Arthur Havelock

Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock, (7 May 1844 – 25 June 1908) was a British military officer and colonial administrator. His career including postings as governor of: Sierra Leone (1881-1884), Natal (1886-1889), Ceylon (1890-1895), Madras (1896-1900), and Tasmania (1901-1904).

Early life and family Havelock was born in 1844 in Bath, Somerset, the fifth surviving son of Lieutenant-Colonel William Havelock and Caroline Elizabeth Chaplin, and the nephew of Sir Henry Havelock. The family moved to India in 1844, where his father commanded the 14th Light Dragoons and was killed in action at the Battle of Ramnagar on 22 November 1848. The Havelocks returned to England briefly, but settled in Ootacamund in 1850, where Havelock attended school until he completed his education in London.

Military career In 1860, Havelock entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and on 14 January 1862 was gazetted an ensign in the 32nd (Cornwall) Light Infantry. He was promoted lieutenant on 10 April 1866, and was stationed at Gibraltar (1866–7), at Mauritius (1867–8), then at the Cape Colony (1868–72). He returned to Mauritius in 1872 as the colony's paymaster, and was promoted to captain on 1 February 1873, serving as aide-de-camp to Selby Smith, the acting governor, and later to the governor of Mauritius, Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon. The border was finally settled in 1903 by a mixed commission from both countries. where his actions included extending the country's railways to Kurunegala and Bandarawela, and abolishing the 'paddy tax', a levy on rice cultivation. He was also held in great esteem among the aristocracy of Sri Lanka, with prominent families choosing him to act as godfather to the heirs. One such godson was the grandson of Muadliya Solomnon Carolis de Fonseka. The de Fonseka family renamed their estate, Katukele Greenlands, and other parts within their estate after Havelock, these include Elibank road and Havelock Pass (now forming the bridge).

Governor of Madras Havelock returned to his childhood home of India as Governor of Madras from 1896 to 1900. arriving in Hobart to be sworn in on 8 November. His health, however, continued to decline and he made the decision to cut short his term as governor to only two-and-a-half years. He notified the premier, William Propsting, of his resignation on 6 January 1904, and left Tasmania on 16 April.

Later life Havelock returned to England, and retired to Torquay, Devon.

On 15 August 1871, Havelock had married Anne Grace, née Norris, who died in early 1908. Havelock himself died at Bath, Somerset less than six months later on 25 June 1908. He was survived by a daughter. GCSI: Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India 29 April 1901 – for his services as Governor of Madras

The Havelock Bridge spanning the Godavari River at Rajahmundry, India was named after him in the year 1900. In Woodbrook, a suburb of Port of Spain, Trinidad, Havelock Street is named after him.