Fifth Duke of Manchester. Governor of Jamaica.

Educated at Harrow, ensign in 35th foot, 1787; lieutenant, 1787;

Lord-lieutenant for county of Huntingdon, 1793; colonel, 1794; governor of Jamaica, 1808-1827; commended for his discrete handling of mutiny in the 2nd West India regiment (a black regiment), 1808; attempted to reform the Jamaican postal service and courts (free blacks were allowed as witnesses, but could not hold office), 1814; dealing with destruction by fire of Port Royale and of the plantations by hurricane, 1815; his personal influence is claimed to have pacified the slaves and calmed the panic in Jamaica when the slaves in Barbados revolted, 1816; fractured his scull in carriage wreck, 1820; last years in office dominated by preparing for the emancipation of the slaves, which apparently was very difficult due to resistance of planters (issues included forbidding the carrying of whips and exempting women from flogging); a black revolt occurred, a plot was discovered that intended to kill all whites, 1824;

Returned to England, 1827; Postmaster-general, 1827-1830.

He apparently spent his younger years in travel and sports, especially rowing.

His marriage was unhappy, and he had separated before he left for Jamaica. He was considered very handsome.

The original Port Royal, a city that had practically become a lawless pirate enclave, was gruesomely destroyed in 1692. Essentially, it had been built on a sandbar surrounded by the ocean. In a large earthquake, the sand all liquefied and the ground beneath the city became quicksand, sucking people alive (and entire buildings) into the earth. The city which burned in 1815 was a smaller town that had been built across the bay.

Sources:
[DNB].

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