Charles O'Brien (colonial governor)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Richard Mackey O'Brien KCMG
(13 December 1859–29 November 1935) was a British Army
officer and colonial administrator.
O'Brien was the youngest son of Sir Terence O'Brien
, Governor of Heligoland
and afterwards of Newfoundland. He was educated at Felsted School
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from which he was commissioned into the 30th Regiment of Foot (later the East Lancashire Regiment
) in May 1878.
On 3 September 1878, in company with five other Ensigns
of his regiment, he was returning from Gravesend
to Woolwich
following musketry training, but they missed their ferry, the SS Princess Alice, by seconds. In Gallion's Reach the Princess Alice collided with the steamer SS Bywell Castle and sank with the loss of nearly 700 of her 800 passengers, one of the worst maritime disasters in British history. All six Ensigns later went on to become distinguished senior officers and held occasional reunion dinners to commemorate their luck that day.
O'Brien was promoted Lieutenant
in September 1880, Captain
in May 1887, and Major
in October 1897. From April 1886 to January 1890 he served as adjutant
of the Moulmein Volunteer Rifle Corps in Burma and from April 1894 to 1899 he was adjutant of the 1st Royal Guernsey Light Infantry (Militia)
. He served with the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in the South African War, seeing considerable combat and later being appointed president of the military tribunal
in Johannesburg
, for which he was twice mentioned in dispatches
. He then served as Deputy Commissioner of the Transvaal Town Police from 1901 to 1908, during which time he frequently acted as Commissioner. He was promoted Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1902 and retired from the Army in March 1903.
In 1910 he was appointed Colonial Secretary
of the Gambia, often acting as Governor. In October 1912 he was appointed Governor of the Seychelles and in April 1918 Governor of Barbados. He retired in September 1925, but from May to July 1926 he served as Special Government Commissioner in Sierra Leone
and on the Colonial Films Committee from 1929 to 1930.
O'Brien was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1908 and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(13 December 1859–29 November 1935) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and colonial administrator.
O'Brien was the youngest son of Sir Terence O'Brien
John Terence Nicholls O'Brien
Sir John Terence Nicholls O'Brien was a surveyor, engineer and colonial governor, born in Manchester, England and died in London, England....
, Governor of Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
and afterwards of Newfoundland. He was educated at Felsted School
Felsted School
Felsted School, an English co-educational day and boarding independent school, situated in Felsted, Essex. It is in the British Public School tradition, and was founded in 1564 by Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich who, as Lord Chancellor and Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired...
and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from which he was commissioned into the 30th Regiment of Foot (later the East Lancashire Regiment
East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of two 30th and 59th Regiments of Foot with the militia and rifle volunteer units of eastern Lancashire...
) in May 1878.
On 3 September 1878, in company with five other Ensigns
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
of his regiment, he was returning from Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
to Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
following musketry training, but they missed their ferry, the SS Princess Alice, by seconds. In Gallion's Reach the Princess Alice collided with the steamer SS Bywell Castle and sank with the loss of nearly 700 of her 800 passengers, one of the worst maritime disasters in British history. All six Ensigns later went on to become distinguished senior officers and held occasional reunion dinners to commemorate their luck that day.
O'Brien was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in September 1880, Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in May 1887, and Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in October 1897. From April 1886 to January 1890 he served as adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the Moulmein Volunteer Rifle Corps in Burma and from April 1894 to 1899 he was adjutant of the 1st Royal Guernsey Light Infantry (Militia)
Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was a regiment in the British Army that was formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in 1916 to serve in World War I. They fought as part of the British 29th Division...
. He served with the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in the South African War, seeing considerable combat and later being appointed president of the military tribunal
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, for which he was twice mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. He then served as Deputy Commissioner of the Transvaal Town Police from 1901 to 1908, during which time he frequently acted as Commissioner. He was promoted Brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1902 and retired from the Army in March 1903.
In 1910 he was appointed Colonial Secretary
Chief Secretary
The Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
of the Gambia, often acting as Governor. In October 1912 he was appointed Governor of the Seychelles and in April 1918 Governor of Barbados. He retired in September 1925, but from May to July 1926 he served as Special Government Commissioner in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and on the Colonial Films Committee from 1929 to 1930.
O'Brien was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1908 and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours.