John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence
Encyclopedia
John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, GCB
, GCSI
, PC (4 March 1811 – 27 June 1879), known as Sir John Lawrence, Bt.
, between 1858 and 1869, was an Englishman
who became a prominent British Imperial statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1864 to 1869.
, North Yorkshire
. Lawrence spent his early years in Derry
, part of the Province of Ulster
in the northern part of Ireland
, and was educated at Foyle College (now Foyle and Londonderry College
). After attending the East India Company College
, Lawrence went to India
in 1829 along with his older brother, Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence
. He soon became a magistrate
and tax collector in Delhi
, where he was known for his concern for the plight of the peasantry as long as they did not question British
rule.
and became Commissioner of the Jullundur district, serving under his brother, the Governor of the province. In that role he was known for his administrative reforms, for subduing the hill tribes, and for his attempts to end the custom of suttee.
In 1849, following the Second Sikh War, he became a member of the Punjab Board of Administration under his brother, and was responsible for numerous reforms of the province, including the abolition of internal duties, establishment of a common currency and postal system, and encouraged the development of Punjabi infrastructure, earning him the sobriquet of "the Saviour of the Punjab". In this work his efforts to limit the power of local elites brought him into conflict with his brother, and ultimately led to the abolition of the Administrative Board, instead becoming Chief Commissioner in the executive branch of the province.
In that role, Lawrence was partly responsible for "preventing the spread" of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
to Punjab, and negotiated a treaty with the Afghan ruler Dost Mohammed Khan, and later led the troops which recaptured Delhi
from the rebellious sepoy
s. For this, he was created a baronet
and received an annual pension
from the East India Company
of £2,000.
He returned to Britain
in 1859, but was sent back to India in 1863 to become Viceroy to succeed Lord Elgin
, who had unexpectedly died. As Viceroy, Lawrence pursued a cautious policy, avoiding entanglement in Afghanistan
and the Persian Gulf
. In domestic affairs, he increased educational opportunities for Indians, but at the same time limited the use of native Indians in high civil service posts. He was raised to the peerage
as Baron Lawrence, of the Punjaub and of Grateley
in the County of Southampton
, on his return to England
in 1869.
Lord Lawrence married Harriette Katherine, daughter of The Reverend
Richard Hamilton, in 1841. Their younger son Charles
was a businessman and was created Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate in 1923. Their second son, Henry Arnold
, was a noted rugby
player and captained England
in two matches, including the first ever international against Ireland
. Lord Lawrence died in June 1879, aged 68, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, John
. Lady Lawrence died in December 1917.
A boarding house at the East India Company College
(today Haileybury and Imperial Service College
) and a "house" at Foyle College was subsequently named after him. Lawrence is also a Senior Wing House at St Paul's School, Darjeeling
, in India
, where all the Senior Wing Houses are named after colonial-era civil service and military figures. A statue of him stands at Foyle and Londonderry College (having been, originally, erected in Lahore
). The statue, by Sir Joseph Boehme, once showed Lawrence with a pen in one hand and a sword in the other to illustrate his versatility as an administrator and a soldier but vandals have since damaged the sword. Another statue of Lawrence stands in Waterloo Place in central London
.
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...
, GCSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
, PC (4 March 1811 – 27 June 1879), known as Sir John Lawrence, Bt.
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, between 1858 and 1869, was an Englishman
Englishman
Englishman may refer to:*English people*Grey Partridge*Jason Englishman, Canadian rock music singer and guitarist*Jenny-Bea Englishman, real name of the Canadien singer Esthero*Erald Briscoe, reggae musician who records under the name Englishman...
who became a prominent British Imperial statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1864 to 1869.
Early life
Lawrence came from RichmondRichmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. Lawrence spent his early years in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, part of the Province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in the northern part of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and was educated at Foyle College (now Foyle and Londonderry College
Foyle and Londonderry College
Foyle College, which is also known by its former name Foyle and Londonderry College or FALC, is a co-educational voluntary grammar school in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. In 1976, two local schools, Foyle College and Londonderry High School, merged under the Foyle and Londonderry College Act...
). After attending the East India Company College
East India Company College
The East India College was a college in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in February 1806 as the training establishment for the British East India Company . At that time, the BEIC provided general and vocational education for young gentlemen of sixteen to eighteen years old,...
