Robert Montgomery Martin (c. 1801 – 6 September 1868) was an Anglo-Irish author and civil servant. He served as Colonial Treasurer of Hong Kong from 1844 to 1845. He was a founding member of the Statistical Society of London (1834), the Colonial Society (1837), and the East India Association (1867).[1]
Robert Montgomery Martin was born in Dublin, Ireland, into a Protestant family, the son of John Martin and Mary Hawkins; and trained as a doctor.[1]
About 1820 he went out to Ceylon, under the patronage of Sir Hardinge Giffard, a friend of his father. Travelling onwards to the Cape of Good Hope, where he arrived in June 1823; he joined the expedition of HMS Leven and HMS Barracouta under William Fitzwilliam Owen, bound for Delagoa Bay. Martin was temporarily appointed assistant surgeon, serving also as botanist and naturalist on the south-east coast of Africa, Madagascar, and Indian Ocean islands.[2]
On 10 November 1824 Martin left the expedition at Mombassa, and by way of Mauritius made his way back to the Cape. Later he set sail for New South Wales returning to India around the end of 1828. He lived there for a year, before sailing back to England in 1830.[2]
WriterEdit
Title page of The history, antiquities, topography, and statistics of eastern India (Vol. III) by Robert Montgomery Martin, published in 1838
Martin became a writer. According to his own account in 1840 he had been studying colonial questions for ten years. He published fifty thousand volumes on India and the colonies. In 1838 he was assigned an office in Downing Street, and in a year brought out his work on the Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire, compiled from official sources, but without official support. In 1840 he founded and for two years edited the Colonial Magazine.[2]
On 5 December 1837 he presented a petition to the House of Commons for an amended colonial administrative department. In 1839, as a member of the court of the East India Company, he was active in promoting the appointment of the commission which sat in 1840 on the East Indian trade. Martin was a prominent witness.[2]
OfficialEdit
In January 1844 Martin was appointed treasurer of the newly acquired island of Hong Kong, where he was also a member of the legislative council. He continued to write and was in poor health. In May 1845 he disagreed with the governor about raising revenue from opium and on being refused six months' leave, resigned in July 1845. In his reports he insisted that Hong Kong was as a British colony doomed to failure.[2]
After making unsuccessful efforts to induce the Secretary of State to reinstate him, Martin returned to a literary life, near London. In 1851 he went to Jamaica on a mission to report on the affairs of two mining companies operating there.[2]
FamilyEdit
Martin married Jane Avis Frances Keith in 1826. She eloped with Dr. John Sheridan (1805–1858) and emigrated to South Australia, where they were important colonists.[3] In 1847 the marriage was dissolved by Parliament, and he married Eliza Barron, later as Eliza Phillips known in bird welfare.[1]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Montgomery Martin.
The History of the British Colonies was completed in 1831; he obtained an introduction to the king, and on showing his book, received the king's permission to dedicate it to him. It did not appear till 1834, in five volumes:[4]
Vol I: Possessions in Asia
Vol II: Possessions in the West Indies
Vol III: Possessions in North America
Vol IV: Possessions in Africa and Austral-Asia
Vol V: Possessions in Europe
In 1837, Martin expanded the work, and published the new edition as The British Colonial Library, in ten volumes:[5]
Vol I: History, Statistics, and Geography of Upper and Lower Canada
Vol II: History of Austral-Asia: comprising New South Wales, Van Diemen's Island, Swan River, South Australia, &c.
Vol III: History of Southern Africa: comprising the Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius, Seychelles, &c.
Vol IV: History of the West Indies: comprising Jamaica, Honduras, Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Isles.
Vol V: History of the West Indies: comprising British Guiana, Barbadoes, St. Vincent's, St. Lucia, Dominica, Montserrat, Antigua, St. Christopher's, &c. &c.
Vol VI: History of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, the Sable Islands, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, the Bermudas, Newfoundland, &c. &c.
Vol VII: History of the British Possessions in the Mediterranean: comprising Gibraltar, Malta, Gozo, and the Ionian Islands.
Vol VIII: History of the Possessions of the Honorable East India Company. Vol I.
Vol IX: History of the Possessions of the Honorable East India Company. Vol II.
Vol X: History of the British Possessions in the Indian & Atlantic Oceans; comprising Ceylon, Penang, Malacca, Sincapore, the Falkland Islands, St. Helena, Ascension, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Cape Coast Castle, &c. &c.
