John Terence Nicholls O'Brien
Encyclopedia
Sir John Terence Nicholls O'Brien (April 23, 1830 – February 28, 1903) was a surveyor, engineer and colonial governor, born in Manchester
, England and died in London
, England
.
He studied at Elizabeth College, Guernsey
, and then attended Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
O'Brien, a British Army
officer, received a medal of honour
for his service in the Indian Mutiny War
. In 1881 he was appointed governor of Heligoland
, knighted in 1888 and became governor of Newfoundland in 1889.
O'Brien as governor of Newfoundland
helped precipitate the 1894 bank crash
by his many dispatches to London noting that Newfoundland politicians under Premier William Whiteway
's Liberal Government were uniquely corrupt and incompetent. He resigned from office in 1895 and returned to London.
The Newfoundland community of Terenceville
was so named in his honour. O'Brien's son, Sir Charles O'Brien
, also became a colonial governor.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England and died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
He studied at Elizabeth College, Guernsey
Elizabeth College, Guernsey
Elizabeth College is an independent school in the town of St Peter Port, Guernsey, founded in 1563 under the orders of Queen Elizabeth I.- History :...
, and then attended Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
O'Brien, 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, received a medal of honour
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his service in the Indian Mutiny War
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
. In 1881 he was appointed 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...
, knighted in 1888 and became governor of Newfoundland in 1889.
O'Brien as governor of Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
helped precipitate the 1894 bank crash
Black Monday (1894)
The Bank Crash of 1894 called Black Monday was one of the turning points in Newfoundland's early history.The financial woes of the former British colony were worsened when two of the commercial banks of Newfoundland, the Union Bank of Newfoundland and the Commercial Bank of Newfoundland , both...
by his many dispatches to London noting that Newfoundland politicians under Premier William Whiteway
William Whiteway
Sir William Vallance Whiteway, QC KCMG was a politician and three time Premier of Newfoundland. Born in England, Whiteway emigrated to the island in 1843 and entered the law in 1852. In 1859 he was elected to the House of Assembly as a member of the Conservative Party of Newfoundland and became a...
's Liberal Government were uniquely corrupt and incompetent. He resigned from office in 1895 and returned to London.
The Newfoundland community of Terenceville
Terrenceville, Newfoundland and Labrador
Terrenceville is a small fishing village located on the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada, south west of Swift Current. It was served by the C.N.R. The population was 300 in 1940; 424 in 1951 and 521 in 1956....
was so named in his honour. O'Brien's son, Sir Charles O'Brien
Charles O'Brien (colonial governor)
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Richard Mackey O'Brien KCMG was a British Army officer and colonial administrator....
, also became a colonial governor.
See also
- Governors of Newfoundland
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador