23 Facts About Henry Barkly

Henry Barkly was educated at Bruce Castle School in Tottenham, where the school's particular curriculum endowed him with a lifetime interest in science and statistics.

The Henry Barkly family had several connections with the West Indies: Henry Barkly's mother, Susannah Louisa, whose maiden name was ffrith, was the daughter of a Jamaica planter; his father's company was concerned with trade in the West Indies; and the family owned an estate in British Guiana.

Henry Barkly inherited his father's estate in 1836 at the age of 20.

Henry Barkly was awarded two of the compensation claims following his father's death.

Henry Barkly was elected to the House of Commons at a by-election on 26 April 1845 as one of the two Members of Parliament for the borough Leominster.

Henry Barkly was returned unopposed, and The Times observed that his election address did not render voters "much wiser" about his political views.

Henry Barkly was sworn in as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of British Guiana on 12 February 1849.

In November 1856, Henry Barkly was appointed Governor of Victoria, Australia, arriving in Melbourne on 24 December 1856.

Henry Barkly achieved one of his main goals of stable government with the appointment of the James McCulloch ministry.

Henry Barkly was noted for his support of philanthropic and intellectual movements.

Henry Barkly was appointed 10th Governor of Mauritius from 26 November 1863 to 4 June 1870.

Henry Barkly helped to implement responsible government in the Cape and worked closely with John Molteno, its first elected Prime Minister.

Henry Barkly served in South Africa until 1877, and played an important role in assisting the early growth of the Cape Liberal tradition.

Henry Barkly was influential in supporting the local resistance against Lord Carnarvon's attempt to unite the region's states into a federation.

Henry Barkly was undoubtedly right to foster the nucleus of a Liberal party which was forming around Molteno.

Liberal democracy was a tender plant in the climate of South Africa, but it had taken root in the Cape, and it was only the insensitive handling of Downing Street which prevented it growing, as Henry Barkly hoped, into a force which would have been strong enough to control the other tendencies in South African politics.

Henry Barkly was involved with the Royal Commission on Colonial Defence in 1879.

Henry Barkly died in Brompton, Kensington, London, on 20 October 1898 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery.

Henry Barkly died in 1857 leaving him with their daughter Emily.

Henry Barkly was remarried to the botanist Anne Maria Pratt, the daughter of Thomas Simson Pratt, three years after the death of his first wife.

Henry Barkly was awarded a Knight of the Order of the Bath on 18 July 1853, just prior to his appointment as Governor of Jamaica.

Henry Barkly was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1864, and of the Royal Geographical Society in 1870.

The Henry Barkly River, located in the alpine region of Victoria, within the Alpine National Park, is named in honour of Henry Barkly.