Thomas Charles Scanlen
Encyclopedia
Thomas Charles Scanlen was a politician, British
administrator
and Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1881 to 1884.
Scanlen was born 9 July 1834 on Longford Farm in the district of Albany
in the Cape Colony. He married Emma Thackwray on 1855 in Cradock
, Cape Colony; the couple had four children.
He was appointed as prime minister of the Cape Colony
on 9 May 1881, the first locally-born person to hold this position. Upon the recall of Governor
Henry Bartle Frere
to London
in 1880 to face charges of misconduct, the unpopular government of Frere's political ally John Gordon Sprigg
had fallen.
Scanlen's new ministry faced serious financial problems at its onset. Frere's failed confederation scheme and the resultant wars had sapped the Colony's resources, accruing a debt of over 16 million (mostly from military spending) and seeing the Cape's exports peter off. The Basuto Gun War was another unfortunate result of Frere's policies that Scanlen's government inherited. However, after the British defeat at Qalabani, the colonial authorities signed a peace treaty in 1881 that saw the conflict die down. Scanlen's government also succeeded in getting the British to assume responsibility for Basutoland.
In spite of these challenges - mostly inherited from the conflicts of the Sprigg ministry - the development of the country resumed and the diamond industry flourished. Scanlen's tenure saw a move away from serving primarily the strategic needs of the London Colonial Office and a return to John Molteno
's locally-oriented policies (In fact, the architect of responsible government
briefly come out of retirement to assist Scanlen in forming his cabinet and advise his ministry as Colonial Secretary
).
By the time of Scanlen's ministry, the earlier grievances between the eastern
and western
halves of the Cape Colony
had mostly been appeased. However, the First Boer War
had led to these tensions merely being replaced by friction between the English and Afrikaans speaking populations of the Cape.
Signs of the increasing cultural assertiveness of the Cape Afrikaners during Scanlen's tenure included the first introduction of the Dutch language
into the House of Assembly
and the first Afrikander Bond congress, that was held in 1882 at Graaf Reinet.
Scanlen resigned in May 1884, and was replaced as Premier by Thomas Upington
.
Scanlen died on 15 December 1912 in Salisbury, Rhodesia
(now Harare
, Zimbabwe
).
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...
administrator
Administrator of the Government
An Administrator in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Governor or a Governor-General...
and Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1881 to 1884.
Scanlen was born 9 July 1834 on Longford Farm in the district of Albany
Albany, South Africa
Albany, South Africa was a district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa...
in the Cape Colony. He married Emma Thackwray on 1855 in Cradock
Cradock, Eastern Cape
Cradock is a town in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, in the upper valley of the Great Fish River, by rail northeast of Port Elizabeth. The town is the administrative seat of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality in the Chris Hani District of the Eastern Cape. The estimated population...
, Cape Colony; the couple had four children.
He was appointed as prime minister of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
on 9 May 1881, the first locally-born person to hold this position. Upon the recall of Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Henry Bartle Frere
Henry Bartle Frere
Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCSI, was a British colonial administrator.-Early life:Frere was born at Clydach House, Clydach, Monmouthshire, the son of Edward Frere, manager of Clydach Ironworks...
to 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...
in 1880 to face charges of misconduct, the unpopular government of Frere's political ally John Gordon Sprigg
John Gordon Sprigg
Sir John Gordon Sprigg GCMG PC was a British administrator, politician and four-time prime minister of the Cape Colony.-Early life:Sprigg was born in Ipswich, England, into a strongly Puritan family...
had fallen.
Scanlen's new ministry faced serious financial problems at its onset. Frere's failed confederation scheme and the resultant wars had sapped the Colony's resources, accruing a debt of over 16 million (mostly from military spending) and seeing the Cape's exports peter off. The Basuto Gun War was another unfortunate result of Frere's policies that Scanlen's government inherited. However, after the British defeat at Qalabani, the colonial authorities signed a peace treaty in 1881 that saw the conflict die down. Scanlen's government also succeeded in getting the British to assume responsibility for Basutoland.
In spite of these challenges - mostly inherited from the conflicts of the Sprigg ministry - the development of the country resumed and the diamond industry flourished. Scanlen's tenure saw a move away from serving primarily the strategic needs of the London Colonial Office and a return to John Molteno
John Charles Molteno
Sir John Charles Molteno KCMG was a soldier, businessman, champion of responsible government and the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.-Early life:...
's locally-oriented policies (In fact, the architect of responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
briefly come out of retirement to assist Scanlen in forming his cabinet and advise his ministry as Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary may refer to:* Secretary of State for the Colonies, British Cabinet minister who headed the Colonial Office, commonly referred to as Colonial Secretary...
).
By the time of Scanlen's ministry, the earlier grievances between the eastern
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
and western
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
halves of the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
had mostly been appeased. However, the First Boer War
First Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881-1877 annexation:...
had led to these tensions merely being replaced by friction between the English and Afrikaans speaking populations of the Cape.
Signs of the increasing cultural assertiveness of the Cape Afrikaners during Scanlen's tenure included the first introduction of the Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
into the House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
and the first Afrikander Bond congress, that was held in 1882 at Graaf Reinet.
Scanlen resigned in May 1884, and was replaced as Premier by Thomas Upington
Thomas Upington
Thomas Upington , born in Cork, Ireland, was a British administrator in South Africa. He was premier of Cape Colony between 1884 and 1886. The town of Upington in South Africa is named after him....
.
Scanlen died on 15 December 1912 in Salisbury, Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
(now Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
).