George James Bruere facts for kids
George James Bruere (born around 1721 – died September 10, 1780) was a British Army officer. He became the governor of Bermuda in 1764 and served until his death in 1780. His time as governor was the longest in Bermuda's history. He faced many challenges during the American Revolutionary War. It is believed that the stress from dealing with Bermudians and American rebels led to his death.
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Life of Governor Bruere
George James Bruere was born around 1721. In 1743, he married Elizabeth Neale in Nottingham, England.
Bruere had a career as a British Army officer, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. In August 1764, he arrived in Bermuda on a ship called the Prince of Wales. He came to take up his new job as governor. He brought his wife and nine children with him.
Some people described him as a "kindly man with a large family." Others, like historian Sir John William Kaye, called him "loyal to the core." However, Kaye also noted that Governor Bruere could be "irritable" and "overbearing." He was a soldier used to giving orders and did not like being disagreed with.
Bruere's Time as Governor
When Bruere became governor, he was surprised by how enslaved people were treated in Bermuda. In 1766, he spoke to the House of Assembly of Bermuda. He suggested new rules to make enslaved people more "obedient." He wanted to stop them from gathering at night or leaving their masters' homes without permission.
On March 21, 1767, the House of Assembly decided to complain to King George III. They wanted to tell the King about the governor's "tyranny and oppression."
Bruere was also interested in farming. He and his wife bought 60 acres of land near St George's. They hoped to grow grapes there and make wine similar to Madeira.
The American War of Independence
On August 20, 1774, Governor Bruere wrote to the British government. He explained that some Bermudians supported the rebellion in North America. He felt the government needed to control these people and support the loyal officials.
In 1775, after the Battle of Lexington, the American Continental Congress stopped trade with British colonies that remained loyal. Bermuda offered to supply salt to the American Patriots. But the Americans wanted gunpowder instead.
In June 1775, Governor Bruere's son, John, was killed fighting for the British at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Then, on August 14, Bermudians who supported the American Revolution stole the island's gunpowder supply. They took it from the Powder Magazine in St George's and sent it to the rebels. Governor Bruere was very angry about this. However, the British government in London did not blame him for the increased trade between Bermuda and the rebels.
Some of Governor Bruere's own relatives in Bermuda were involved in the gunpowder theft. Henry Tucker, who was married to Bruere's daughter Frances, was the President of the Governor's Council. Henry's father and brother, St. George Tucker, were suspected of helping to plan the theft. Colonel Henry Tucker had even met with Benjamin Franklin to arrange it. St. George Tucker later fought for the Americans in the war. Another brother, Thomas Tudor Tucker, became an important official in the American government.
It is thought that George Washington wrote a letter to the people of Bermuda. This letter encouraged the gunpowder theft. Washington's letter asked Bermudians for help. He said that if they could provide gunpowder, their island would be supplied with food and treated as friends by the American colonies. The theft was well-organized, and no one was ever punished for it.
In 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, Admiral Lord Howe sent two British Navy ships to Bermuda. Their job was to stop trade between Bermuda and the rebellious American colonies. In 1777, American forces briefly took control of a fort near Wreck Hill on Bermuda's Somerset Island. This fort was important for protecting a channel through the reefs. The Bermudian soldiers retreated. The Americans then damaged the fort's guns and walls before leaving. Between 1778 and 1780, Governor Bruere allowed several privateer ships to be fitted out in Bermuda. These ships would attack French, Spanish, and American vessels.
However, in the early years of the war, many Bermudians supported the rebels. They reportedly built many Bermuda sloops. These fast ships were sold to the Americans through neutral ports and used as privateers.
Governor Bruere's Death
Governor Bruere was very tired from his work in his last years. He became ill in July 1780, likely from severe stress. He died in St George's on September 10, 1780, at 59 years old. Historian Henry Wilkinson later said that Bruere was a "victim" of the constant strain and "foul play" caused by the islanders' dealings with the American rebels. He was buried under the floor of St. Peter's Church, St. George's.
Sir John William Kaye noted that even with all the conflict, Bruere governed Bermuda for nearly twenty years. He might have served even longer if he had not died suddenly during the war.
Bruere's son, George Bruere (1744–1786), became the next governor. The younger George had been wounded at Bunker Hill.
A portrait of Governor Bruere is believed to be by John Russell. This painting now hangs in the Tucker House Museum in St. George's.
In 2008, Governor Bruere's skeleton was found unexpectedly under the floorboards of St Peter's Church. Archaeologists from Boston University were looking for the foundations of the original church from 1612. His wooden coffin had fallen apart. A copper plate, likely from the coffin, was found on his chest. It said: "His Excellency / George James Bruere ESQr / Governor of Bermuda / And Lieut. Colol. In His/ Majestys Service OB / The 10 September 1780/ AE 59 Years". From his bones, experts estimated that Bruere was about 5 feet 4 inches tall. This was an average height for the 1700s.
Bruere's Children
George James Bruere had at least nine children:
- William
- George (born around 1744, died 1786)
- John (killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775)
- Frederick
- Elizabeth
- Pendock
- Frances (born May 18, 1749, Bermuda, died November 20, 1813)
- Charlotte (born 1762, died February 22, 1827)
- James (1765–1838)
Bruere's son, William Bruere, became a secretary for the British government in British India. He was also a member of the Council of India. His daughter, Nancy Sadleir Bruere, married William Otter in 1846. William Otter later became the head of King's College London and a Bishop of Chichester.
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