Thomas Holderness
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas William Holderness, 1st Baronet, GCB
, KCSI
(11 June 1849 – 16 September 1924) was the first former member of the Indian Civil Service to be appointed to the post of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India (although Sir George Russell Clerk
had previously been a member of the East India Company
Civil Service).
Holderness was born in Saint John
, New Brunswick
, Canada
, although his parents returned to their native England
shortly after his birth. He was educated at Cheltenham College
and University College, Oxford
and joined the Indian Civil Service in 1872. He served in the North-West Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh
) until 1881, when he was appointed Under-Secretary to the Revenue Department of the Government of India. In 1885, he became head of Pilibhit District
, and in 1888 Director of Land Records and Agriculture of the North-West Provinces, later becoming Secretary to the Government of the North-West Provinces. In 1898, he was appointed Secretary to the Revenue and Agricultural Department of the Government of India.
On retirement from the ICS in 1901, he joined the India Office
in Whitehall
as Secretary of the Revenue, Statistics and Commerce Department. On the death of Sir Richmond Ritchie
in 1912, he became the Permanent Under-Secretary, continuing to occupy the post until his retirement in 1919.
Holderness was appointed Companion of the Order of the Star of India
(CSI) in 1898 and knighted as Knight Commander (KCSI) in 1907. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
(KCB) in 1914, raised to Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in 1917, and created a Baronet
in the 1920 New Year Honours.
He was succeeded by his only son, Ernest, a British international golf
er.
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...
, KCSI
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...
(11 June 1849 – 16 September 1924) was the first former member of the Indian Civil Service to be appointed to the post of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India (although Sir George Russell Clerk
George Russell Clerk
Sir George Russell Clerk, GCSI, KCB was a British civil servant in India.Like all civil servants until the introduction of Competitive examinations in the 1850s, Clerk had studied at Haileybury in Hertfordshire, being posted to Bengal as a writer in 1817.Early in his career he worked in the...
had previously been a member of 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...
Civil Service).
Holderness was born in Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, although his parents returned to their native 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...
shortly after his birth. He was educated at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
and University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
and joined the Indian Civil Service in 1872. He served in the North-West Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
) until 1881, when he was appointed Under-Secretary to the Revenue Department of the Government of India. In 1885, he became head of Pilibhit District
Pilibhit District
Pilibhit district is one of the districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and Pilibhit city is the district headquarters. Pilibhit district is a part of Bareilly Division.The city is famous for its contribution to Bollywood, Urdu literature and its involvement in Politics of India...
, and in 1888 Director of Land Records and Agriculture of the North-West Provinces, later becoming Secretary to the Government of the North-West Provinces. In 1898, he was appointed Secretary to the Revenue and Agricultural Department of the Government of India.
On retirement from the ICS in 1901, he joined the India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
as Secretary of the Revenue, Statistics and Commerce Department. On the death of Sir Richmond Ritchie
Richmond Ritchie
Sir Richmond Thackeray Willougby Ritchie was an Indian-born British civil servant who spent most of his working life at the India Office, reaching the post of Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India....
in 1912, he became the Permanent Under-Secretary, continuing to occupy the post until his retirement in 1919.
Holderness was appointed Companion of the Order of the Star of India
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...
(CSI) in 1898 and knighted as Knight Commander (KCSI) in 1907. He was appointed Knight Commander 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...
(KCB) in 1914, raised to Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in 1917, and 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...
in the 1920 New Year Honours.
He was succeeded by his only son, Ernest, a British international golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er.
Writings
- Narrative of the Indian Famine, 1897
- People and Problems of India
- Editor, 4th edition of Sir John Strachey's India, 1911