George Balfour (Liberal politician) facts for kids
Sir George Balfour was an important British Army officer and a politician from the Liberal Party. He lived from 1809 to 1894. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like the main law-making body in the UK, from 1872 to 1892.
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Sir George Balfour's Early Life and Military Career
George Balfour was born in Montrose. He went to a special military school called Addiscombe Military Seminary. In 1825, he joined the Madras Artillery as a lieutenant. This was a part of the British army in India.
He served in different military groups, including the Malacca Field Force. He was involved in battles in places like Chusan, Canton, and Amoy. He became a Brigade Major in India in 1839. From 1840 to 1842, he was part of the China Force. He also managed property that was captured in China. He handled money paid by China under the Treaty of Nanking.
Opening Shanghai for Trade
In 1843, Sir George Balfour arrived in Shanghai, China. His job was to talk with the local Chinese official, called the Taotai (Chinese: 道台). They discussed how to open Shanghai for foreign trade. They also talked about where foreigners could live and work.
Shanghai officially opened for foreign trade on November 14, 1843. They agreed to set up a special area for foreigners. This area was 138 acres along the Huangpu River. It was first called "English Ground" and later became the International Settlement. The Chinese government did not want to sell land directly to foreigners. So, they found a solution: foreigners could rent the land forever. Balfour first rented a house inside the old Shanghai city walls for the British office. He left his role as Shanghai consul in 1846.
Service in India
After his time in China, Balfour continued his military career. In 1854, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. He also received an honor called the CB. He became a colonel in 1856. He worked as an Inspector-General of Ordnance in Madras, India. This meant he was in charge of military weapons and supplies.
From 1859 to 1862, he was part of the Military Finance Commission of India. He also led the Finance Committee and the Military Finance Department. These roles involved managing money for the military in India.
Sir George Balfour's Political Life
In 1865, Balfour was promoted to major-general. He was part of a special group that looked into how to get more people to join the Army. From 1868 to 1871, he worked at the War Office. In 1870, he received another high honor, the KCB.
Sir George Balfour became a Member of Parliament for Kincardineshire in 1872. This meant he represented that area in the British Parliament. He held this position until 1892.
He continued to rise in the military ranks. He became a lieutenant general in 1874 and a general in 1877. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant and a J.P. for Kincardineshire. These were important local roles.
Interest in the Environment
Sir George Balfour was also very active in the Royal Geographical Society. He strongly believed that human actions, especially cutting down too many trees (deforestation), were causing climate changes in India and other parts of the British Empire. He thought this was making places drier. His brother, Edward Balfour, also shared these views. They both worked to protect forests and the environment.
Sir George Balfour's Family Life
In 1848, George Balfour married Charlotte Isabella Hume. She was the daughter of Joseph Hume, who was also a Member of Parliament. Sir George Balfour passed away when he was 84 years old.
