John Le Marchant (colonial administrator)
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General Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant GCMG KCB (1803 – 1874) was an British Army officer and governor of Newfoundland from 1847 to 1852. He was criticized for misappropriation of relief funds collected for the 1846 fire victims of the June 1846 fire that devastated most of St. John's.
Le Marchant was the son of Major-General John Le Marchant and the younger brother of Sir Denis Le Marchant, 1st Baronet, and was educated at Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In 1820, at the age of seventeen, he was commissioned into the 10th Foot as an Ensign. In 1821 he transferred to the 57th Foot as a Lieutenant and later transferred to the 98th Foot, in which he was promoted Major. In 1835 he became adjutant-general of the British Auxiliary Legion in Spain with the rank of Brigadier-General. He transferred to the 20th Foot in 1837, the 99th Foot as Lieutenant-Colonel in 1839, the 85th Foot in 1845, and the 11th Foot as Colonel in the 1860s. He was knighted by the Queen of Spain in 1838, and was granted permission to use his knighthood in Britain. In 1847 he reluctantly accepted the governorship of Newfoundland which proved to be a very unpopular position. It was noted by an observer in his regard for the people of Newfoundland;
- in no other light than as soldiers on furlough, and the seat of Government as a barrack yard.
Le Marchant was opposed to the idea of responsible government and condemned local merchants of amassing wealth in the Colony and then returning to England. After the fire of 1846 funds were collected for the victims and Le Marchant, acting upon Robert Law's recommendation that no further money be given to victims, then directed funds to the repair of public buildings and construction of roads in St. John's and the outports. He left Newfoundland in 1852, and then served a term as Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, which he then continued in colonial administration in Malta and Madras.
Le Marchant Road, a prominent street in St. John's is named in his honour.
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| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by Sir John Harvey |
Governor of Newfoundland 1847-1852 |
Succeeded by Ker Baillie Hamilton |
| Preceded by John Bazalgette |
Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia 1852-1858 |
Succeeded by Earl of Mulgrave |
- Note: The year after Sir John Harvey had stepped down as governor of Newfoundland, and until Sir John LeMarchant was appointed, the colony was administered by Robert Law, a British army officer.
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