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Cecil Beadon

December 18, 2023

For the English photographer, see Sir Cecil Beaton.

Sir Cecil Beadon, KCSI (1816 – 18 July 1880) was an English administrator in British India, serving as lieutenant-governor of Bengal Presidency from 1862 to 1866, when he was relieved of the post after a commission of inquiry, which was critical of his handling of the Orissa famine of 1866.

Life edit

He was the youngest son of Richard Beadon (1779–1858), and grandson of Richard Beadon, the bishop of Bath and Wells His mother, Annabella Ashe née à Court (1781–1866) was the daughter of Sir William à Court 1st Baronet à Court of Heytesbury; and sister of William à Court, 1st Baron Heytesbury. Cecil was educated at Eton College and Shrewsbury School.

At the age of eighteen he was presented with an appointment to the Bengal civil service, which had been placed by the court of directors at the disposal of his uncle Lord Heytesbury, nominated as Governor-General of India in 1835 (by Robert Peel, but the nomination was cancelled by the fall of Peel's administration). Reaching India in 1836, Beadon spent time in district offices administration, and was serving as magistrate of Murshidabad when in 1843 he was appointed under-secretary to the government of Bengal.

From that time his promotion was rapid. After filling posts in the revenue administration, he was selected in 1850 by James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie to represent the Bengal presidency on a commission on the postal system. He then held in succession the posts of secretary to the government of Bengal, secretary to the government of India in the home department, foreign secretary, member of the council of the governor-general (1860–2), and finally that of lieutenant-governor of Bengal (1862–6). He was backed by three Governors-General, Hardinge, Dalhousie who consulted him on internal administration, and Canning. During most of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Beadon was home secretary.

In Bengal, measures Beadon implemented in the Assam tea trade were held to have caused a slump, and the mission of Ashley Eden to Bhutan went badly, and was followed by the Bhutan war. The Orissa famine of 1866 found him absent from Calcutta for health reasons. The Governor-General, Sir John Lawrence did not overrule Beadon's view of the famine. The report of a commission of inquiry on the handling of the famine was unfavourable to Beadon, who left India and returned to England.

He died on 18 July 1880 in his sixty-fifth year.

Orissa famine edit

During the Orissa famine of 1866, he did nothing to alleviate deaths from famine, as he was concerned about tampering with the natural laws of economics. He remarked that "Such visitations of providence as these no government can do much either to prevent or alleviate," and that if he attempted to alleviate deaths from famine, he would consider himself "no better than a dacoit or thief." He maintained this viewpoint in spite of the fact that India exported over 200 million pounds of rice to Britain during the period of famine.[1]

Family edit

In 1837 he married firstly Harriet Sneyd (1818–1855) daughter of Major Ralph Henry Sneyd (1784–1840) of the Bengal cavalry, with whom he had ten children; and in 1860 he married secondly Agnes Stendale (1836–1906), daughter of William Handley Sterndale (1791–1866) and sister of Robert Armitage Sterndale, with whom he had ten more.

Children by Harriet Sneyd:

  • Col Cecil Beadon (1838–1913); who married Elinor Augusta Flora Plowden (1846–1886), a sister of Sir Henry Meredyth Plowden
  • Col Richard Beadon (1839–1884); who married Elinor Louisa Cooper Sterndale (1846–1907) a younger sister of his step-mother Agnes
  • Henry Sneyd Beadon (1842-1890); who married Elizabeth Ellen Boddam (1849–1928), a great-granddaughter of Rawson Hart Boddam
  • Edward Sneyd Beadon (1846–1933); who married Edith Rachel Edwards (1851–1883)
  • William à Court Beadon (1847–1917); who married Emily Florence Dixon (1863–?)
  • Rev Hyde Elphinstone Beadon (1851–1855)
  • Harold Archibald Beadon (1853–1921)
  • three children who died young born in 1842, 1844 and 1850

Children by Agnes Stendale:

  • Helen Beadon (1861–1933); married Sir Henry Meredyth Plowden (1840–1920)
  • Philip Canning Beadon (1863–1864), born and died an infant in India
  • Lt Col Guy Cecil Beadon (1864–1915); married Olive Coates (1870–?)
  • Isabel Margaret Beadon (1867–1930); married in 1903 Colonel William Graham Waugh McClintock (1846–1924)
  • Lt Col Arthur Eyre Beadon (1869–1945); married Marjory Armytage Blunt (1878–1962)
  • Agnes Imogen Beadon (1870–1964); married Judge Sir Arthur Hay Stewart Reid (1851–1930), Hilda Stewart Reid (1898–1982) was their daughter.
  • Eirene Beadon (1872–1897); married George William Dyson (1864–1922)
  • Capt Lancelot Richmond Beadon (1876–1922); married Hilda Marian née Raper (1880–1953)
  • Violet Beadon (1879–1949); married Archibald Campbell MA (1877–1963), Judge of the High Court of Lahore

See also edit

References edit

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1885). "Beadon, Cecil". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 3. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

  1. ^ Patel, Dinyar (10 June 2016). "Viewpoint: How British let one million Indians die in famine". BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2016.

