George Clarke, officially known as Sir George Sydenham Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe GCSI, GCIE, GCMG, GBE, served as the Governor of Bombay Presidency from the year 1907 to 1913, in erstwhile undivided India under the rule of the British East India Company. He was also a British Army officer and one of the renowned a colonial administrators. George Clarke was born on 4 July 1848 in Lincolnshire. He completed his education from Haileybury, Wimbledon and later studied at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. He was an eminent supporter of fascist causes.
George Clarke of Governor of Bombay Presidency
George Sydenham Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe GCSI, GCIE, GCMG, GBE was designated as the Governor of Victoria and he held the position from the year 1901 to 1903. George Clarke was again appointed as the Governor of Bombay Presidency on 18 October 1907 and was preceded by Sir John William Pitt Muir Mackenzie, who served as the Governor of Bombay from 27 July 1907 to 18 October 1907. Bombay Presidency was one of the Presidencies and provinces of British India. It was first founded in the 17th century at Surat as a trading post for the British East India Company. The Presidency included the territories of modern states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, regions of Konkan, Kandesh and Desh and northwestern Karnataka state.
Sir George Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe GCSI, GCIE, GCMG, GBE, served in office till 5 April 1913 and was succeeded by Major Freeman Freeman Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon PC GCSI GCMG GCIE GBE.
Later Life of George Clarke
Later in 1913, Clarke was promoted to the peerage as Baron Sydenham of Combe, of Dulverton in the County of Devon. After his last term as the Governor of Bombay Presidency, he became a member of the committee which issued the Esher Report. Clarke was also appointed as the first Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence. George Clarke acted as the Secretary of the Colonial Defence Committee in 1892. In the same year, he wrote and published the book entitled "Fortification: Its Past Achievement, Recent Development and Future Progress". The book became rather influential in shaping the British purview of military fortification.
Personal Life of George Clarke
Sir George Sydenham Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe GCSI, GCIE, GCMG, GBE died on 7 February 1933 at the age of 84 years. After his death the barony became extinct.
Honours of George Clarke
For his loyal services, Sir George Clarke, 1st Baron Sydenham of Combe was knighted with Knight Grand Commander of The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (GCSI); Knight Grand Commander of The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE); Knight Grand Cross of The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG); and Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE).
