Sir George William Des VœuxGCMG (22 September 1834 – 15 December 1909) was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of Fiji (1880–1885), Newfoundland (1886–1887), and Hong Kong (1887–1891).[1]
Des Vœux was born as the eighth of nine children of Reverend Henry Des Vœux (1786–1857) and his second wife Fanny Elizabeth Hutton in Baden-Baden, Germany, on 22 September 1834. His grandfather was Irish politician Sir Charles des Voeux, 1st Baronet.[2] His great-grandfather was a Huguenot from Normandy, France, who settled in Ireland in the early 18th century.[3]
Des Vœux attended a public school in London before starting his studies at Charterhouse School (1845–1853) and Balliol College, Oxford (1854–1856), but left without a degree after his father gave him the choice of finishing his degree and become a clergyman or seeking his fortune in the colonies.[4] Des Vœux then moved to Canada, where he finished his BA at the University of Toronto and became a barrister in Upper Canada in 1861.
Colonial servicesEdit
Des Vœux (far right) in Guiana
Des Vœux became stipendiary magistrate and superintendent of rivers and creeks[5] in British Guiana from 1863 to 1869, where he championed native causes. First stipendiary magistrate in the East Bank Demerara district, he was later transferred to the Upper Demerara-Berbice region, he argued that this transfer was to limit his influence and power on decisions being made in the main city of the colony Georgetown.[6] He was one of the leading figures (with Joseph Beaumont and James Crosby) against the system of Indian indenture system. Based on his experience in Guiana where he witnessed many instances of cruel and unjust treatment of indentured servants by plantation owners and managers, des Vœux wrote a 10,000-word report in 1869 to Lord Granville, the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which he detailed many abuses. When the contents of the report were published, there was a great outcry and the Commission of Inquiry into the Treatment of Immigrants was conducted. Des Vœux gave testimony before the commission in Georgetown and its report led to many improvements in the workers' treatment.[7]
Des Vœux with his daughter on sedan chairs in Hong Kong
Des Vœux served as the tenth Governor of Hong Kong from 1887 to 1891. This was the last post he held in the Colonial Services. During his tenure the Peak Tram began operation in 1888, providing relatively affordable transportation for people living on The Peak. Des Vœux segregated the Peak together with effectively all the elevated areas of Hong Kong Island from crowded Chinese-style tenements by enacting the European District Reservation Ordinance in November of that year. A year before he left office, the newly established Hong Kong Electric Company began providing electricity to Hong Kong Island.
Post-governorshipEdit
After Des Vœux's time as Governor of Hong Kong ended, he entered retirement. He was created a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1893. In 1903, he published his memoirs called My Colonial Service in British Guiana, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Fiji, Australia, Newfoundland, and Hong Kong with Interludes.
Personal lifeEdit
On 24 July 1875, Des Vœux married Marion Denison Pender (1856–1955), daughter of submarine telegraphy pioneer John Pender. They had two daughters and five sons, three of whom died in infancy. Des Vœux died in Brighton, England, on 15 December 1909.[2] William Des Vœux's son Henry John (1876-1940), married Dorothy Turner-Farley in 1911. Their son, Lt-Colonel Sir Richard, the eighth and last Des Vœux baronet, was killed in action at Arnhem in September 1944.
Des Voeux Peak, second highest peak on Taveuni Island, Fiji
ReferencesEdit
^Mennell, Philip (1892). "Des Vœux, Sir George William" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
^ abim Thurn, E. F.; Milne, Lynn, rev. "Des Vœux, Sir (George) William". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004 ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32795. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
^Des Voeux, George William (1903). My Colonial Service in British Guiana, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Fiji, Australia, Newfoundland, and Hong Kong with Interludes. Volume 1. London: John Murray. p. 1.
^ "Des Vœux, Sir George William". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
^Shiona M Airlie, Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography, 2012, p. 123
^William G. Des Voeux, My colonial service in British Guiana, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Fiji, Australia, Newfoundland, and Hong Kong, with interludes, (London: J. Murray, 1903), 125.
