James Wallace Quinton
Encyclopedia
James Wallace Quinton was the chief commissioner of Assam
from 1889 until his death.
He was born the son of a wine merchant in Enniskillen
, County Fermanagh
, Ireland
, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
, and graduated BA in 1853.
Having been appointed to the Bengal
civil service in 1856, he served in the North-West Provinces and Oudh
until 1875, when he officiated for two years as judicial commissioner in Burma. Returning to the North-West Provinces in 1877, he was appointed magistrate and collector of the Allahabad
district in April 1877, and officiating civil and sessions judge in April 1878. He was on special duty in July 1878 at Naini Tál as a member of the North-West Provinces famine commission. He afterwards served as commissioner in the Jhánsi
and Lucknow
divisions, and in February 1883 was appointed an additional member of the governor-general's council, an office which he held in 1884, and again in 1886 and 1889. In the earlier of those years he was an ardent supporter of Lord Ripon
's policy, which the majority of Anglo-Indians strongly disapproved. In 1884 he was appointed commissioner of the Agra
division, and became a member of the board of revenue in 1885. He served as a member of the public service commission in 1886. He was gazetted CSI
in 1887, and was appointed chief commissioner of Assam on 22 October 1889.
In March 1891, owing to a rebellion having broken out in the small native state of Manipur
, led by two of the younger brothers of the rájá, who abdicated and took refuge at Calcutta
, Quinton was sent to Manipur with an escort of five hundred Ghurkhas, and with instructions to recognise as the ruler of the state the second brother, who was acting as regent, and to arrest one of the younger brothers, who, as sínapati, or commander of the forces, had been the prime mover in the deposition of the late rájá. Quinton reached Manipur on 22 March, and at once summoned a durbar, at which he intended to arrest the sínapati. The latter, however, did not attend, and upon an attempt being made on the following day to arrest him in the fort, resistance was met by the Manipur troops, and was followed by an attack upon the British residency and camp, attended by considerable slaughter. Quinton thereupon offered to treat with the rebels, and was induced to repair to the fort, accompanied by Frank St. Clair Grimwood, the political agent, by Colonel Skene, the officer commanding the Ghurkhas, and by two other officers, all without arms. Immediately on their arrival they were taken prisoners and murdered. Quinton's hand was cut off, his body hacked to pieces, and his dismembered limbs thrown outside the city walls to be devoured by pariah dogs. Manipur was subsequently retaken by a British force; the sínapati was hanged, and the regent deposed. A young boy belonging to the family was recognised as rájá, and during his minority the government of the state was entrusted to a British officer as political resident. Pensions of 300l. and 100l. a year respectively were granted to Quinton's widow and mother.
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
from 1889 until his death.
He was born the son of a wine merchant in Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, and graduated BA in 1853.
Having been appointed to the Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
civil service in 1856, he served in the North-West Provinces and Oudh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
until 1875, when he officiated for two years as judicial commissioner in Burma. Returning to the North-West Provinces in 1877, he was appointed magistrate and collector of the Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
district in April 1877, and officiating civil and sessions judge in April 1878. He was on special duty in July 1878 at Naini Tál as a member of the North-West Provinces famine commission. He afterwards served as commissioner in the Jhánsi
Jhansi District
Jhansi District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Jhansi is the district headquarters.The district is bordered on the north by Jalaun District, to the east by Hamirpur and Mahoba districts, to the south by Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh state, to...
and Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
divisions, and in February 1883 was appointed an additional member of the governor-general's council, an office which he held in 1884, and again in 1886 and 1889. In the earlier of those years he was an ardent supporter of Lord Ripon
George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon
George Frederick Samuel Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon KG, GCSI, CIE, PC , known as Viscount Goderich from 1833 to 1859 and as the Earl de Grey and Ripon from 1859 to 1871, was a British politician who served in every Liberal cabinet from 1861 until his death forty-eight years later.-Background...
's policy, which the majority of Anglo-Indians strongly disapproved. In 1884 he was appointed commissioner of the Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
division, and became a member of the board of revenue in 1885. He served as a member of the public service commission in 1886. He was gazetted CSI
Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion...
in 1887, and was appointed chief commissioner of Assam on 22 October 1889.
In March 1891, owing to a rebellion having broken out in the small native state of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, led by two of the younger brothers of the rájá, who abdicated and took refuge at Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Quinton was sent to Manipur with an escort of five hundred Ghurkhas, and with instructions to recognise as the ruler of the state the second brother, who was acting as regent, and to arrest one of the younger brothers, who, as sínapati, or commander of the forces, had been the prime mover in the deposition of the late rájá. Quinton reached Manipur on 22 March, and at once summoned a durbar, at which he intended to arrest the sínapati. The latter, however, did not attend, and upon an attempt being made on the following day to arrest him in the fort, resistance was met by the Manipur troops, and was followed by an attack upon the British residency and camp, attended by considerable slaughter. Quinton thereupon offered to treat with the rebels, and was induced to repair to the fort, accompanied by Frank St. Clair Grimwood, the political agent, by Colonel Skene, the officer commanding the Ghurkhas, and by two other officers, all without arms. Immediately on their arrival they were taken prisoners and murdered. Quinton's hand was cut off, his body hacked to pieces, and his dismembered limbs thrown outside the city walls to be devoured by pariah dogs. Manipur was subsequently retaken by a British force; the sínapati was hanged, and the regent deposed. A young boy belonging to the family was recognised as rájá, and during his minority the government of the state was entrusted to a British officer as political resident. Pensions of 300l. and 100l. a year respectively were granted to Quinton's widow and mother.