Orfeur Cavenagh | |
|---|---|
 1921 portrait of Cavenagh | |
| 7th Governor of Straits Settlements | |
| In office 6 August 1859 – 16 March 1867 | |
| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Preceded by | Edmund Augustus Blundell |
| Succeeded by | Harry Ord |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1820-10-08)8 October 1820 |
| Died | 3 July 1891(1891-07-03) (aged 70) St. Aubyn,Sussex |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Colonial administrator, British Army officer |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  British Indian Army |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | Gwalior campaign First Anglo-Sikh War Indian Rebellion |
GeneralSir Orfeur CavenaghKCSI (8 October 1820 – 3 July 1891) was the lastGovernor of the Straits Settlements to be appointed by theEast India Company, governing from 1859 to 1867 under theIndia Office.[1]
Cavenagh was the third son of James Gordon Cavenagh and Ann née Coates.
Cavenagh trained atAddiscombe Military Seminary, the military academy of theBritish East India Company. He passed his examination in June 1837, and in early 1838 joined the32nd Regiment Native Infantry. In 1840, he passed the prescribed examination atFort William College,Calcutta. He was appointed interpreter and quartermaster to the 41st Regiment Native Infantry. In 1840 and 1841, he was attached to the force employed in watching theNepalese frontier.[2]
He was adjutant of the 4th Irregular Cavalry (Skinner's Horse), and in December 1843 was badly wounded in theBattle of Maharajpore. His leg was severed just above the ankle by a round shot and his horse was killed under him. He was wounded again in January 1846 during thefirst Anglo-Sikh war, when he was struck in the left arm by a ricochetting round shot. After this he was appointed as Superintendent of theMysore Princes and of theex-Ameers ofSindh.[3]
In 1850, he travelled to Britain and France in political charge of theNepalese Embassy underJung Bahadur Rana.[4] In 1854, he was appointed Town and Fort Major ofCalcutta. In this role he was responsible to thegovernor-general,the Marquess of Dalhousie followed byLord Canning, for the safety ofFort William during theIndian Rebellion.[5]
Lord Canning offered him the post of Governor of the Straits Settlements on 1 July 1859, In recognition of his services during the rebellion. He servered ties with Fort Williams on the 19 July and departed 28 July for Singapore on thesteamerLancefield arriving on 7 August where he took up the post on 8 August 1859 relieving his predecessorEdmund Augustus Blundell.[6][7] Under aroyal charter of 1826,Singapore,Malacca,Penang andDindings had been combined to form theStraits Settlements. The Governor of the Settlements and his council were answerable to theGovernor-General of India in Calcutta. The Governor had little formal power, but was able to influence the Calcutta authorities who relied largely on the recommendations of these representatives on legislation and policy in each settlement. Control passed from Bengal to theColonial Office in London on 1 April 1867 and the Settlements became aCrown colony.[8] Cavenagh was the last Governor who reported to the Governor-General in Calcutta. His successor, SirHarry Ord, reported to theColonial Office in London.
On 5 December 1866, he received unofficial word that he was to be removed from office on 1 April 1867 and resigned the commission himself on 15 March 1867.[9] Cavenagh continued as ageneral officer in theBengal Staff Corps, with promotion to lieutenant general in September 1874[10] and togeneral in August 1877.[11]
Cavenagh married Elizabeth Marshall Moriarty on 7 September 1842 atDinapore, India. They had two sons.
In retirement he lived inLong Ditton,Surrey,[12] and in June 1884, he was made honorary colonel of the 5th SurreyVolunteer Corps.[13] He died on 3 July 1891, aged 70, and was buried in the St Mary's churchyard in Long Ditton.[14] There is also a memorial plaque inside the church.
Cavenagh was appointedKnight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (KCSI) in the1881 Birthday Honours on 24 May 1881.[15]
Singapore's Cavenagh Road andCavenagh Bridge is named in honour of the governor. Thecoat of arms of the Cavenagh family can still be seen atop the signage at both ends of the bridge.
At length, however, through the intervention of the British envoy, it was agreed that theAga Khan should be allowed to remain in India provided he stayed at Calcutta from where he could not be a menace to the Iranian government as from Sind. The government of India wrote to Superintendent of Mysore Princes and ex-Amirs of Sind [Cavenagh], a letter which reads:- "It having been determined upon political considerations that the Persian nobleman Aga Khan Mahallati, shall be required to reside for the present in Bengal. I am directed to inform you that the President in Council considers that it will be expedient to fix the Aga's residence in the vicinity of Calcutta and to place him under your care. ..." ... Sir Orfeur Cavenagh (1821–1891) had arranged for a house at Dumdum (where the city's airport is now) in Calcutta under the care of Bengal Presidency.
Major Orfeur Cavenagh, an officer of great shrewdness and perspicacity, who filled the important office of Town-Major of Fort William in Calcutta, visited, October and November 1856, the districts just beyond Agra. He had been struck everywhere by the altered demeanour of the sipáhís, and loyal natives had reported to him the great change which had taken place in the feelings of the natives generally towards the English. Disaffection, he was assured, was now the rule in all classes. To the clear vision of this able officer it was evident that, unless precautions were taken, some great disaster would ensue." ... "one of the sergeants attached to Fort William reported to Cavenagh a remarkable conversation, between two sipáhís, which he had overheard ... " ... "Cavenagh, who, as Town-Major, was responsible to the Governor-General for the safety of Fort William, took at once measures to baffle the designs of which he had been informed, and then drove straight to Lord Canning to report the circumstance to him. Lord Canning listened to Cavenagh with the deepest interest, and sanctioned the measures he proposed. These were to transfer from Dam-Dam, where one wing of the regiment which was responsible for the safety of the Presidency, the 53rd Foot, was located, one company to Fort William. For the moment the outbreak was deferred.
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Governor of Straits Settlements 1859–1867 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
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