Sir Robert Hart, 1st Baronet, GCMG (20 February 1835 – 20 September 1911), was a British consular official in China, who served as the second Inspector General of China's Imperial Maritime Custom Service (IMCS) from 1863 to 1911.
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Robert Hart was born into a devout Methodist family in Dungannon Street, Portadown County Armagh, Ulster,[1] in 1835. His father, Henry Hart (1806-1875) worked in distilleries, and married a farmer’s daughter, Ann Edgar, in 1834. Robert Hart was educated at a Wesleyan school in Taunton, Somerset, then at Wesley Connexional School, Dublin, and at the age of 15 was sent to Queen’s University, Belfast, where he graduated in 1853. He would become, after his retirement, Pro-Chancellor of Queen’s University.[2][3]
In spring of the following year, Robert Hart received from his college a British Foreign Office nomination as student interpreter in the China consular service.[4] His first destination was Hong Kong, where he served in the Superintendency of Trade under the orders of Sir John Bowring, the Governor of Hong Kong. In September 1854, Robert Hart was appointed to the British vice-consulate in Ningpo as supernumary interpreter. As a dispute broke out between the British Consul and the Portuguese Consul, Robert Hart was given the responsibility of managing the consulate for several months. Hart’s calmness and good judgement in the face of brutalities between the Chinese and Portuguese earned him favourable commendations from his superiors and led to his nomination to act as secretary to the allied commissioners governing the Canton in March 1858.[4] Hart first served under Sir Harry Parkes, then, in October 1858, was promoted to the British Consulate as interpreter under the orders of Sir Rutherford Alcock. The following year, Hart resigned to take up the post of local inspector of customs. From 1859 to 1861, this position allowed him to develop his expertise in the management of customs in China. In 1861, he was promoted to acting Inspector-General, and was named Inspector-General of Foreign Customs in 1863, a position he held until his retirement in 1907.[3]. In 1870 he was sued in the British Supreme Court for China and Japan for defamation by Baron von Gumpach who he had hired on behalf of a Chinese government to establish a college in Beijing. The case ultimately went to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, in 1873, under the name Hart v Gumpach which remitted the case back to the Supreme Court after finding Hart should have been allowed to plead certain defences.
As Inspector General of China's Imperial Maritime Custom Service (IMCS), Hart's main duties included collecting customs duties for the Chinese government. His advice led to the improvement of China's port and navigation facilities. Hart was known for his managerial and diplomatic skills, and befriended many Chinese and Western officials, which allowed him to direct customs operations without interruption, including during periods of turmoil such as the Boxer Rebellion.
Yixin (奕訢), also known as Prince Gong (恭親王, 1833-1898) was head of the Zongli Yamen during the time of Hart's tenure in the Maritime Customs and the two men held each other in high regard. Hart was so well known in the Zongli Yamen that he had an affectionate nickname there of "our hart" (wǒmen de Hèdé. 我們的赫德).
He held his post till his retirement in 1910, although he left China on leave in April 1908, and was succeeded temporarily by his brother in law, Sir Robert Bredon, and then formally by Sir Francis Aglen.[4] Hart died on 20 September 1911 after a cardiac decline following a bout of pneumonia. He was buried on 25 September at Bisham, Berkshire.[5]
His skills as Inspector-General were recognized by both Chinese and Western authorities, and he was bestowed several Chinese honorific titles, including the Red Button, or button of the highest rank, a Peacock's Feather, the Order of the Double Dragon, the Ancestral Rank of the First Class of the First Order for Three Generations, and the title of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. He was also appointed a CMG, KCMG, and GCMG, and received a baronetcy from Britain.
Hart had also been asked to become minister plenipotentiary at Peking in 1885, on the retirement of Sir Thomas Wade, but declined the honor as it would have caused a conflict of interest, stating he preferred to "teach China to be a better fisherman instead of handing her fish." [6]
His name is still remembered in Beijing through a street name in the Legation quarter, and also a street Hart Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
There is also a large primary school in Portadown which bears his name.
In 1906 he was awarded a Grand Cross of the Order of the Danneborg by the King of Denmark.[7]
