# Alexander Bannerman

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British politician

For other people named Alexander Bannerman, see [Alexander Bannerman (disambiguation)](/source/Alexander_Bannerman_(disambiguation)).

Sir Alexander Bannerman Governor of Newfoundland In office 1857–1864 Preceded by Sir Charles Henry Darling Succeeded by Sir Anthony Musgrave Governor of the Bahamas In office 1854–1857 Preceded by Charles John Bayley Succeeded by John Gregory Governor of Prince Edward Island In office 1851–1854 Preceded by Ambrose Lane Succeeded by Dominick Daly Member of Parliament for Aberdeen In office 1832–1847 Preceded by New constituency Succeeded by Alexander Fordyce 37th Rector of Marischal College, Aberdeen In office 1834–1836 Preceded by Sir Charles Forbes Succeeded by Dr. John Abercrombie Personal details Born (1788-10-07)7 October 1788 Aberdeen, Scotland Died 30 December 1864(1864-12-30) (aged 76) Mayfair, London Spouse Margaret Gordon ​ ​ (after 1825)​ Relations Sir Alexander Bannerman, 6th Baronet (uncle) Parent(s) Thomas Bannerman Jean Simson

**Sir Alexander Bannerman** (7 October 1788 – 30 December 1864) was a Scottish merchant, [vintner](/source/Vintner), politician and British colonial governor.

## Early life

Known as "Sandy", he was born on 7 October 1788 in [Scotland](/source/Scotland). He was the eldest son of merchant Thomas Bannerman (1743–1820) and his wife, Jean ([née](/source/N%C3%A9e) Simson) Bannerman (1745–1817), who married in 1779. His younger brother, Thomas, was the father of [Sir George Bannerman, 10th Baronet](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sir_George_Bannerman,_10th_Baronet&action=edit&redlink=1) and grandfather of [Sir Alexander Bannerman, 11th Baronet](/source/Sir_Alexander_Bannerman%2C_11th_Baronet).[1]

His maternal grandfather was George Simson of [Hazlehead](/source/Hazlehead). His paternal grandparents were Aberdeen merchant Alexander Bannerman and Margaret (née [Burnett](/source/House_of_Burnett)) Bannerman. His uncle was [Sir Alexander Bannerman, 6th Baronet](/source/Sir_Alexander_Bannerman%2C_6th_Baronet).[1]

Bannerman was a prominent businessman in his hometown of Aberdeen from where he managed the family wine business. He also had a hand in trading and [whaling](/source/Whaling). Bannerman served as the city's provost and in 1837, was elected dean of [Marischal College, Aberdeen](/source/Marischal_College%2C_Aberdeen).[2]

## Career

Alexander Bannerman joined the town council of Aberdeen in 1811. He was a reformer, challenging the long-standing oligarchy led by James and Gavin Hadden, and was instrumental in establishing an elected trust to manage the new Aberdeen Harbour.[3]

In 1832 he became Member of Parliament (MP) for [Aberdeen](/source/Aberdeen_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) in the [House of Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom), sitting as a Radical, and remained an MP until his retirement in 1847. Together with his wife, Margaret Gordon the granddaughter of former Governor [Walter Patterson](/source/Walter_Patterson_(governor)), Bannerman returned to the colony of her birth, when he took up the appointment in 1851 as [governor of Prince Edward Island](/source/List_of_Prince_Edward_Island_lieutenant-governors). On this occasion he was made a [Knight Bachelor](/source/Knight_Bachelor).[2] Bannerman instituted [responsible government](/source/Responsible_government) on the island but was removed in 1854 due to political unrest in which he favoured the Reformers. Subsequently, he was [governor of the Bahamas](/source/Colonial_Heads_of_the_Bahamas) until 1857, when he returned north to become [governor of Newfoundland](/source/List_of_governors_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador#Colonial_Governors_of_Newfoundland,_1855–1907), the second governor since responsible government had been granted.

He clashed with [John Kent](/source/John_Kent_(Newfoundland_politician)), the [premier of Newfoundland](/source/List_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador_premiers), who he felt was corrupt. Bannerman accused Kent's government, as did Bishop Mullock, of using relief aid as patronage and also accused Kent of being unreasonable in negotiations with France over the [French Shore](/source/French_Shore). In 1861, after Kent had accused Bannerman of conspiring with the courts and opposition [Conservative Party of Newfoundland](/source/Conservative_Party_of_Newfoundland) against a proposal to reduce the salaries of judges, Bannerman dismissed the Kent government and appointed the [leader of the opposition](/source/Opposition_(parliamentary)), [Hugh Hoyles](/source/Hugh_Hoyles) as the new [Premier](/source/List_of_Newfoundland_and_Labrador_premiers).

