Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Richard Southwell Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo, (Template:IPAc-en; Template:Respell; 21 February 1822 – 8 February 1872) styled Lord Naas (Template:IPAc-en; Template:Respell) from 1842 to 1867 and Lord Mayo in India, was a prominent British statesman and Conservative politician. He served as Chief Secretary for Ireland (1852, 1858–9, 1866–8) and was Viceroy of India from 1869 until his assassination in 1872.<ref name="Hunter2006">Template:Cite book</ref>

Background and education

Mayo was born in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest son of Robert Bourke, 5th Earl of Mayo (the son of Hon. Richard Burke, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore), and his wife, Anne Charlotte, daughter of the Hon. John Jocelyn. His younger brother the Hon. Robert Bourke was also a successful politician. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin (attaining BA in 1844, MA in 1851, and LLD in 1852).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="completepeerage01cokagoog">Template:Cite book</ref> He and his brothers were accomplished horsemen and enjoyed fox hunting.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Political career

The Cabinet of the Earl of Derby in 1867

After travelling in Russia, detailed in his St. Petersburg and Moscow (1846), Mayo was elected MP for Kildare (1847–52), Coleraine (1852–7) and Cockermouth (1857–68). He was thrice appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland – in 1852, 1858 and 1866 – and in 1869 he became the fourth Viceroy of India where he was locally often referred to as "Lord Mayo". He consolidated the frontiers of India and reorganised the country's finances; he also did much to promote irrigation, railways, forests and other useful public works. To solve local problems he established local boards. During his tenure the first census took place in 1872. He founded Mayo College at Ajmer for the education of young Indian chiefs, with £70,000 being subscribed by the chiefs themselves.<ref>Template:Cite DNB</ref>

Assassination

Template:Main While visiting the convict settlement at Port Blair in the Andaman Islands in 1872 for the purpose of inspection, he was assassinated by Sher Ali Afridi, a former Afghan soldier who had been convicted for murdering a relative. He vowed to kill two British officials to avenge the suffering he had to undergo. Mayo's body was brought home to Ireland and buried at the medieval ruined church in Johnstown, County Kildare, near his home at Palmerstown House. Afridi was hanged on March 11, 1872.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Memorials

Lord Mayo March

The traditional Irish march "Lord Mayo" (Tiagharna Mhaighe-eo) was named after him; according to tradition, it was composed by his harper David Murphy to appease Mayo after Murphy angered him.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Papilio mayo Butterfly

In 1873, the newly discovered swallowtail butterfly Papilio mayo from the Andaman Islands was named in his honour.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

St Paul's Cathedral

A Memorial to Lord Mayo is in the third recess of the South Wall at St Paul's Cathedral, London.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Statue in Cockermouth, Cumbria

Statue of Lord Mayo in the town of Cockermouth

On 19 August 1875, a statue of Lord Mayo was unveiled in the centre of the main street in the town of Cockermouth. The 800-guinea cost of the statue (made by Messrs. Willis of London) had been raised by public subscription. The unveiling was attended by Mayo's son, the 7th Earl; Lord Napier and Ettrick; Harvey Goodwin, Bishop of Carlisle; and the Earl of Lonsdale. The statue, carved in Sicilian marble, depicts Lord Mayo in his viceregal garb, and still stands today.

Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan

Mayo Hospital is one of the oldest and biggest hospitals in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The hospital is named after then Viceroy of British India, "Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo" also locally known as Lord Mayo.

Statue at Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur, India

A statue of Lord Mayo had been installed in the premises of Mayo Hospital (currently known as the Mahilya Chikatsalya, Jaipur). The Template:Convert cast-iron statue, weighing around 3 tons, was ordered sculpted by the Maharaja Ram Singh ji of Jaipur, as a tribute to Lord Mayo after his assassination. The sculptors were J. Forsyth and R. Monti. The company's name as inscribed on the statue was R. Masefield & Co., London.

This statue of Lord Mayo had been buried in the premises of the Albert Hall Museum of Jaipur at the time of the independence of India in 1947 to prevent vandalism. After six decades, this statue was unearthed by the Jaipur Mayo Alumni Chapter on 29 May 2007. It was later removed from the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur and sent to Mayo College, in Ajmer, India, where it is now installed.<ref name="Annual Register 1875 p74-75">Template:Cite book</ref>

Mayo College, Ajmer, India

Mayo College, Ajmer, India, was founded after the death of Lord Mayo in 1875. The College, named in honour of Lord Mayo, already had a full life-size statue of him sculpted in white marble installed in front of its famous main building since inception and a marble sculpted bust of him in its school museum.<ref name="Annual Register 1875 p74-75"/> The College accepted the statue of Lord Mayo which was unearthed at Mayo Hospital, Jaipur in 2007.

Mayo Hall, Bengaluru, India

Mayo Hall is a building located in the center of Bengaluru. It was built in 1883 to honor the memory of Richard Bourke.

Marriage and children

Mayo married Hon Blanche Julia Wyndham (1826–1918), daughter of George Wyndham, 1st Baron Leconfield, in 1848. Lady Mayo served as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria from 1872, and was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE).<ref name="completepeerage01cokagoog"/>

Lord and Lady Mayo had seven children:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003</ref>

Following his assassination in 1872, Lord Mayo was succeeded in the Earldom and other titles by his eldest son, Dermot.

Honours and Arms

Honours

Country Date Appointment Ribbon Post-nominals
Template:Flagu 1852–1872 Privy Council<ref name="completepeerage01cokagoog"/> PC
Template:Flagu 1852–1872 Privy Council of Ireland<ref name="completepeerage01cokagoog"/> PC (Ire)
Template:Flagu 1868–1872 Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick<ref name="completepeerage01cokagoog"/> KP
Template:Flagu 1869–1872 Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India<ref name="completepeerage01cokagoog"/> GCSI

Arms

Template:Infobox COA wide

Ancestry

Template:Ahnentafel

See also

References

Citations

Template:Reflist

Bibliography

Template:EB1911 poster

Template:S-start Template:S-par Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:S-off Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:S-gov Template:Succession box Template:S-reg Template:Succession box Template:S-end

Template:Viceroys of India Template:Authority control Template:Portal bar

Retrieved from "https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Richard_Bourke,_6th_Earl_of_Mayo&oldid=261486"