FRERE, Henry Bartle Edward. Clydach, Monmouthshire 29.3.1815 — London 29.5.1884. Sir, Bart. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Edward Frere, manager of ironworks, and Mary Ann Green, educated at Bath and Haileybury. Went to India in 1834 by the overland route (in fact, mostly by ship) via Cairo, Quseir, Jedda, Mocca, and in a pilgrim vessel to Bombay. Served some years as Assistant Revenue Commissioner under H. E. Goldsmid. From 1842 he was private secretary to Sir G. Arthur, from 1846 Resident in Satara. After its annexation (to which he opposed) in 1848-49 he was appointed commissioner. In 1850-59 Chief Commissioner in Sindh. He made Karachi the main port of the region and prevented the mutiny from spreading to the Punjab. In 1859-62 Member of the Governor-General’s Supreme Council in Calcutta, and in 1862-67 Governor of Bombay. In 1867-77 Member of the Council of India. In 1877-80 Governor of the Cape and High Commissioner in South Africa, but criticized the Zulu war and was recalled. K.C.B. 1859. He was famous in his days for his career and for his memoirs. Married 1844 Catherine Arthur, four daughters, one son.

Publications: A number of papers on actual questions.

– ”Memorandum on some Buddhist Excavations near Karádh”, JBRAS 3:2, 1851, 108-118; “Descriptive notices of antiquities in Scinde”, JBRAS 5:19, 1854, 349-362; “Notices, historical and antiquarian, of places in Sind”, JBRAS 5:20, 1855, 538-543.

Sources: JRAS Proc. 1885, iii-xiv; Buckland, Dictionary; *R.K.D[ouglas], D.N.B. 20, 1889, 257-266; *J. Martineau, The Life and Correspondence of the Right Hon. Sir B.F. 1-2. L. 1895; *D.P. O’Connor, The Zulu and the Raj; The Life of Sir Bartle Frere. 2002; Wikipedia with two portraits and two caricatures and further references.