John Cartier
Encyclopedia
John Cartier was a British
colonial governor in India
. He served as Governor of Bengal
from 1769 to 1772.
. He was expelled from Dacca in 1756 while serving there as an assistant. After fleeing with other fugitives to Fulta
, he joined Clive of India and helped in the retaking of Bengal
, for which he was praised by the Court of Directors of the British East India Company. Cartier's career accelerated after the Battle of Plassey
. In 1761 Cartier became chief of the Dacca factory. By 1767 he was Second in the Calcutta Council.
. Cartier was governor at time of the Bengal famine of 1770
, during which one-third of the populace died. Cartier was blamed for ignoring warnings about the impending disaster but was able to use a magazine of grain to feed fifteen thousand people every day for some months. In response to the crisis, the Court of Directors sent a three-person commission to Bengal to assess the situation. En route, however, the ship carrying the three members foundered at sea. The Court of Directors did not send a replacement and recalled Cartier. Warren Hastings
was selected as his replacement; he took office on April 13, 1772.
Cartier became a High Sheriff of Kent
in 1789. Unusually the previous encumbent, James Bond, continued from the year before and Cartier served only for the latter part of the year.
Cartier died in Bedgbury, Kent
on January 25, 1802. He was eulogized by Edmund Burke
for his government of Bengal. His wife, Stephana, survived him and died aged 80 also in Bedgbury on 22 August 1825.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial governor in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He served as Governor of Bengal
Governor of Bengal
From 1690, a governor represented the British East India Company in Bengal, which had been granted the right to establish a trading post by the local rulers, the nawabs of Murshidabad, who were nominal vassals of the Mughal emperor in Delhi....
from 1769 to 1772.
Early career
Cartier first arrived in India as a writer in the service of the British East India CompanyBritish East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. He was expelled from Dacca in 1756 while serving there as an assistant. After fleeing with other fugitives to Fulta
Fulta
Phulta is a village in Ganjam, Orissa, India. It is several kilometers away from the city of Berhampur. In 1756, a multitude of British settlers sought refuge in Fulta after the nawab Sirajuddaula enjoyed control of Calcutta...
, he joined Clive of India and helped in the retaking of 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...
, for which he was praised by the Court of Directors of the British East India Company. Cartier's career accelerated after the Battle of Plassey
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey , 23 June 1757, was a decisive British East India Company victory over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies, establishing Company rule in South Asia which expanded over much of the Indies for the next hundred years...
. In 1761 Cartier became chief of the Dacca factory. By 1767 he was Second in the Calcutta Council.
Governor of Bengal
On December 26, 1769 Cartier succeeded Harry Verelst as Governor of BengalBengal
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...
. Cartier was governor at time of the Bengal famine of 1770
Bengal famine of 1770
The Bengal famine of 1770 was a catastrophic famine between 1769 and 1773 that affected the lower Gangetic plain of India...
, during which one-third of the populace died. Cartier was blamed for ignoring warnings about the impending disaster but was able to use a magazine of grain to feed fifteen thousand people every day for some months. In response to the crisis, the Court of Directors sent a three-person commission to Bengal to assess the situation. En route, however, the ship carrying the three members foundered at sea. The Court of Directors did not send a replacement and recalled Cartier. Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings PC was the first Governor-General of India, from 1773 to 1785. He was famously accused of corruption in an impeachment in 1787, but was acquitted in 1795. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1814.-Early life:...
was selected as his replacement; he took office on April 13, 1772.
Cartier became a High Sheriff of Kent
High Sheriff of Kent
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1789. Unusually the previous encumbent, James Bond, continued from the year before and Cartier served only for the latter part of the year.
Cartier died in Bedgbury, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on January 25, 1802. He was eulogized by Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
for his government of Bengal. His wife, Stephana, survived him and died aged 80 also in Bedgbury on 22 August 1825.