Hugh Cleghorn (colonial administrator)
Sir Hugh Cleghorn FRSE LLD (1751-1836) was the first colonial secretary to Ceylon. He was key in the takeover of Ceylon from Dutch control to the British Empire.[1] In 1795 Cleghorn used his friendship with Comte Charles-Daniel de Meuron who was in charge of a Swiss Regiment, Regiment de Meuron, that controlled Ceylon for the Dutch to transfer control to the English.[2] His grandson Hugh Francis Clarke Cleghorn was instrumental in the foundation of the forest department and forest conservation in India.
Life
He was born in Fife around 1751. He attended the High School in Edinburgh 1762-3. He was Professor of Civil and Natural History at St Andrews University from 1773 to 1793. He took a long leave of absence from 1788 to 1790 and traveled with the young Alexander Home, 10th Earl of Home on an extended trip of Europe: France, Switzerland and Italy, lecturing at universities along the route.[3]
In 1795 he traveled to India and Ceylon with Charles Daniel, the Comte de Neuron. In 1798 he was appointed Colonial Secretary of Ceylon. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1790. His proposers were John Playfair, Alexander Hamilton and James Hutton.[4]
Cleghorn had several properties, primarily Stravithie Castle, north of Dunino, a large townhouse, "St Leonards" in St Andrews and the estate of Pitreavie near Dunfermline. All are in Fife. He also had property at Wakefield in England.[5]
In 1829 he was staying at Society in Edinburgh to have a bladder stone removed by Dr Bell.
He died in February 1836.
Family
Cleghorn married Rachel some time around 1795.
Hugh's sons Patrick Cleghorn and John Cleghorn both spent much time in India.
A third son, Peter Cleghorn, was the father of Hugh Francis Clarke Cleghorn FRSE.
His daughter Jenny ("Jessie") Douglas Cleghorn married and lived in Edinburgh.
References
- ↑ Clark, Aylwin (1992). An enlightened Scot: Hugh Cleghorn, 1752-1837. Black Ace Books. ISBN 1-872988-01-6.
- ↑ Newton, Arthur Percival. The Cambridge history of the British Empire, Volume 2. Campridge University Press. pp. 26–27.
- ↑ St Andrews University: Special Collections: The Cleghorn Papers
- ↑ https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf
- ↑ St Andrews University: Special Collections: The Cleghorn Papers
External links
- A secret service Agent who became the first Colonial Secretary of Ceylon, HUGH CLEGHORN, The Island, March 3, 2005