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley entrusted Martin with the preparation of his papers for publication, as The Marquis of Wellesley's Indian Despatches, 5 vols. 1836, and The Marquis of Wellesley's Spanish Despatches, 1840. For some months in 1833–4 he was engaged on the Taxation of the British Empire, working mainly in the library of the House of Commons. He next turned to the records of East India House, and brought out his History of the Antiquities of Eastern India (3 vols.) in 1838.[2]
Temples in Madurai, illustration from vol. 3 of Martin's The Indian Empire vol. 3.
Ireland before and after the Union, 1844; 2nd edit. in 1848.
Steam Navigation with Australia, 1847.
China, Political, Commercial, and Social, 2 vols. 1847.
Free Trade in Sugar, 1848.
The Hudson's Bay Territories and Vancouver's Island, 1849.
The Indian Empire (illustrated), 5 vols. 1857.
The Rise and Progress of the Indian Mutiny, 1859.
Sovereigns of the Coorg (pamphlet), 1867.
ReferencesEdit
^ abcKing, Frank H. H. "Martin, Robert Montgomery (1800x02–1868)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18208. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Matrimonial". South Australian Register. Vol. XI, no. 793. South Australia. 22 December 1847. p. 4. Retrieved 17 August 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
^"History of the British colonies / by R. Montgomery Martin". National Library of Australia - Catalogue. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
^The British Colonial Library. Retrieved 18 August 2018 – via Hathi Trust Digital Library.
Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Harris, Charles Alexander (1893). "Martin, Robert Montgomery". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 36. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Montgomery Martin.
Engravings from Martin's The Indian Empire
Further readingEdit
King, Frank H. H. (1979). Survey Our Empire! Robert Montgomery Martin (1801?–1868), a Bio-bibliography.
robert, montgomery, martin, 1801, september, 1868, anglo, irish, author, civil, servant, served, colonial, treasurer, hong, kong, from, 1844, 1845, founding, member, statistical, society, london, 1834, colonial, society, 1837, east, india, association, 1867, c. Robert Montgomery Martin c 1801 6 September 1868 was an Anglo Irish author and civil servant He served as Colonial Treasurer of Hong Kong from 1844 to 1845 He was a founding member of the Statistical Society of London 1834 the Colonial Society 1837 and the East India Association 1867 1 Robert Montgomery MartinColonial Treasurer of Hong KongIn office January 1844 July 1845Preceded byCharles Edward StuartSucceeded byWilliam MercerPersonal detailsBornCirca 1801Dublin IrelandDied6 September 1868Sutton Surrey EnglandOccupationAuthor civil servant Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Writer 1 3 Official 1 4 Family 1 5 Later life 2 Works 3 References 4 External links 5 Further readingBiography EditEarly life Edit Robert Montgomery Martin was born in Dublin Ireland into a Protestant family the son of John Martin and Mary Hawkins and trained as a doctor 1 About 1820 he went out to Ceylon under the patronage of Sir Hardinge Giffard a friend of his father Travelling onwards to the Cape of Good Hope where he arrived in June 1823 he joined the expedition of HMS Leven and HMS Barracouta under William Fitzwilliam Owen bound for Delagoa Bay Martin was temporarily appointed assistant surgeon serving also as botanist and naturalist on the south east coast of Africa Madagascar and Indian Ocean islands 2 On 10 November 1824 Martin left the expedition at Mombassa and by way of Mauritius made his way back to the Cape Later he set sail for New South Wales returning to India around the end of 1828 He lived there for a year before sailing back to England in 1830 2 Writer Edit nbsp Title page of The history antiquities topography and statistics of eastern India Vol III by Robert Montgomery Martin published in 1838Martin became a writer According to his own account in 1840 he had been studying colonial questions for ten years He published fifty thousand volumes on India and the colonies In 1838 he was assigned an office in Downing Street and in a year brought out his work on the Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire compiled from official sources but without official support In 1840 he founded and for two years edited the Colonial Magazine 2 nbsp Opium in China published in 1847On 5 December 1837 he presented a petition to the House of Commons for an amended colonial administrative department In 1839 as a member of the court of the East India Company he was active in promoting the appointment of the commission which sat in 1840 on the East Indian trade Martin was a prominent witness 2 Official Edit In January 1844 Martin was appointed treasurer of the newly acquired island of Hong Kong where he was also a member of the legislative council He continued to write and was in poor health In May 1845 he disagreed with the governor about raising revenue from opium and on being refused six months leave resigned in July 1845 In his reports he insisted that Hong Kong was as a British colony doomed to failure 2 After making unsuccessful