Soldier, Colonial Secretary.

Ensign, 52 regiment of foot, 1814; present at battle of Waterloo [1] [2] [3] ; captain, 1823; in Van Diemen's land (Tasmania), 1823; clerk of executive and legislative council of Van Diemen's land (which was then still a penal colony), 1826-1832; colonial secretary of Van Diemen's land (Tasmania), 1834-1842; colonial secretary of Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), 1843-1853.

Probably born in India in 1797 (father was Lt. Col. in the Bengal Army; a kinsman of the duke of Manchester). Educated at Cheam in Surry. Married Jessy, niece of Lt Gov George Arthur of Van Diemens Land (Australia (Tasmania)); sailed with Arthur to Australia in 1828; appointed Secretary to Lt Gov Arthur; took over the colonial secretary's office and began to reform public accounts (apparently over protest of Colonial Office). By 1826 clerk of the Executive and Legislative Councils and serving on many boards and active in tightening up colonial regulations. Ordered to India as captain in his unit, even though he had resigned, returned to London to straighten this out, sold his commission and apparently got on the good graces of the Colonial Office.

Returned to Australia in 1831, resumed office, became a justice of the peace, continued to benefit from Arthur's patronage, and increased effectiveness of the administration. Became colonial treasurer in 1832 and also reorganized the postal department. Occasionally acted as colonial secretary, and formally appointed colonial secretary in 1835.

Arthur, recalled in 1835, appointed him one of the executors of his personal finances. Both Arthur and Montagu were land speculators. Montagu was also director and largest shareholder of Derwent Bank.

Arthur was replaced by Sir John Franklin, who found Montagu `an independent party of great wealth and influence' in key positions throughout the colony. Although at first determined to alter this situation, it appears Franklin, who had no government experience, ended up leaving administration to Montagu and pursuing exploration and science. Although the public was hostile to the `Arthurite Clique', the colonial office ran `with the celerity of clockwork and courtesy was everywhere'. Montagu became embroiled in a scandal upon being discovered to have a household cook that was serving a sentence for fraud (after he had opposed the use of convict gangs for public works).

In 1839 returned to England; involved in Colonial Office convict reform; advocated a ticket-of-leave system to `create character and self-esteem'. This Convict Probationary System was to gradually introduce convicts to the `temptations of society'. He apparently sold this system to the colonial office in 1842, while also raising enough money to make Derwent Bank Tasmania's major bank; it soon held over two-thirds of the colony's mortgages.

Returned to Australia (a ball was given in his honor for having urged the British Government to continue the system of transportation to Australia), immediately enmeshed in controversy and politics; clashed with Lady Franklin over location of Christ's College, relieved of office by Franklin, responded by claiming innocence and incompetence on the part of Franklin, who he wrote `was incapable of writing the letters signed by him... was little removed from an Imbecile... and had long been under the dominion of Lady Franklin.'

"Clearly Montagu had not outgrown the boyish disregard for truthfulness that had distressed his mother; even belated proof that he had lied about St George's tower failed to move him or the Colonial Office. Though historians disagree in interpreting the affair, it lost Montagu many friends in Hobart, and while it led to Franklin's recall, it effectively broke the power of the `Arthurite Clique'." (AuDB)

The Colonial Office offered him the position of Colonial Secretary of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), and he accepted; in Cape Town in 1843. Worked with 4 governors and often (in their absence) presided over Executive and Legislative Councils. Reorganized public finances, immigration, public works, and convict labor. The AuDB again:

"He applied his energies to the establishment of representative government in Cape Colony, strongly resisting any division of the colony and a franchise founded on wealth; according to one observer, `by his flair for adapting existing administrative machinery to meet needs, he laid the soundest foundations for a parliamentary structure'. In 1851 as acting-governor he reorganized the recruiting system that changed the course of the Kaffir war." (AuDB)

History.

Picture.

Sources:
[MEB].
[AuDB].
Encyclopedia of Southern Africa.

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