Robert Montgomery (colonial administrator)
Sir Robert Montgomery, GCSI, KCB (born 2 December 1809 in Moville, County Donegal, Ireland, died 28 December 1887 in India) was a British colonial administrator in India.
Robert was born at the family seat at New Park, Moville. He was educated at Foyle College, Londonderry; Wraxall Hall School, Wiltshire; and, from 1823-5, at Addiscombe Military Seminary, Croydon, Surrey.[1] In 1827 he was appointed to the Indian Civil Service. He married in India and brought up a family. His second son was Henry, father of Field Marshal Montgomery. Henry inherited the family estate in Ireland after his father's death.[2]
His first notable position was as a commissioner in Cawnpore. In May 1857, at the start of the Indian Mutiny, he was in Lahore in the Punjab,[3] where he was Lieutenant-Governor of the province. He immediately had the native garrison disarmed, which prevented them from taking any action in the rebellion. He was awarded with a knighthood for this action. During the period of 3 April 1858 to 15 February 1859, he was Chief Commissioner of Oudh. He was then the second Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab from 1859 to 1865, preceded by Sir John Lawrence and succeeded by Sir Donald McLeod.[4] He served as Lieutenant-Governor up to an advanced age.[2]
Eponyms
- The city of Sahiwal, Pakistan, founded in 1865, was formerly named "Montgomery", after Sir Robert Montgomery.[5][6]
- The district of Montgomery in Punjab.
References
- ^ Vibart 1894, pp. 403-5.
- ^ a b Alan Moorehead, Montgomery. Page 13. Four Square Books, London 1958.
- ^ Provinces of British India - Lieutenant governors
- ^ http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V20_337.gif
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica
- ^ South Punjab Portal - Sahiwal
Further reading
- Hamilton, J.A.; Penner, Peter (reviewer) (2004). "Montgomery, Sir Robert (1809–1887)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19075. (subscription required)
- Montgomery, Brian (1984). Monty's Grandfather: Sir Robert Montgomery, GCSI, KCB, LLD 1809-1887: a life's service for the Raj. Poole: Blandford Press. ISBN 0713714018.
- Vibart, H.M. (1894). Addiscombe: its heroes and men of note. Westminster: Archibald Constable. pp. 403–5.
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