John Le Marchant (British Army officer, born 1803) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Le Marchant
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Sir Gaspard Le Marchant, Lt. Gov of Nova Scotia
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| Born | 1803 |
| Died | 6 February 1874 (aged 71) Pimlico, London, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Madras Army |
| Awards | |
Lieutenant General Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant (1803–1874) was an important officer in the British Army. He also served as a governor in different parts of the world. From 1847 to 1852, he was the governor of Newfoundland. Later, he became the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia (1852–1858) and the Governor of Malta (1858–1864).
Contents
Sir John Le Marchant's Early Life and Army Career
John Gaspard Le Marchant was born in 1803. His father, Major-General John Le Marchant, was also a military officer. John Gaspard went to school at High Wycombe Royal Grammar School. He also studied at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, which is a famous army training school.
In 1820, when he was 17, John Gaspard joined the army. He started as an ensign in the 10th Foot regiment. Over the years, he moved to different regiments and earned promotions. By 1835, he was a brigadier-general. He served in Spain with the British Auxiliary Legion. He continued to rise through the ranks in the British Army.
He received special honors for his service. In 1838, the Queen of Spain, Isabella II, made him a Knight of the Order of Charles III. He was also recognized in Britain for his bravery and leadership.
Governing Newfoundland
In 1847, Sir John Le Marchant became the governor of Newfoundland. This was a challenging role. He had strong ideas about how the colony should be run. He believed that money collected in the colony should be used for public projects.
After a big fire in St. John's in 1846, money was collected to help the victims. Sir John decided to use some of these funds. He directed the money towards fixing public buildings. He also used it to build new roads in St. John's and other areas.
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Later Roles and Retirement
After his time in Newfoundland, Sir John Le Marchant continued his career in public service. From 1852 to 1858, he served as the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Then, from 1858 to 1864, he was the Governor of Malta.
While in Malta, he had his picture taken by a photography pioneer named Leandro Preziosi. He also made some changes to the city of Valletta. He had a public square, Piazza Tesoreria, fenced off to create a private garden. He also moved a statue of António Manoel de Vilhena into this garden. The square was later reopened to the public in the 1870s.
In 1865, Sir John Le Marchant became the Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army. He retired from his long and distinguished career in 1868.
Legacy
Sir John Le Marchant is remembered in the places he served.
- A major street in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is named Le Marchant Road in his honor.
- LeMarchant Street in Halifax, Nova Scotia is also named after him.
Images for kids
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Sir John's first daughter, Emily, in 1864.
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His daughters Blanche and Clementina, in 1864.
See also
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Le Marchant Baronets