^"Des Voeux, Sir George William (1834-1909)". Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Website. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
SourcesEdit
Stephanie Williams, Running the Show: The Extraordinary Stories of the Men who Governed the British Empire, Viking 2011, ISBN978-0670918041.
External linksEdit
Media related to George William Des Vœux at Wikimedia Commons
Works related to William Des Vœux at Wikisource
Des Voeux, George William (1903). My Colonial Service in British Guiana, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Fiji, Australia, Newfoundland, and Hong Kong with Interludes. Vol. 1 / Vol. 2. London: John Murray.
william, vœux, george, gcmg, september, 1834, december, 1909, british, colonial, administrator, served, governor, fiji, 1880, 1885, newfoundland, 1886, 1887, hong, kong, 1887, 1891, gcmg3rd, administrator, saint, luciain, office, january, 1869, december, 1878m. Sir George William Des Vœux GCMG 22 September 1834 15 December 1909 was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of Fiji 1880 1885 Newfoundland 1886 1887 and Hong Kong 1887 1891 1 Sir William Des VœuxGCMG3rd Administrator of Saint LuciaIn office January 1869 December 1878MonarchVictoriaPreceded byJames Mayer GrantSucceeded bySir Arthur Havelock2nd High Commissioner for the Western PacificIn office January 1880 December 1886MonarchVictoriaPreceded bySir Arthur Hamilton GordonSucceeded bySir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell3rd Governor of FijiIn office January 1880 December 1886MonarchVictoriaPreceded bySir Arthur Hamilton GordonSucceeded bySir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell54th Governor of NewfoundlandIn office 1886 1887MonarchVictoriaPrime MinisterSir Robert ThorburnPreceded bySir John Hawley GloverSucceeded bySir Henry Arthur Blake10th Governor of Hong KongIn office 6 October 1887 10 December 1891MonarchVictoriaLieutenantSir William CameronSir James EdwardsSir George BarkerColonial SecretaryFrederick StewartFrancis FlemingPreceded bySir George BowenSucceeded bySir William RobinsonPersonal detailsBornGeorge William Des Vœux 1834 09 22 22 September 1834Baden Baden Grand Duchy of Baden German ConfederationDied15 December 1909 1909 12 15 aged 75 Brighton EnglandSpouseMarion Pender m 1875 wbr Children7Alma materBalliol College OxfordUniversity of Toronto BA Chinese nameTraditional Chinese德輔Simplified Chinese德辅TranscriptionsYue CantoneseJyutpingdak1 fu6 Contents 1 Early life 2 Colonial services 3 Governor of Hong Kong 4 Post governorship 5 Personal life 6 Honours 7 Namesakes 8 References 9 Sources 10 External linksEarly life EditDes Vœux was born as the eighth of nine children of Reverend Henry Des Vœux 1786 1857 and his second wife Fanny Elizabeth Hutton in Baden Baden Germany on 22 September 1834 His grandfather was Irish politician Sir Charles des Voeux 1st Baronet 2 His great grandfather was a Huguenot from Normandy France who settled in Ireland in the early 18th century 3 Des Vœux attended a public school in London before starting his studies at Charterhouse School 1845 1853 and Balliol College Oxford 1854 1856 but left without a degree after his father gave him the choice of finishing his degree and become a clergyman or seeking his fortune in the colonies 4 Des Vœux then moved to Canada where he finished his BA at the University of Toronto and became a barrister in Upper Canada in 1861 Colonial services Edit nbsp Des Vœux far right in GuianaDes Vœux became stipendiary magistrate and superintendent of rivers and creeks 5 in British Guiana from 1863 to 1869 where he championed native causes First stipendiary magistrate in the East Bank Demerara district he was later transferred to the Upper Demerara Berbice region he argued that this transfer was to limit his influence and power on decisions being made in the main city of the colony Georgetown 6 He was one of the leading figures with Joseph Beaumont and James Crosby against the system of Indian indenture system Based on his experience in Guiana where he witnessed many instances of cruel and unjust treatment of indentured servants by plantation owners and managers des Vœux wrote a 10 000 word report in 1869 to Lord Granville the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which he detailed many abuses When the contents of the report were published there was a great outcry and the Commission of Inquiry into the Treatment