Arthur Purves Phayre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Arthur Purves Phayre
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Portrait by Colesworthey Grant (1855)
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| 12th Governor of Mauritius | |
| In office 1874–1878 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| 1st Chief Commissioner of Burma | |
| In office 31 January 1862 – 16 February 1867 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Albert Fytche |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 May 1812 Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England |
| Died | 14 December 1885 |
| Occupation | Administrator |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India Companions of the Order of the Bath |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  British Indian Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
Sir Arthur Purves Phayre (born May 7, 1812 – died December 14, 1885) was an important British officer. He worked for the British Indian Army for many years. He became the first Chief Commissioner of British Burma and later served as the Governor of Mauritius. He was also a writer and a keen observer of nature.
His brother, Sir Robert Phayre, also served in India.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Arthur Phayre was born in Shrewsbury, England. He went to Shrewsbury School. In 1828, he joined the Indian Army. This was the army of the British in India.
He started his career in Burma. In 1846, he became an assistant in the province of Tenasserim. Later, in 1849, he was made commissioner of Arakan. After the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852, he became the commissioner of Pegu. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1862.
Important Roles
Leading British Burma
In 1862, Phayre became the first Chief Commissioner for the entire area of British Burma. This was a very important leadership role. He stayed in this position until 1867.
Governor of Mauritius
After his time in Burma, Sir Arthur Phayre became the 12th Governor of Mauritius. He served in this role from September 21, 1874, to December 31, 1878.
He received several special honors for his service. He was made a CB in 1864 and a KCSI in 1867. He was promoted to Major-General in 1871 and Lieutenant-General in 1873. After retiring to Ireland, he was appointed a GCMG in 1878.
Beyond Administration
Lover of Nature
Sir Arthur Phayre was very interested in the natural world. He wrote the first official History of Burma in 1883. Many animals are named after him because of his work. These include:
- Phayre's leaf monkey, a type of monkey
- Indochinese flying squirrel, a squirrel that can glide
- Phayre's squirrel, another type of squirrel
- Eared pitta, a colorful bird
- Brown Asian forest tortoise, Manouria emys phayrei
- Ashy-headed green pigeon, a type of pigeon
Coin Collector
Phayre also collected old coins. Some of the coins he collected are now kept in the British Museum. In 1882, he wrote a book about coins called Coins of Arakan, of Pegu, and of Burma. He was also a member of the Royal Asiatic Society, a group that studies Asian cultures.
Images for kids
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Sir Arthur Purves Phayre's coat of arms.
