Andrew Nicholas Bonaparte-Wyse
Encyclopedia
Andrew Reginald Nicholas Gerald Bonaparte-Wyse (1 November 1870 – 1 June 1940) was an Irish civil servant, for many years the only Catholic in the Northern Ireland
administration to rise to the rank of Permanent Secretary
.
Bonaparte-Wyse was the grandson of Sir Thomas Wyse
, a Member of Parliament and educational reformer, and great-grandson of Lucien Bonaparte
. His father, William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse
, was a poet - he wrote in Provençal, was a friend of Mistral
, and became the only foreign member of the consistory of the Félibrige
, the Provençal cultural association.
Andrew was born in Limerick
and attended Downside School
(Somerset, UK). He received a Bachelor of Arts in French, and a Master of Arts
in Classics from the University of London
. After teaching for some time near Chester, in 1895 he was appointed an inspector of national schools in Ireland. In 1897 he went to France and Belgium to assist an inquiry into the primary school curriculum. In 1905 he was appointed to the central office of the Commissioners of National Education, and ten years later was appointed junior secretary, the second-ranking officer in the department.
Described by one writer as a 'hardline unionist' Unionist
', Bonaparte-Wyse remarked on the change of attitude in Dublin following the 1916 Easter Rising
: "there is a very menacing tone among the lower classes who openly praise the Sinn Féin
ers for their courage and bravery".
Following the Partition of Ireland
in 1922, he transferred to the Northern Ireland
Ministry of Education; he commuted to Belfast
weekly from his home in Blackrock, County Dublin
. In 1927 he was appointed Permanent Secretary
, the only Catholic at that grade in the service (the next would be Patrick Shea
in 1969) and later became civil service commissioner for Northern Ireland. He retired in 1939. He was a friend of Lord Craigavon
.
Bonaparte-Wyse was a member of the Royal Irish Academy
, a Knight of Malta, and a CBE
and Companion of the Order of the Bath
. In 1896 he married Mariya de Chripunov, daughter of a Russian count. They had three children - two daughters and a son, who served in the Free French navy during the second world war.
He died in a nursing home in Dún Laoghaire
, Ireland.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
administration to rise to the rank of Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
.
Bonaparte-Wyse was the grandson of Sir Thomas Wyse
Thomas Wyse
Sir Thomas Wyse KCB , an Irish politician and diplomat, belonged to a family claiming descent from a Devon man, Andrew Wyse, who is said to have crossed over to Ireland during the reign of Henry II and obtained lands near Waterford, of which city thirty-three members of the family are said to have...
, a Member of Parliament and educational reformer, and great-grandson of Lucien Bonaparte
Lucien Bonaparte
Lucien Bonaparte, Prince Français, 1st Prince of Canino and Musignano , born Luciano Buonaparte, was the third surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and his wife Letizia Ramolino....
. His father, William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse
William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse
Captain William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse was an Irish soldier and poet.William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse was born in Waterford, the son of the politician and educational reformer Sir Thomas Wyse, and Laetitia, daughter of Lucien Bonaparte...
, was a poet - he wrote in Provençal, was a friend of Mistral
Mistral
Mistral commonly refers to the Mistral in southern France and SardiniaMistral may also refer to:* Mistral, various ships of the French Navy, including:** Mistral class amphibious assault ship of the French Navy...
, and became the only foreign member of the consistory of the Félibrige
Félibrige
The Félibrige is a literary and cultural association founded by Frédéric Mistral and other Provençal writers to defend and promote Occitan language and literature...
, the Provençal cultural association.
Andrew was born in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and attended Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
(Somerset, UK). He received a Bachelor of Arts in French, and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Classics from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. After teaching for some time near Chester, in 1895 he was appointed an inspector of national schools in Ireland. In 1897 he went to France and Belgium to assist an inquiry into the primary school curriculum. In 1905 he was appointed to the central office of the Commissioners of National Education, and ten years later was appointed junior secretary, the second-ranking officer in the department.
Described by one writer as a 'hardline unionist' Unionist
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
', Bonaparte-Wyse remarked on the change of attitude in Dublin following the 1916 Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
: "there is a very menacing tone among the lower classes who openly praise the Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
ers for their courage and bravery".
Following the Partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
in 1922, he transferred to the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Ministry of Education; he commuted to Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
weekly from his home in Blackrock, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. In 1927 he was appointed Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
, the only Catholic at that grade in the service (the next would be Patrick Shea
Patrick Shea
Patrick Shea CB, OBE was a Northern Irish civil servant and the first Catholic since A. N. Bonaparte-Wyse in the 1920s to achieve the rank of Permanent Secretary of a Government Department in Northern Ireland.-Career:...
in 1969) and later became civil service commissioner for Northern Ireland. He retired in 1939. He was a friend of Lord Craigavon
James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon
James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon, PC, PC , was a prominent Irish unionist politician, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland...
.
Bonaparte-Wyse was a member of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
, a Knight of Malta, and a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. In 1896 he married Mariya de Chripunov, daughter of a Russian count. They had three children - two daughters and a son, who served in the Free French navy during the second world war.
He died in a nursing home in Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
, Ireland.