James Walker (colonial administrator)

Sir James Walker KCMG CB (9 April 1809 – 28 August 1885) was a Scottish colonial administrator.

Life

The son of Andrew Walker of Edinburgh, was born there on 9 April 1809, and was educated at the Edinburgh High School and the University of Edinburgh. Entering the colonial office as a junior clerk in 1826, he served under several secretaries of state, and on 11 February 1837 he became registrar of British Honduras. Transferred on 18 February 1839 to be treasurer of Trinidad he was colonial secretary there from June 1839 to September 1840. In January 1841 he accompanied, as his secretary, Sir Henry Macleod, special commissioner to British Guiana, to settle difficulties with the legislature over the civil list. He became in 1842 colonial secretary of Barbados, at that time the seat of the government for the Windward Islands group, and during his service there Walker was sent in September 1856 to act as lieutenant-governor of Grenada, and in 1857 to fill a similar position at St Vincent.[1]

Walker acted as governor of Barbados and the Windward Islands from 13 March to 25 December 1859, and as lieutenant-governor of Trinidad from 20 April 1860 to 25 March 1862, when he was appointed governor in chief of the Barbados and the Windward Islands. On 4 January 1869 he was transferred to the Bahamas, which were then going through a time of financial depression.[1]

Walker retired on a pension in May 1871, and lived a country life, first at Uplands, near Taunton, and later at Southerton, Ottery St. Mary, Devon, where he died on 28 August 1885. He became a CB in 1860, and KCMG in 1869.[1]

Family

On 15 October 1839 he married Anne, daughter of George Bland of Trinidad. They had two daughters and one son. His son, Sir Edward Noël Walker, was lieutenant-governor and colonial secretary of Ceylon.[1]

Notes

Lee, Sidney, ed. (1899). "Walker, James (1809-1885)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 59. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Attribution

New Brunswick

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[DNB-1] Lee, Sidney, ed. (1899). "Walker, James (1809-1885)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 59. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Governors of Barbados
Barbados (1627–1833)	H. Powell W. Deane C. Wolferstone J. Powell R. Wheatley^* W. Tufton Henry Hawley Richard Peers^* William Hawley^* Henry Huncks Philip Bell Francis Willoughby George Ayscue Daniel Searle^* Thomas Modyford^* Humphrey Walrond^* Francis Willoughby Henry Willoughby^* William Willoughby^* Samuel Barwick^* Henry Hawley^* William Willoughby Christopher Codrington^* Peter Colleton^* Jonathan Atkins^* John Witham^* Richard Dutton Edwyn Stede^* James Kendall Francis Russell Francis Bond^* Ralph Grey John Farmer^* Bevil Granville Mitford Crow George Lillington^* Robert Lowther William Sharpe^* John Frere^* Samuel Cox^* Henry Worsley Thomas Catesby Paget James Dotin^* Walter Chetwynd Emanuel Howe James Dotin^* Orlando Bridgeman Humphrey Howarth Thomas Gage Robert Byng James Dotin^* Thomas Robinson Henry Grenville Charles Pinfold Samuel Rous^* William Spry Samuel Rous^* Edward Hay^* John Dotin^* James Cunninghame John Dotin^* David Parry William Bishop^* George Poyntz Ricketts William Bishop^* Francis Mackenzie John Spooner^* George Beckwith James Leith John Foster Alleyne^* Stapleton Cotton John Skeete^* Samuel Hinds^* Henry Warde James Frederick Lyon
Barbados and the Windward Islands (1833–1885)	Lionel Smith Evan MacGregor Charles Henry Darling Charles Grey William Reid William Colebrooke Francis Hincks James Walker Rawson William Rawson Sanford Freeling^* John Hennessy George Strahan D. J. Gamble^* William Robinson
Barbados (1885–1966)	Charles Lees Walter Sendall James Hay Frederick Hodgson Gilbert Carter Leslie Probyn Charles O'Brien William Robertson Harry Newlands Mark Young Eubule Waddington Henry Bushe Hilary Blood Alfred Savage Robert Arundell John Stow
Related	Government House
^* Served as Acting Governor of Barbados.