efforts to induce the Secretary of State to reinstate him Martin returned to a literary life near London In 1851 he went to Jamaica on a mission to report on the affairs of two mining companies operating there 2 Family Edit Martin married Jane Avis Frances Keith in 1826 She eloped with Dr John Sheridan 1805 1858 and emigrated to South Australia where they were important colonists 3 In 1847 the marriage was dissolved by Parliament and he married Eliza Barron later as Eliza Phillips known in bird welfare 1 Later life Edit Martin was one of the original members of the East India Association founded in 1866 He died at Wellesley Lodge Sutton Surrey on 6 September 1868 2 Works Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Montgomery Martin The History of the British Colonies was completed in 1831 he obtained an introduction to the king and on showing his book received the king s permission to dedicate it to him It did not appear till 1834 in five volumes 4 Vol I Possessions in Asia Vol II Possessions in the West Indies Vol III Possessions in North America Vol IV Possessions in Africa and Austral Asia Vol V Possessions in EuropeIn 1837 Martin expanded the work and published the new edition as The British Colonial Library in ten volumes 5 Vol I History Statistics and Geography of Upper and Lower Canada Vol II History of Austral Asia comprising New South Wales Van Diemen s Island Swan River South Australia amp c Vol III History of Southern Africa comprising the Cape of Good Hope Mauritius Seychelles amp c Vol IV History of the West Indies comprising Jamaica Honduras Trinidad Tobago Grenada the Bahamas and the Virgin Isles Vol V History of the West Indies comprising British Guiana Barbadoes St Vincent s St Lucia Dominica Montserrat Antigua St Christopher s amp c amp c Vol VI History of Nova Scotia Cape Breton the Sable Islands New Brunswick Prince Edward Island the Bermudas Newfoundland amp c amp c Vol VII History of the British Possessions in the Mediterranean comprising Gibraltar Malta Gozo and the Ionian Islands Vol VIII History of the Possessions of the Honorable East India Company Vol I Vol IX History of the Possessions of the Honorable East India Company Vol II Vol X History of the British Possessions in the Indian amp Atlantic Oceans comprising Ceylon Penang Malacca Sincapore the Falkland Islands St Helena Ascension Sierra Leone the Gambia Cape Coast Castle amp c amp c Richard Wellesley 1st Marquess Wellesley entrusted Martin with the preparation of his papers for publication as The Marquis of Wellesley s Indian Despatches 5 vols 1836 and The Marquis of Wellesley s Spanish Despatches 1840 For some months in 1833 4 he was engaged on the Taxation of the British Empire working mainly in the library of the House of Commons He next turned to the records of East India House and brought out his History of the Antiquities of Eastern India 3 vols in 1838 2 nbsp Temples in Madurai illustration from vol 3 of Martin s The Indian Empire vol 3 Other works were 2 Political Commercial and Financial Condition of the Anglo Eastern Empire 1832 British Relations with the Chinese Empire 1832 Analysis of the Parliamentary Evidence on the China Trade 1832 Ireland as it was is and ought to be 1833 Past and Present State of the Tea Trade 1832 East and West India Sugar Duties 1833 Poor Laws for Ireland a Measure of Justice for England 1833 Analysis of Parliamentary Evidence on the Handloom Weavers 1834 5 Analysis of the Bible later translated into Chinese 1836 The Colonial Policy of the British Empire pt i Government 1837 The Statistics of the British Colonies 1839 The Monetary System of British India 1841 Ireland before and after the Union 1844 2nd edit in 1848 Steam Navigation with Australia 1847 China Political Commercial and Social 2 vols 1847 Free Trade in Sugar 1848 The Hudson s Bay Territories and Vancouver s Island 1849 The Indian Empire illustrated 5 vols 1857 The Rise and Progress of the Indian Mutiny 1859 Sovereigns of the Coorg pamphlet 1867 References Edit a b c King Frank H H Martin Robert Montgomery 1800x02 1868 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 18208 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b c d e f g h i Harris 1893 Matrimonial South Australian Register Vol XI no 793 South Australia 22 December 1847 p 4 Retrieved 17 August 2016 via National Library of Australia History of the British colonies by R Montgomery Martin National Library of Australia Catalogue Retrieved 18 August 2018 The British Colonial Library Retrieved 18 August 2018 via Hathi Trust Digital Library Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Harris Charles Alexander 1893 Martin Robert Montgomery In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 36 London Smith Elder amp Co External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Montgomery Martin Engravings from Martin s The Indian EmpireFurther reading EditKing Frank H H 1979 Survey Our Empire Robert Montgomery Martin 1801 1868 a Bio bibliography Endacott G B 2005 1962 A Biographical Sketch book of Early Hong Kong Hong Kong University Press ISBN 978 962 209 742 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Montgomery Martin amp oldid 1173879292, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
