William Farquhar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Farquhar
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| 1st Resident of Singapore | |
| In office 6 February 1819 – 1 May 1823 |
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| Appointed by | Stamford Raffles |
| Monarch | George III George IV |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | John Crawfurd |
| 6th Resident of Malacca | |
| In office 1813–1818 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | Willem Jacob Cranssen |
| Succeeded by | Jan Samuel Timmermann Thijssen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 February 1774 Newhall, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Great Britain |
| Died | 11 May 1839 (aged 65) Early Banks, Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Resting place | Greyfriars Burial Ground, Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Spouse |
Margaret Loban
(m. 1828–1839) |
| Domestic partner | Antoinette Clement (1795–1823) |
| Relations | Justin Trudeau (5x great-grandson) |
| Children | with Antoinette Clement:
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| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Residences | Early Banks, Perth, Scotland |
| Profession | Colonial administrator |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | East India Company |
| Branch/service | Madras Engineer Group |
| Years of service | 1791–1839 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Battles/wars | Invasion of Java |
William Farquhar (/ˈfɑːkər/ FAH-kər; 26 February 1774 – 11 May 1839) was a Scottish colonial administrator. He worked for the East India Company, a powerful British trading company. He was the sixth Resident of Malacca from 1813 to 1818. Later, he became the first Resident of Singapore from 1819 to 1823.
Contents
William Farquhar's Life and Work
Early Life and Career
William Farquhar was born in Newhall, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1774. He was the youngest child of Robert Farquhar and Agnes Morrison. His older brother, Arthur, became a rear admiral in the British Navy.
In 1791, at age 17, Farquhar joined the East India Company in Madras, India. He quickly became a low-ranking officer in the Madras Engineer Group. By 1793, he was promoted to lieutenant.
Time in Malacca
From 1795 to 1813, Farquhar was a main administrator in Malacca. The British had taken Malacca from the Dutch in 1795. Farquhar was the Chief Engineer during this takeover.
He learned to speak the Malay language and was known as the 'Rajah of Malacca'. He had several children with Antoinette Clement, including a daughter named Esther Farquhar. Esther later married Captain Francis James Bernard, who was important in early Singapore.
Farquhar became a full captain in 1803. He helped with missions in the region, like the British Invasion of Java in 1811. In 1812, he became a major. He was then made the Resident and Commandant of Malacca in 1813. He managed both civil and military duties until the Dutch returned Malacca in 1818.
As an engineer, Farquhar was known for his successful time in Malacca. He was asked by the British government to destroy Dutch buildings there. He blew up the forts but saved some other important structures.
Developing Singapore
Farquhar knew a lot about the Malay region. He suggested setting up a new British trading post on Singapore island. In 1819, he made an agreement with the local leader, Temenggong Abdul Rahman. He then signed a more formal treaty with the Temenggong and Sultan Hussein Mohammed Shah. This agreement allowed the British to set up a trading post in Singapore.
On the same day, Farquhar climbed a hill called Bukit Larangan. He set up a flag post and raised the Union Jack flag. This moment marked the start of Singapore as a British settlement.
Farquhar became the first Resident and Commandant of Singapore. He worked to develop the new colony based on his plans. He managed Singapore for four years before Stamford Raffles came back to check on its progress.
Farquhar let traders do business freely, which helped Singapore grow fast. He cleared land on the Singapore River for development. His son-in-law, Captain Francis James Bernard, helped manage shipping. Singapore quickly became a busy trading town. Farquhar even allowed gambling, which Raffles did not like.
To deal with crime, Farquhar started Singapore's first police force in May 1820. His son-in-law, Bernard, led it. Communication with Raffles and the East India Company was slow. So, Singapore developed largely under Farquhar's leadership for over three years.
In 1821, Farquhar was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He achieved a lot in Singapore's early days. However, some of his decisions, like allowing buildings on certain areas, went against Raffles' plans. Farquhar believed it was needed because the settlement was growing so fast.
When Raffles returned in 1822, he was upset that his ideas were not followed. He also disliked that some local activities, like slave-trading, were allowed. Raffles then removed Farquhar from his position.
Leaving Southeast Asia
Farquhar was dismissed on May 1, 1823. Dr. John Crawfurd took over as Resident. Farquhar stayed in Singapore for a few more months.
Before he left, merchants and British residents gave him a farewell gift. The Chinese community gave him a fancy silver centerpiece.
Farquhar then left Singapore for Malacca, Penang, and Calcutta, on his way back to England. Many people, both Asian and European, liked Farquhar. A writer named Munshi Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir wrote about Farquhar's departure. He said that many people, including European residents and a large crowd of Asians, went to the beach to see him off. Troops formed a guard-of-honor, and many boats followed his ship, the Alexander.
Dispute with Raffles
When Farquhar arrived in London in 1824, he complained to the East India Company. He felt that Raffles had unfairly removed him. He asked to be put back in charge of Singapore. Farquhar said he had suggested creating Singapore and helped it grow.
Raffles disagreed strongly. He said he had never heard Farquhar suggest Singapore before. He also said Farquhar knew nothing about forming the settlement until Raffles told him. The Company eventually sided with Raffles in 1825.
Retirement and Later Life
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Farquhar settled in Perth, Scotland, in late 1826. He bought two large houses and built a billiard hall for his friends. In 1828, he married Margaret Loban and had six children with her. He was promoted to Colonel in 1829.
In 1830, Farquhar challenged statements made by Lady Sophia Raffles, Stamford Raffles' widow. She wrote a book saying her husband deserved all the credit for Singapore. Farquhar published an article saying he had a "large share" in creating Singapore. He wanted the public to decide if Lady Raffles was fair in her claims.
William Farquhar died on May 11, 1839, at age 65, in Perth, Scotland. He is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Perth. His tomb says he served in the East Indies for over 33 years. It also mentions his work as Resident in Malacca and as the founder of Singapore.
Natural History Drawings
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Between 1819 and 1823, Farquhar hired Chinese artists to draw local plants and animals. This project created 477 watercolours of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and insects from Malacca and Singapore. These paintings helped Western scientists learn about the region's many different living things. They also show a mix of Asian art style and Western realism.
A book called The William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings was published in 1999. Another book with all 477 drawings was published in 2010.
Legacy
Farquhar Street, a street in Singapore, was named after him. It was in the Kampong Glam area but was removed in 1994 due to changes in the street layout.
Lebuh Farquhar (Farquhar Street) in Penang, Malaysia, is sometimes thought to be named after him. However, it is actually named after Robert Townsend Farquhar, who was a different person.
In 1993, the National Museum of Singapore bought the silver centerpiece that the Chinese community gave William Farquhar. It was bought from his descendant for S$52,000.
William Farquhar is also an ancestor of Justin Trudeau, the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada. He is Justin Trudeau's fifth great-grandfather.
See also
In Spanish: William Farquhar para niños
