Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer facts for kids

Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer (born December 11, 1836 – died September 30, 1914) was an important British official. He worked as a colonial administrator and a diplomat. This means he helped manage parts of the British Empire and represented Britain in other countries. He was the nephew of Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer and the brother of Edward Earle Gascoyne Bulwer.

Sir Henry Bulwer received a good education. He studied at Charterhouse School and then at Trinity College, Cambridge, one of the famous universities in England.

Sir Henry's Career

Sir Henry Bulwer had many important jobs during his career. He worked in different parts of the world, helping to govern British territories and represent Britain.

Early Roles

• From 1860 to 1864, he was the British Resident in Kythira. This island was part of the United States of the Ionian Islands. A Resident was like a special representative for Britain.
• In 1865, he worked as a Secretary. He helped his uncle, who was the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in Constantinople (now Istanbul). An ambassador is a country's main representative in another nation.
• In 1866, he became the Receiver-General of Trinidad. This role involved managing the finances and money for the government there.
• From 1867 to 1869, he was the Administrator of the Government of Dominica. This meant he was in charge of running the government of this island.

Governor and High Commissioner

Sir Henry Bulwer held several top leadership positions:

• From 1871 to 1875, he served as the Governor of Labuan. He was also the Consular-General in Borneo. A governor is the main leader of a colony or territory.
• He spent several years in Natal, a British colony in South Africa. From 1875 to 1880, he was the Lieutenant Governor. Then, from 1882 to 1885, he became the full Governor of Natal. During this time, he also worked as a Special Commissioner for Zulu Affairs. This meant he handled important matters related to the Zulu people.
• From 1886 to 1892, Sir Henry was the High Commissioner in Cyprus. A High Commissioner is a senior diplomat, often representing the head of state in a Commonwealth country.

Awards and Honors

Sir Henry Bulwer was recognized for his service. He received appointments to the Order of St Michael and St George. This is a special award given for service to the British Empire. He was made a Companion in 1864, a Knight Commander in 1874, and a Knight Grand Cross in 1883. The title "Sir" comes from being a Knight.

Things Named After Sir Henry

Sir Henry Bulwer is remembered in a few interesting ways.

A Town in South Africa

The town of Bulwer in Natal, South Africa, was named after him. This happened because of his important work as Governor of Natal.

A Special Bird

While he was Governor of Labuan, Sir Henry found a unique bird. He sent a sample of this bird to the British Museum. This bird was later named Bulwer's pheasant (Lophura bulweri) in his honor. It's a beautiful bird with striking blue and white feathers.

A Book Dedication

The famous author H Rider Haggard dedicated his novel Marie to Sir Henry Bulwer. This shows that Sir Henry was a respected figure, even among writers.