Sir George Berkeley (1819–1905) was a British colonial governor, in the

Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean , coor ...

and the West Africa Settlements.

Life

Born on

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...

on 2 November 1819, he was eldest son of General Sackville Hamilton Berkeley, colonel of the

16th Regiment of Foot The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the First and Second World W ...

, and his wife Elizabeth Pilgrim, daughter of William Murray of Bruce Vale Estate, Barbados. Educated at

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, which he entered on 3 July 1837, he graduated B.A. in 1842, and soon returned to the West Indies, where his active life was almost wholly passed. On 11 February 1845 Berkeley was appointed colonial secretary and controller of customs of

British Honduras British Honduras was a British Crown colony on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, from 1783 to 1964, then a self-governing colony, renamed Belize in June 1973,

, and ''ex-officio'' member of the executive and legislative councils. While still serving there, he was chosen in 1860–1 to administer temporarily the government of

Dominica Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...

, and on 8 July 1864 was appointed lieutenant-governor of Saint Vincent. During his tenure of office, in 1867, an Act to amend and simplify the legislature substituted a single legislative chamber for the two houses which had been in existence since 1763. Berkeley was acting administrator of

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

from December 1872 to October 1873, when he was appointed governor in chief of the West Africa settlements (

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

, and Lagos). The Gold Coast and Lagos were soon made into a separate colony (24 July 1874); Berkeley was recalled, and a new governor of Sierra Leone and Gambia was appointed. While he was on his way home in June 1874, he was offered, and accepted, the government of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

; but then did not take up the appointment, being sent instead to the Leeward Islands as governor in chief. There he remained until 27 June 1881, when he retired on a pension. Berkeley was created C.M.G. on 20 February 1874, and

K.C.M.G. The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in honou ...

24 May 1881. He died unmarried in London on 29 September 1905, and was buried in

Kensal Green cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of Queens Park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, it was founded by the barrister George Frederic ...

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Berkeley, George Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George 1819 births 1905 deaths British Honduras people British Dominica people Governors of the Lagos Colony Governors of Sierra Leone Governors of the Gambia Governors of the Gold Coast (British colony) Governors of the Leeward Islands Governors of British Saint Vincent and the Grenadines