of Immigrants was conducted Des Vœux gave testimony before the commission in Georgetown and its report led to many improvements in the workers treatment 7 He reorganised and codified old French system of law when he was the Administrator and Colonial Secretary of St Lucia between 1869 and 1880 Afterwards Des Vœux was appointed Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific from 1880 to 1885 He was appointed Governor of Newfoundland from 1886 to 1887 8 Governor of Hong Kong Edit nbsp Des Vœux with his daughter on sedan chairs in Hong KongDes Vœux served as the tenth Governor of Hong Kong from 1887 to 1891 This was the last post he held in the Colonial Services During his tenure the Peak Tram began operation in 1888 providing relatively affordable transportation for people living on The Peak Des Vœux segregated the Peak together with effectively all the elevated areas of Hong Kong Island from crowded Chinese style tenements by enacting the European District Reservation Ordinance in November of that year A year before he left office the newly established Hong Kong Electric Company began providing electricity to Hong Kong Island Post governorship EditAfter Des Vœux s time as Governor of Hong Kong ended he entered retirement He was created a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1893 In 1903 he published his memoirs called My Colonial Service in British Guiana St Lucia Trinidad Fiji Australia Newfoundland and Hong Kong with Interludes Personal life EditOn 24 July 1875 Des Vœux married Marion Denison Pender 1856 1955 daughter of submarine telegraphy pioneer John Pender They had two daughters and five sons three of whom died in infancy Des Vœux died in Brighton England on 15 December 1909 2 William Des Vœux s son Henry John 1876 1940 married Dorothy Turner Farley in 1911 Their son Lt Colonel Sir Richard the eighth and last Des Vœux baronet was killed in action at Arnhem in September 1944 Honours EditCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George 1877 Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 1883 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George 1893Namesakes EditDes Voeux Road Hong Kong Des Voeux Peak second highest peak on Taveuni Island FijiReferences Edit Mennell Philip 1892 Des Vœux Sir George William The Dictionary of Australasian Biography London Hutchinson amp Co via Wikisource a b im Thurn E F Milne Lynn rev Des Vœux Sir George William Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 32795 Retrieved 9 May 2020 Des Voeux George William 1903 My Colonial Service in British Guiana St Lucia Trinidad Fiji Australia Newfoundland and Hong Kong with Interludes Volume 1 London John Murray p 1 Des Vœux Sir George William Dictionary of Canadian Biography Retrieved 26 August 2012 Shiona M Airlie Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography 2012 p 123 William G Des Voeux My colonial service in British Guiana St Lucia Trinidad Fiji Australia Newfoundland and Hong Kong with interludes London J Murray 1903 125 Thurn Everard im 1912 Des Vœux William In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography 2nd supplement London Smith Elder amp Co Des Voeux Sir George William 1834 1909 Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Website Retrieved 9 May 2020 Sources EditStephanie Williams Running the Show The Extraordinary Stories of the Men who Governed the British Empire Viking 2011 ISBN 978 0670918041 External links Edit nbsp Media related to George William Des Vœux at Wikimedia Commons nbsp Works related to William Des Vœux at Wikisource Des Voeux George William 1903 My Colonial Service in British Guiana St Lucia Trinidad Fiji Australia Newfoundland and Hong Kong with Interludes Vol 1 Vol 2 London John Murray Government officesPreceded byJames Mayer Grant Administrator of Saint Lucia1869 1878 Succeeded byArthur Elibank HavelockPreceded bySir Arthur Hamilton Gordon Governor of Fiji1880 1885 Succeeded bySir Charles Bullen Hugh MitchellHigh Commissioner for the Western Pacific1880 1885Preceded bySir John Hawley Glover Governor of Newfoundland1886 1887 Succeeded bySir Henry Arthur BlakePreceded byMajor General William Cameronas Acting Administrator Governor of Hong Kong1887 1891 Succeeded byMajor General Digby Barkeras Acting Administrator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Des Vœux amp oldid 1145190012, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