Kent's [Liberal Party of Newfoundland](/source/Liberal_Party_of_Newfoundland) defeated the Conservative government in a [Motion of No Confidence](/source/Motion_of_No_Confidence) resulting in an election campaign that was fought along [sectarian](/source/Sectarian) lines with [Catholics](/source/Roman_Catholic_Church) largely voting Liberal and [Protestants](/source/Protestantism) largely voting Conservative. The Protestant [Conservative Party of Newfoundland](/source/Conservative_Party_of_Newfoundland) narrowly defeated Kent's Liberals. Extensive rioting led to disputed results, with the Conservatives having a majority of only two until in a peaceful by-election [Harbour Grace](/source/Harbour_Grace) returned two Conservatives.

Bannerman' initial action in dismissing Kent had been rash and the Colonial Office told him so, but Hoyles, the new Premier, moved towards non-sectarian government, both bishops called for order, and the politics of class replaced the politics of religion. Bannerman resigned as governor in 1864 and returned to England.

## Personal life

The grave of Sir Alexander Bannerman, Kensal Green Cemetery

In 1825, Bannerman married Margaret Gordon, a daughter of Guthrie Gordon, Esq.[1] Lady Bannerman, as she was known, was born in [Charlottetown](/source/Charlottetown) on [Prince Edward Island](/source/Prince_Edward_Island), and was a granddaughter of [Walter Patterson](/source/Walter_Patterson_(governor)) who had been the Island's first governor.[4] She was later identified as "Carlyle's first love" by her biographer, who tells of the young schoolmaster [Thomas Carlyle](/source/Thomas_Carlyle), in [Kirkcaldy](/source/Kirkcaldy), Scotland, "who was attracted by her intelligence and wit."[4] Her family considered Carlyle as an unsuitable marriage prospect, and she eventually married Bannerman, a distant cousin.[4]

While in England, he caught a cold and, in his enfeebled state, fell down a flight of stairs causing his death on 30 December 1864 in [Mayfair, London](/source/Mayfair%2C_London) aged 76.

He is buried in [Kensal Green Cemetery](/source/Kensal_Green_Cemetery).

### Legacy

[Bannerman Park](/source/Bannerman_Park) in St. John's commemorates his name in Newfoundland.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Burke1869_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Burke1869_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Burke1869_1-2) Burke, Bernard (1869). [*A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, Volume 1*](https://archive.org/stream/genealogicalhera00inburk#page/66/mode/2up). London: Harrison. p. 66. Retrieved 9 October 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dod_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dod_2-1) Dod, Robert P. (1860). *The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland*. London: Whitaker and Co. p. 103.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Fry, Michael (2013), *A New Race of Men: Scotland 1815 – 1914*, Birlinn, Edinburgh, pp. 137–143

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Archibald_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Archibald_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Archibald_4-2) Archibald, Raymond C. (1910). [*Carlyle's First Love: Margaret Gordon, Lady Bannerman*](https://archive.org/details/cihm_991345). London: John Lane the Bodley Head. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780659913456](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780659913456). {{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#invalid_isbn_date))

## External links

- *[Hansard](/source/Hansard)* 1803–2005: [contributions in Parliament by Alexander Bannerman](https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-alex-bannerman)

- [Biography at Prince Edward Island Government official website](http://www.gov.pe.ca/lg/gallery/11Bannerman.php3)

- [Biography at Government House *The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador*](http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g48.html)

- [Biography at the *Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online*](http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=4280)

Parliament of the United Kingdom New constituency Member of Parliament for Aberdeen 1832–1847 Succeeded by Alexander Fordyce Government offices Preceded by Ambrose Lane Governor of Prince Edward Island 1851–1854 Succeeded by Dominick Daly Preceded by John Gregory Governor of the Bahamas 1854–1857 Succeeded by Charles John Bayley Preceded by Sir Charles Henry Darling Governor of Newfoundland 1857–1864 Succeeded by Sir Anthony Musgrave

v t e Lieutenant governors of Prince Edward Island Crown Colony of Prince Edward Island (1769–1873) Patterson Fanning DesBarres Townshend Smith Ready Maxwell A. W. Young Wright Harvey FitzRoy Huntley Campbell Lane Bannerman Daly C. Young Dundas Hodgson Province of Prince Edward Island (1873–present) Robinson Hodgson Haviland A. Macdonald Carvell Howlan McIntyre D. A. MacKinnon Rogers C. Macdonald M. MacKinnon Heartz Dalton de Blois LePage J. A. Bernard Prowse Hyndman W. J. MacDonald MacKay Bennett Doiron MacPhail Reid Clements L. Bernard Hagerman Lewis Perry Salamoun

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander Bannerman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Bannerman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Bannerman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.