Sir Robert Townsend Farquhar, 1st Baronet (1776 – 16 March 1830) was an influential British merchant of the early nineteenth century who served as a colonial governor and Member of Parliament. During his lengthy service for both the East India Company and the British government, Farquhar gained a reputation as an efficient and ambitious administrator and he notably served as Lieutenant-Governor of Prince of Wales Island (Penang Island) from January 1804 to 1805 and as governor of Île de Bourbon, now known as Réunion from 1810 to 1811.
He was the 1st Governor of Mauritius from 4 December 1810 to 20 May 1823. During his tenure on Mauritius, Farquhar became well known for his operations against French slave traders, having previously investigated the possibility of replacing slaves with paid Chinese labourers. After returning to Britain, Farquhar, who was made a baronet in 1821, sat in Parliament for Newton and later for Hythe.
Early life
In 1787, at the age of 11, Farquhar joined Westminster School. He then took up the study of book-keeping under James Pierson of Castle Street. After this he joined the East India Company.
Career SummaryPrinsep, Charles C. Record of services of the Honourable East India Company's civil servants in the Madras presidency, from 1741 to 1858. London: Trubner & Co. 1885: 52. Print.
1795 – 1796: E.I.C.: Writer at Madras
1796 – 1797: E.I.C: Assistant Under-Accountant to the Board of Revenue
1797 – 1798: E.I.C: Assistant Under-Resident, Amboyna and Banda, and Dutch Translator to the Expedition under Admiral Eamier 1798 – 1798: E.I.C.: Deputy Commercial Resident, Amboyna and Banda, and Dutch Interpreter 1798 – 1802: E.I.C.: Commercial Resident, Amboyna and Banda 1802 – 1804: Commissioner for Adjusting British Claims at Moluccas 1804 – 1805: E.I.C.: Lieutenant-Governor, Prince of Wales' Island (Penang) 1806 – 1806: Departed Penang, returned to England 1807 – 1807: Stood for Canterbury during the General Election (lost); published 'Suggestions for supplying the West Indian colonies with labourers from China; failed attempt to re-secure the Governorship of Penang 1810 – 1811: E.I.C.: Interim Administrator of (Bourbon, 8 Jul. '10) and Mauritius (6 Dec. '10) 1811 – 1817: E.I.C.: Governor of Mauritius (18 March onwards) 1817 – 1820: Leave of absence (from November 1817) 1820 – 1823: E.I.C.: Governor of Mauritius (arrived London Sep. '23) 1823 – 1823: Declared Candidacy for Vacant E.I.C. Dir. chair (failed) 1825 – 1826: M.P. for Newton 1826 – 1828: Director of the Hon. the East India Company 1826 – 1830: M.P. for Hythe (Kent)
E. I. C. Amboyna
Farquhar rose rapidly in the company and by the late 1790s was the commercial resident in Amboyna, a former Dutch colony seized during the French Revolutionary Wars.
Farquhar concluded treaties of Alliance and Commerce with the Sultans of Tidore (12 November 1801), Ternate (23 November 1801) and Batchian (30 January 1802), all of which the Madras Government dissolved. None of them are mentioned in Aitchison's "A Collection of Treaties, Engagements, and Sanads relating to India and neighbouring Countries," and can only be found at the National Archives (U.K., Ref. No. IOR/H/635).
In 1802, at the Peace of Amiens, Farquhar was charged with assessing British claims on the colony as it was returned to the Batavian Republic.
During his time at Amboyna, Farquhar earned the Governor of Madras' displeasure by exceeding his brief in initiating a successful attack on the Dutch settlement of Ternate after the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars. Demoted and sent back to London, Farquhar submitted his resignation together with a strongly worded letter of vindication to the Governor-General, Lord Wellesley. Impressed with Farquhar's initiative and direct approach, Wellesley offered him the governorship of Penang.
E. I.C. Lieutenant-Governor, Penang
During his administration at Penang, Farquhar began public works activities to improve roads, water supply and the fortification of the settlement. Farquhar Street in Penang is named after him. Farquhar was responsible for the reconstruction of Fort Cornwallis at a cost of $80,000.