Harcourt Butler

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Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler

GCSI, GCIE, KStJ
Harcourt Butler.jpg
Governor of Burma
In office
2 January 1923 – 20 December 1927
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byCharles Alexander Innes
Lieutenant Governor of Burma
In office
21 December 1922 – 2 January 1923
Preceded byReginald Craddock
Succeeded byOffice dissolved
Lieutenant Governor of Burma
In office
28 October 1915 – 22 September 1917
Preceded byGeorge Shaw
Succeeded byWalter Francis Rice
Personal details
Born1 August 1869
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK
Died2 March 1938 (1938-03-03) (aged 68)
London Borough of Camden, Greater London, UK
NationalityBritish
Spouse(s)
RelationsMontagu Sherard Dawes Butler
Alma materHarrow School, Balliol College, Oxford
OccupationAdministrator

Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler GCSI GCIE KStJ (1 August 1869 – 2 March 1938) was an officer of the Indian Civil Service. He served as Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh from 1918 to 1921 and later was the first governor of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh from 1921 to 1922.

Life and career[]

Butler was born on 1 August 1869 in Middlesex, England and died on 2 March 1938 in London, at age 68. He was the brother of Montagu Sherard Dawes Butler and Geoffrey G. Butler.

Educated at Harrow School and Balliol College, Oxford, Butler entered the Indian Civil Services soon afterwards, in 1890. He served as governor of United Provinces from 3 January 1921 to 21 December 1922, and was followed by Sir William Sinclair Marris. Butler later went on to serve as Governor of Burma from 2 January 1923 to 20 December 1927; he had already been lieutenant-governor of Burma from 28 October 1915 to 22 September 1917, and held the title briefly again from 21 December 1922 to 2 January 1923. On that date, the position became that of "Governor".

The Government of India in 1910 had appointed Butler as the first Member for Education with a seat on the Viceroy's Executive Council.[1] He was also the first president of Delhi Gymkhana, founded in 1913.[2]

Butler was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Star of India (CSI) in 1909, knighted as a Knight Commander (KCSI) of the same order in 1911, and promoted to Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) of the order in 1928. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in November 1901,[3] and was promoted to a Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) of the same order in 1923.

The Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur established in 1921 was named after him which was granted a university status in September 2016. Also Harcourt Butler Higher Secondary School (now known as Harcourt Butler Senior Secondary School), New Delhi was also named after him in 1917. It was earlier called Bengali Boys School.

Butler helped the opening of the University of Medicine 1, Yangon, on 2 February 1927. From 1927 to 1929 he chaired the Butler Committee on the governance of the British Raj in relation to the princely states.[4]

Family[]

Butler married Amelia Katherine Florence Wright.[5] She was born on 27 April 1872 in India and died on 10 November 1951 in Earls Court, London at age 79.

Titles[]

  • 1869–1901: Spencer Harcourt Butler
  • 1901–1909: Spencer Harcourt Butler, CIE
  • 1909–1911: Spencer Harcourt Butler, CSI, CIE
  • 1911–1913: Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, KCSI, CIE
  • 1913–1923: Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, KCSI, CIE, KStJ
  • 1923–1928: Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, GCIE, KCSI, KStJ
  • 1928–1938: Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ

References[]

  1. ^ Riddick, John F. (2006). The History of British India: A Chronology. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-313-32280-8.
  2. ^ "A fine balance of luxury and care". Hindustan Times. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011.
  3. ^ "No. 27374". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 November 1901. p. 7288.
  4. ^ Robinson, Francis. "Butler, Sir (Spencer) Harcourt". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32218. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  5. ^ "The Descendants of William Wright, circa 1830, probably from Windsor in Berkshire".

Links[]

Government offices
Preceded by
Sir George Shaw 		Lieutenant Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma
1915–1917 		Succeeded by
Walter Francis Rice
Preceded by
Sir Reginald Henry Craddock 		Lieutenant Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma
1922–1923 		Succeeded by
last incumbent
Preceded by
first incumbent 		Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma
1923–1927 		Succeeded by
Sir Charles Alexander Innes
Retrieved from ""