James Robert Longden

James Robert Longden
15th Governor of British Ceylon
In office 4 September 1877 – 10 July 1883
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Preceded by	William Henry Gregory
Succeeded by	John Douglas acting governor
Personal details
Born	7 July 1827[1] Fitzroy Square, London
Died	4 October 1891 (aged 64) Longhope, Gloucestershire

Sir James Robert Longden GCMG (1827 – 4 October 1891) was an English colonial administrator.

Longden was born as the youngest son of John R. Longden, proctor, of Doctors' Commons, London. In 1844, two years after the establishment of a civil government, he was appointed government clerk in the Falkland Islands, and became acting colonial secretary the year after. In 1861 he was appointed President of the Virgin Islands, in 1865 Governor of Dominica, in 1867 Governor of British Honduras, in 1870 Governor of Trinidad, Governor of British Guiana in 1874, and in December 1876 Governor of Ceylon, which post he held until his retirement in 1883. He was made CMG in 1871, KCMG in 1876, GCMG in the 1883 Birthday Honours.^[2]

After his retirement he resided at Longhope, near Watford, Hertfordshire, and took a very active part in county affairs. He was a J.P. and alderman for the county under the Local Government Act. He died at Longhope on 4 October 1891. His funeral took place at Woking crematorium on 9 October 1891.

Family

On 22 September 1864 ^[3] on the island of Saint Kitts, he married Alice Emily Berridge (1846-1910), younger daughter of James Samuel Berridge (1806-1885), a local landowner and businessman, and his wife Jane Chapman (1803-1888). They had six children, including Colonel Arthur Berridge Longden DSO (1868-1936),^[4] Cyril Chapman Longden KPM (1873-1913), and Vice-Admiral Horace Walker Longden CMG (1877-1953).^[5]

External links

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Longden, James Robert". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
• Longden biography, specific for Trinidad and Tobago
• Description and image in Twentieth century impressions of Ceylon (Google books)

References

1. Miscellanea Genealogica Et Heraldica. Hamilton, Adams, and Company. 1900. p. 107. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
2. The London Gazette: no. 25233. p. 2731. 24 May 1883.
3. Gloucestershire Notes and Queries. Reprint. London: Forgotten Books, 2013. 245-6 http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Gloucestershire_Notes_and_Queries_1000743797/271 Accessed 2 December 2015
4. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=68926953 Accessed 2 December 2015
5. http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U239967 Accessed 2 December 2015

• Dod's Knightage, 1891
• Colonial Office List, 1891
• Times, 5 and 10 Oct. 1891