The Right Hon. Sir Henry POTTINGER, Lieutenant-General, died 18th March 1856 aged 66 years, after moving to Malta for health reasons. He was the fifth son of Eldred Curwen Pottinger of Mountpottinger, Co. Down, Ireland. Born on 3rd October 1789, his mother was Anne Gordon, the daughter of Robert Gordon of Florida Manor, Co. Down. He left the Belfast Academy at the age of twelve, and went to sea, going on to India where he studied native languages in Bombay. On 18th September 1806, when 17 years old he was made an Ensign in the army of the East India company, and promotion to Lieutenant followed on 16th July 1809.
As a 21-year-old he volunteered to explore the territory between India and Persia which at that time was little known and was felt to be in the British interest and spent a year on this adventure.
His career in India continued, with promotion to Captain being made on 15th October 1821. He served during the Maharatta war and at its close became the Collector of Ahmadnagar. Four years later he was promoted to Major and also made Resident at Cutch. Further advancement of his military career came on the 17th March 1829 when he was made a Lieutenant-Colonel, and brevet Colonel on 23rd January 1834. After another six years’ service in India ill health forced him to return to England. He was made a baronet on 27th April 1840.
Due to his experience as an administrator and political agent in India, Lord Palmerston selected him to be the envoy and plenipotentiary to China, at the outbreak of the Opium War in 1840. He reached Macao on 9th August, and together with Sir Hugh Gough and Admiral Sir William Parker decided on a display of force resulting in the capture of Amoy, Chusan, Chintu and Ningpo. Whilst preparing an assault on the city of Nanking in July 1842, they heard that the Chinese were ready for peace talks. Negotiations took place in August 1842. A Naval officer who eye witnessed these events gave the following descriptions:
“At the head of the room, in an armchair sat the Plenipo, Sir Henry Pottinger, on his right the General Sir Hugh Gough and on his left Admiral Sir William Parker. On the General’s right sat Eleepoo, the Chief Commissioner, and on the Admirals left Ch’i Kwang, the Emperor’s uncle, and next to him Niew-kien, the Governor of the Province.
Chairs covered with cloth were placed round the room. The floor was covered with red cloth. It formed a glittering scene. Our party shone in scarlet, blue and gold, even eclipsing the mandarins who had on their light summer dresses. A banquet was served in the outer room and the refreshment given to the guard in a separate building, while a couple of sentries guarded their piled arms, which the Tartars eyed curiously. The place was crowded with mandarins of all ranks and buttons, who were very civil. We had four interpreters there, Morrison, Gutzlaff, Thorn and Davis. There was a good deal of chin-chinning and after couple of hours the visit ended. The band struck up ‘the British Grenadiers’ and the guard marched down through a double line of Tartar soldiers and ended with ‘God Save the Queen’. We followed.”
Sir Henry’s approach to negotiations is described in a letter from the Chinese negotiator to the Chinese government, which was intercepted and said, “to all his representations the barbarian Pottinger only knit his brow and said ‘No’.” However, the treaty was signed on Monday 29th August 1842, on board HMS Cornwallis.
In recognition of his efforts Pottinger was made G.C.B. on 2nd December 1842, and on 5th April 1843 was appointed the first British Governor of Hong Kong. Upon his return to England in the spring of 1844 he was feted, presented with the freedom of many cities, the House of Commons voted him £ 1500 per annum for life, and on the 23rd May 1844, he was made a member of the Privy Council. On 28th September 1846 he was sent to Africa as the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, but was only there for a very short time, as he moved to India as Governor of Madras in August 1847. He held that position for seven years before declining health made him return to England. He married Susanna Maria Cooke in 1820, when she was 20 years old, the daughter of Captain Richard Cooke of Westmeath. They had three sons and one daughter, but the eldest son died in infancy. A son Frederick William Pottinger was born Bhooj in 1831, and Harry four years later. Harry became a barrister and succeeded to the title when his brother Frederick died in Australia in April 1865. Their sister was Henrietta Maria.
At rest in Msida Bastion Garden of Rest, Malta.
