Sir Charles Cameron Lees (11 March 1837 – 26 July 1898) was a British military officer and colonial administrator.
He was the son of
John Campbell Lees Sir John Campbell Lees (born abt 1795, died 1873) was an English lawyer and colonial judge.
He served as Chief Justice of the Bahamas from 1836 or 1837 to 1865. He was also a judge of the Vice Admiralty Court of the Bahamas. Lees was knighted in 1 ...
, former
Chief Justice of the Bahamas
The Chief Justice of the Bahamas heads the Supreme Court of the Bahamas.
Legal basis
The position of Chief Justice is authorised by Article 93(2) of the Constitution of the Bahamas. Under Article 94(1), the Governor-General appoints the Chief Jus ...
.
He was originally commissioned into the
1st West India Regiment
The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. In 1888 the two West India Regiments then in existence were reduced t ...
, but transferred to the
76th Foot
The 76th Regiment of Foot was a British Army regiment, raised in 1787. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment to form the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in 1881.
Hi ...
in 1854, was promoted
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
, and transferred to the
23rd Foot
The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated ...
as
adjutant
Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...
in 1858. He resigned as adjutant in 1864 and retired in 1866, becoming adjutant of the 3rd
Derbyshire Rifle Volunteers later that year.
Lees was acting
Governor of the Gold Coast in 1874, 1876 and 1878–79,
Governor of the Bahamas
This is a list of governors of the Bahamas. The first English settlement in the Bahamas was on Eleuthera. In 1670, the king granted the Bahamas to the lords proprietors of the Province of Carolina, but the islands were left to themselves. The loc ...
from 1881 to 1884, and
Governor of the Leeward Islands from 1884 to 1885. He was 16th
Governor of Mauritius from 21 Dec 1889 to 12 Mar 1892
and was
Governor of British Guiana from 1893 to 1895.
In 1875 he married Maria Ledwell Nugent daughter of Sir Oliver Nugent of
Antigua
Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
.
Lees is buried in
Brompton Cemetery, London.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lees, Charles
Colonial Administrative Service officers
British governors of the Bahamas
76th Regiment of Foot officers
Royal Welch Fusiliers officers
Sherwood Foresters officers
West India Regiment officers
Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
1837 births
1898 deaths
Burials at Brompton Cemetery
Governors of Barbados
Governors of the Leeward Islands
Governors of British Guiana
Governors of British Mauritius