) p.59.
- ^ N.Yousaf, Pakisatns Freedom & Allama Mashriqi: Statements, Letters, Chronology of Khaksar Tehrick movement period (AMZ Publications, 2004), p.77.
- ^ Obituary, The Times, 18 June 1956.
Bibliography
- D.A. Low, Britain and Indian nationalism: the imprint of ambiguity 1929-1942 (1997)
- D.A. Low, Congress and the raj: facets of the Indian struggle, 1917-1947 (1977) chap.4
- J.B. Wainewright, Winchester College 1836-1906: a register (1907)
- Peter D Reeves, The Landlord's Response to Political Change in the United Provinces of Agra & Oudh, India, Australian National University, 1963.