Benjamin d'Urban

Major-General Sir Benjamin D'Urban (1777- 25 May, 1849) was a British general and colonial administrator, who is best known for his frontier policy when he was the Governor in the Cape Colony (now in South Africa).

Related Topics:
1777 - 25 May - 1849 - British - General - Administrator - Cape Colony - South Africa

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D'Urban was born in Halesworth, England, and joined the army in 1793, enlisting as a cornet in the Queen's Bays at the age of sixteen. He made rapid progress in the army and distinguished himself in the Peninsular War where he was quarter master general and chief of staff to Lord Beresford. He served in all the principle sieges and battles, never asked to go on leave and was laden with honors including KCB.

Related Topics:
Halesworth, England - Peninsular War

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In 1819, he was made Governor of Antigua. In 1824 he became lieutenant governor of Demerara-Essequibo, where in 1831 he carried out the amalgamation with Berbice to form British Guiana, of which he was its first governor (1831-33). Three years later he was appointed to the post of Governor of the Cape Colony.

Related Topics:
Antigua - British Guiana - Cape Colony

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In January 1834 he took office as governor and commander in chief of the Cape Colony. His administration was complicated by the exodus of Dutch farmers to the far north and east (known as the Great Trek) and the outbreak of the Cape Frontier War of (1834-35) created by incursions of Bantu-speaking Xhosa peoples. He drove back the invaders and annexed the territory between the Keiskamma and Great Kei (Groot-Kei) rivers.

Related Topics:
Great Trek - Cape Frontier War - Xhosa

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He abolished slavery, established municipal and legislative councils, occupied Natal, now KwaZulu-Natal, and named it as a new colony for the British Empire. To commemorate this the name of the principal port was changed in 1835 from Port Natal to Durban.

Related Topics:
Slavery - Natal - KwaZulu-Natal - Durban

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Although he was popular with the colonists, his treatment of the Africans disturbed the missionaries and humanitarians, who had great influence with Lord Glenelg, the colonial secretary. In a despatch dated May 1, 1837, Glenelg dismissed D'Urban, who remained governor until the arrival of his successor in January 1838 and continued in his military capacity in South Africa until 1846.

Related Topics:
Lord Glenelg - May 1 - 1837 - 1838 - 1846

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In 1842 he declined a high military appointment in India offered him by Sir Robert Peel

Related Topics:
1842 - Sir Robert Peel

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In January 1847 he accepted appointment as commander of Her Majesty's forces in British North America. There were border disputes and a threat of invasion by the Americans into Canada near Montreal. Early in 1847 he set up his headquarters in Montreal.

Related Topics:
1847 - British North America

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He remained in Montreal until his death in 1849. He was buried in the cemetry at Pointe Claire where there is an obelisk to his memory.

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