Further reading edit

  • Buckland, Charles Edward (1901). Bengal Under The Lieutenant-Governors. Vol. 1. Calcutta: S. K. Lahiri & Co. pp. 272–397.
Government offices
Preceded by Lieutenant-governor of Bengal
1862–1866 		Succeeded by

December 18, 2023
cecil, beadon, english, photographer, cecil, beaton, kcsi, 1816, july, 1880, english, administrator, british, india, serving, lieutenant, governor, bengal, presidency, from, 1862, 1866, when, relieved, post, after, commission, inquiry, which, critical, handlin. For the English photographer see Sir Cecil Beaton Sir Cecil Beadon KCSI 1816 18 July 1880 was an English administrator in British India serving as lieutenant governor of Bengal Presidency from 1862 to 1866 when he was relieved of the post after a commission of inquiry which was critical of his handling of the Orissa famine of 1866 Contents 1 Life 2 Orissa famine 3 Family 4 See also 5 References 6 Further readingLife editHe was the youngest son of Richard Beadon 1779 1858 and grandson of Richard Beadon the bishop of Bath and Wells His mother Annabella Ashe nee a Court 1781 1866 was the daughter of Sir William a Court 1st Baronet a Court of Heytesbury and sister of William a Court 1st Baron Heytesbury Cecil was educated at Eton College and Shrewsbury School At the age of eighteen he was presented with an appointment to the Bengal civil service which had been placed by the court of directors at the disposal of his uncle Lord Heytesbury nominated as Governor General of India in 1835 by Robert Peel but the nomination was cancelled by the fall of Peel s administration Reaching India in 1836 Beadon spent time in district offices administration and was serving as magistrate of Murshidabad when in 1843 he was appointed under secretary to the government of Bengal From that time his promotion was rapid After filling posts in the revenue administration he was selected in 1850 by James Broun Ramsay 1st Marquess of Dalhousie to represent the Bengal presidency on a commission on the postal system He then held in succession the posts of secretary to the government of Bengal secretary to the government of India in the home department foreign secretary member of the council of the governor general 1860 2 and finally that of lieutenant governor of Bengal 1862 6 He was backed by three Governors General Hardinge Dalhousie who consulted him on internal administration and Canning During most of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 Beadon was home secretary In Bengal measures Beadon implemented in the Assam tea trade were held to have caused a slump and the mission of Ashley Eden to Bhutan went badly and was followed by the Bhutan war The Orissa famine of 1866 found him absent from Calcutta for health reasons The Governor General Sir John Lawrence did not overrule Beadon s view of the famine The report of a commission of inquiry on the handling of the famine was unfavourable to Beadon who left India and returned to England He died on 18 July 1880 in his sixty fifth year Orissa famine editDuring the Orissa famine of 1866 he did nothing to alleviate deaths from famine as he was concerned about tampering with the natural laws of economics He remarked that Such visitations of providence as these no government can do much either to prevent or alleviate and that if he attempted to alleviate deaths from famine he would consider himself no better than a dacoit or thief He maintained this viewpoint in spite of the fact that India exported over 200 million pounds of rice to Britain during the period of famine 1 Family editIn 1837 he married firstly Harriet Sneyd 1818 1855 daughter of Major Ralph Henry Sneyd 1784 1840 of the Bengal cavalry with whom he had ten children and in 1860 he married secondly Agnes Stendale 1836 1906 daughter of William Handley Sterndale 1791 1866 and sister of Robert Armitage Sterndale with whom he had ten more Children by Harriet Sneyd Col Cecil Beadon 1838 1913 who married Elinor Augusta Flora Plowden 1846 1886 a sister of Sir Henry Meredyth Plowden Col Richard Beadon 1839 1884 who married Elinor Louisa Cooper Sterndale 1846 1907 a younger sister of his step mother Agnes Henry Sneyd Beadon 1842 1890 who married Elizabeth Ellen Boddam 1849 1928 a great granddaughter of Rawson Hart Boddam Edward Sneyd Beadon 1846 1933 who married Edith Rachel Edwards 1851 1883 William a Court Beadon 1847 1917 who married Emily Florence Dixon 1863 Rev Hyde Elphinstone Beadon 1851 1855 Harold Archibald Beadon 1853 1921 three children who died young born in 1842 1844 and 1850Children by Agnes Stendale Helen Beadon 1861 1933 married Sir Henry Meredyth Plowden 1840 1920 Philip Canning Beadon 1863 1864 born and died an infant in India Lt Col Guy Cecil Beadon 1864 1915 married Olive Coates 1870 Isabel Margaret Beadon 1867 1930 married in 1903 Colonel William Graham Waugh McClintock 1846 1924 Lt Col Arthur Eyre Beadon 1869 1945 married Marjory Armytage Blunt 1878 1962 Agnes Imogen Beadon 1870 1964 married Judge Sir Arthur Hay Stewart Reid 1851 1930 Hilda Stewart Reid 1898 1982 was their daughter Eirene Beadon 1872 1897 married George William Dyson 1864 1922 Capt Lancelot Richmond Beadon 1876 1922 married Hilda Marian nee Raper 1880 1953 Violet Beadon 1879 1949 married Archibald Campbell MA 1877 1963 Judge of the High Court of LahoreSee also editList of governors of Bengal PresidencyReferences edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Stephen Leslie ed 1885 Beadon Cecil Dictionary of National Biography Vol 3 London Smith Elder amp Co Patel Dinyar 10 June 2016 Viewpoint How British let one million Indians die in famine BBC News Retrieved 10 June 2016 Further reading editBuckland Charles Edward 1901 Bengal Under The Lieutenant Governors Vol 1 Calcutta S K Lahiri amp Co pp 272 397 Government officesPreceded bySir John Peter Grant Lieutenant governor of Bengal1862 1866 Succeeded bySir William Grey Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cecil Beadon amp oldid 1185536418, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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