, Lawrence went to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1829 along with his older brother, Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence
Henry Montgomery Lawrence
Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence was a British soldier and statesman in India, who died defending Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny.-Career:Lawrence was the brother of John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence and was born at Matara, Ceylon...
. He soon became a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and tax collector in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, where he was known for his concern for the plight of the peasantry as long as they did not question British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule.
Career
During the First Sikh War of 1845 to 1846, Lawrence organized the supplying of the British army in the PunjabPunjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and became Commissioner of the Jullundur district, serving under his brother, the Governor of the province. In that role he was known for his administrative reforms, for subduing the hill tribes, and for his attempts to end the custom of suttee.
In 1849, following the Second Sikh War, he became a member of the Punjab Board of Administration under his brother, and was responsible for numerous reforms of the province, including the abolition of internal duties, establishment of a common currency and postal system, and encouraged the development of Punjabi infrastructure, earning him the sobriquet of "the Saviour of the Punjab". In this work his efforts to limit the power of local elites brought him into conflict with his brother, and ultimately led to the abolition of the Administrative Board, instead becoming Chief Commissioner in the executive branch of the province.
In that role, Lawrence was partly responsible for "preventing the spread" of the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
to Punjab, and negotiated a treaty with the Afghan ruler Dost Mohammed Khan, and later led the troops which recaptured Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
from the rebellious sepoy
Sepoy
A sepoy was formerly the designation given to an Indian soldier in the service of a European power. In the modern Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Army it remains in use for the rank of private soldier.-Etymology and Historical usage:...
s. For this, he was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
and received an annual pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
from the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
of £2,000.
He returned to Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in 1859, but was sent back to India in 1863 to become Viceroy to succeed Lord Elgin
James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin
Sir James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, KT, GCB, PC , was a British colonial administrator and diplomat...
, who had unexpectedly died. As Viceroy, Lawrence pursued a cautious policy, avoiding entanglement in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. In domestic affairs, he increased educational opportunities for Indians, but at the same time limited the use of native Indians in high civil service posts. He was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Lawrence, of the Punjaub and of Grateley
Grateley
Grateley is a small village in the north west of Hampshire, England.Grateley lies just to the South of the pre-historic hillfort of Quarley Hill. The Parish covers with 607 people living in 250 dwellings. The village has two shops, two pubs, a thirteenth century church Grateley is a small village...
in the County of Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, on his return to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1869.
Family
The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
Richard Hamilton, in 1841. Their younger son Charles
Charles Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate
Charles Napier Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate , styled The Honourable Charles Lawrence between 1869 and 1923, was a British businessman and railway executive.-Background and education:...
was a businessman and was created Baron Lawrence of Kingsgate in 1923. Their second son, Henry Arnold
Henry Arnold Lawrence
Henry Arnold Lawrence was a rugby union forward who played club rugby for Richmond F.C. and international rugby for England. He was the third captain of the England rugby team.-Personal life:...
, was a noted rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
player and captained England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in two matches, including the first ever international against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
. Lord Lawrence died in June 1879, aged 68, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, John
John Lawrence, 2nd Baron Lawrence
John Hamilton Lawrence, 2nd Baron Lawrence was a British peer and Conservative politician.Lawrence was the son of John Laird Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, Viceroy of India, and Harriett Katherine Hamilton. Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence and George St Patrick Lawrence were his uncles...
. Lady Lawrence died in December 1917.
A boarding house at the East India Company College
East India Company College
The East India College was a college in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in February 1806 as the training establishment for the British East India Company . At that time, the BEIC provided general and vocational education for young gentlemen of sixteen to eighteen years old,...
(today Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
) and a "house" at Foyle College was subsequently named after him. Lawrence is also a Senior Wing House at St Paul's School, Darjeeling
St Paul's School, Darjeeling
Founded in 1823, St. Paul's School is one of Asia's oldest and most pre-eminent private boarding schools known for its rich academic tradition and elite alumni base. It is located in the town of Darjeeling, in the far northern portion of India. At about above sea level, it is the highest private...
, in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where all the Senior Wing Houses are named after colonial-era civil service and military figures. A statue of him stands at Foyle and Londonderry College (having been, originally, erected in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
). The statue, by Sir Joseph Boehme, once showed Lawrence with a pen in one hand and a sword in the other to illustrate his versatility as an administrator and a soldier but vandals have since damaged the sword. Another statue of Lawrence stands in Waterloo Place in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.