Henry Arthur Blake Totally Explained

Everything about Henry Arthur Blake totally explained

Sir Henry Arthur Blake (Chinese Translated Name 卜力) (1840-1918) was a British colonial administrator, who served as Governor of Hong Kong.

Early life and career

Blake was born in Limerick, Ireland on January 8, 1840. He was the son of Peter Blake, a county Inspector of Irish Constabulary. Blake started out as a draper's assistant at a haberdashery, but soon joined the Irish Constabulary in 1859, where he worked as an inspector and Resident Magistrate of Duff in 1876. In 1882, he was raised to the position of Special Resident Magistrate.

Early colonial services

In 1884, Blake was made Governor of Bahamas, a position he held until 1887. In that year, he was transferred to Newfoundland, where he served as governor from 1887 to 1889. In 1886, Blake was appointed to Queensland, but resigned without entering the administration. Eventually, in 1889, Blake became the Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of Jamaica. His term was extended in 1894 and 1896, at the request of Legislature and public bodies of the Island.

Governor of Hong Kong

In 1898 He was appointed Governor of Hong Kong, a position he served until in 1903. Five months before Blake arrived in Hong Kong, the British Government successfully negotiated an agreement with the Imperial Chinese Government, allowing the Hong Kong Government to lease the New Territories for 99 years. During Blake's tenure, he sent in administrators to the New Territories to assert control of the colony. The residents of the area organized a tough resistance movement, which was subdued with the use of British Troops under Commander Gascoigne.
Blake left Hong Kong immediately after he attended the inauguration of the Supreme Court building (now the LegCo Chambers) in 1903.

Post-governorship

Blake was appointed Governor of Ceylon at the end of his tenure in Hong Kong, and he served in that capacity until 1907. This was his last post in the Colonial Services.

Personal life

Blake married twice. He married Jeannie Irwin in 1862. Jeannie died in 1866, and Blake married his second wife, Edith, in 1874. He had two sons and one daughter (Olive, who married John Bernard Arbuthnot). Blake died on February 23, 1918.

Honours

C.M.G., 1887
K.C.M.G., l888
G.C.M.G., 1897
Knight of Justice of Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Fellow of Royal Geographical Society (F.R.G.S.)
J.P.
D.L.
Fellow of Royal Colonial Institute (F.R.C.I.)
Fellow of Institute of Directors (F.I.D.)
Honorary Colonel of Ceylon Mounted Rifles
District Grand Master Ceylon Freemasons.
Member, Council Royal Dublin Society
Honorary Member, Royal Zoological Society, London.

Places named after him

The community of Blaketown in Canada was named in his honour when he was the governor of Newfoundland. Also, the Blake Garden, Blake Dock, the former pier, Blake Pier (卜公碼頭), in Hong Kong were both named after him.
Also, the Bauhinia blakeana, first discovered in Hong Kong around 1880, was named after him (Blake was very interested in Botany). It became an emblem of Hong Kong in 1965 and is the flower of Hong Kong since 1997. It now appears on Hong Kong's flags and coins.

Further Information

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