->Trappist the monk: /* Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal */Cite newspaper The Times: replace/delete deprecated parameters;

2022-01-03T17:54:59Z

Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal: Cite newspaper The Times: replace/delete deprecated parameters;

New page

{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
'''Sir John Woodburn''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCSI}} (13 July 1843 – 21 November 1902) was an [[Indian Civil Service|Indian Civil Servant]], who later served as [[List of Governors of Bengal|Lieutenant Governor of Bengal]] from 1898 to 1902.<ref name=a>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Indian Biography By C. E. Buckland|year=1999|page=460|isbn=9788170208976|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e_dA0RAwd4oC&pg=PA460 |last1=Buckland|first1=C. E.}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Woodburn was born at [[Barrackpore]] in [[British India]] to David Woodburn.
After early education at Arya Academy in Bengal, he went to Scotland to study at [[Glasgow University]] and [[Edinburgh University]].<ref name=a/><ref>Memories of the old college of Glasgow: Some chapters in the ... - Volume 2 by David Murray - 1927 - p. 578</ref>

==Career==
Woodburn joined the [[Indian Civil Service]] in 1863 and arrived in India. He served most of his early career on various positions in the [[North-Western Provinces]] and [[Oudh]]. After early years in Oudh, he was from 1882 secretary to the government of the North Western Provinces, and from 1888–1893 he was Chief Secretary of the province. During these years, he was from 1890 an additional member of the [[Viceroy's Executive Council]].<ref name=TTobit /> In 1893 he was appointed [[List of Governors of the Central Provinces and Berar|Chief Commissioner]] of the [[Central Provinces]], serving two years until 1895.<ref name=a/><ref>'''Statues of the Raj''' by [[Mary Ann Steggles]], British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia, 2000 - Page 221</ref>

He was in 1895 asked by the new Viceroy, [[Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin|Lord Elgin]] to become a permanent member of the Viceroy′s Executive Council, with responsibility for the Home department. During his time in this office he had to deal with the severe famine of 1896–98. The famine especially affected the Central provinces ha had just left, and he worked closely with the new governor Sir [[Charles James Lyall|Sir Charles Lyall]] to contain the suffering.<ref name=TTobit /> He was appointed a Companion of the [[Order of the Star of India]] (CSI) in 1892, and was knighted as a Knight Commander (KCSI) in the order in 1897.<ref name=a/>

==Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal==
[[File:Sir John Woodburn, Dalhousie Square.jpg|right|thumb|Statue of Sir John Woodburn, which earlier stood at Dalhousie Square, [[Calcutta]]. Image of 1905]]
In April 1898, he was selected the successor of [[Charles Cecil Stevens|Sir Charles Stevens]] to the post of the [[List of Governors of Bengal|Lieutenant Governor of Bengal]], which position he retained till his death on 21 November 1902.<ref name=a/><ref name=b>Sir John Woodburn, K.C.S.I., Lieut.-Governor of Bengal from 1898 to 1902: a Biographical Retrospect by Sir John Woodburn (K.C.S.I.), Jessy J. Matheson. 1926</ref><ref>Notes and Queries: For Readers and Writers, Collectors and Librarians, Oxford University Press, 1913 - Page 206.</ref> During his years in Calcutta he worked to contain the plague taking hold in the city and presidency, and took an interest in local institutions in the city, which he preferred to his summer capital of [[Darjeeling]]. He travelled extensively in the city and throughout the province.<ref name=TTobit /> In their obituary, ''[[The London Times]]'' described his years in [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]] the following way:
{{Blockquote|Though perhaps not the intellectual equal of some others who have ruled in Bengal and the North-Western Provinces in recent days, he possessed in high degree the faculty of getting the very best out of all his subordinates, by whom he was greatly beloved. A man of singular suavity of demeanor, he owned in full measure that delightful courtesy, often called old-fashioned, but never out of fashion, so long as its manifestation proceeds from a kind and generous heart. Since [[Frederick James Halliday|Sir Frederick Halliday]] became her first Lieutenant-Governor in 1854, Bengal had never had a more popular ruler, and his success was the more remarkable because his whole service had been passed in other provinces, while that of Bengal is perhaps, not without reason, proud of its pre-eminence in area, revenue, and population.<ref name=TTobit />}}

He served as President of [[The Asiatic Society]] for the years 1900-01.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://asiaticsocietycal.com/president/index.htm |title=Asiatic Society - List of Presidents |access-date=8 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901074336/http://asiaticsocietycal.com/president/index.htm |archive-date=1 September 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Woodburn died after a short illness at Calcutta on 21 November 1902,<ref name=TTobit>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Obituary - Sir John Woodburn |date=22 November 1902 |page=8 |issue=36932}}</ref> and was buried at Circular Road Cemetery of Calcutta.

He was succeeded by [[Andrew Henderson Leith Fraser|Sir Andrew Fraser]] as next Governor of Bengal.

==Family==
Woodburn married in 1869 Isabella Cassels Walker, daughter of Mr. John Walker, of Drumgrange, [[Ayrshire]], and they had several daughters.<ref name=TTobit />

==Works==
Woodburn's published works include his memoirs ''Sir John Woodburn, K.C.S.I., Lieut.-Governor of Bengal from 1898 to 1902: a Biographical Retrospect by Sir John Woodburn (K.C.S.I.), Jessy J. Matheson.'' published in 1926.<ref name=b/>

==Memorials==
*A bronze statue of him was unveiled in 1905, which earlier stood at [[BBD Bagh|Dalhouse Square]] of [[Kolkata]] - has now been shifted to [[Victoria Memorial (India)|Victoria Memorial]].
*A street in Kolkata was named after him, as Woodburn Street in Kolkata.
*A park is named as Woodburn Park after him and road was earlier known as Woodburn Park Road also at Kolkata.
*Woodburn Ward of [[SSKM Hospital]], Kolkata is also named after him, where at present special patients like VVIP, VIP are treated.

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=[[List of British rulers and high officials in Bengal|Lieutenant-governor of Bengal]]|years=1898–1902|before= [[Sir Charles Stevens|Charles Stevens]] |after= [[Andrew Henderson Leith Fraser|A. H. L. Fraser]]}}
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodburn, John}}
[[Category:1843 births]]
[[Category:1902 deaths]]
[[Category:Lieutenant-governors of Bengal]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Indian Civil Service (British India) officers]]
[[Category:Administrators in British India]]
[[Category:Members of the Council of India]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:People from North 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Presidents of The Asiatic Society]]

John Woodburn (civil servant) - Revision history

->Trappist the monk: /* Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal */Cite newspaper The Times: replace/delete deprecated parameters;