George Hay, formally known as Field Marshal George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, KT, GCB, was appointed as the Governor of Madras Presidency from the year 1842 to 1848, in the former undivided India under the rule of the British Empire. He was a Scottish soldier and British colonial administrator. Hay was born on 1 February 1787 in Bonnington in Scotland. He successfully completed his education from the Royal High School in Edinburgh.
Career of George Hay
In the year 1804, George Hay was commissioned into the 1st Foot Guards. George Hay was Aide-de-Camp in the Peninsular War under Arthur Wellesley. He participated at the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810, in the Grenadier Guards and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813, with the 100th Foot as AQMG. Hay also served at the Battle of Niagara in the War of 1812.
In the year 1842, Field Marshal George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, KT, GCB, was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army. Moreover he was made the Governor of Madras Presidency on 24 September 1842. The Madras Presidency, also known as the Presidency of Fort St. George and Madras Province, was an administrative sub division of British dominated India. The territory included most of southern India, such as the modern states of Tamil Nadu, the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep Islands, the Malabar region of North Kerala, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangapur and Gajapati districts of southern Orissa and the Bellary, Ganjam, Dakshina Kannada, Rayagada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. George Hay served in office until 23 February 1848 and was succeeded by Sir Henry Dickinson as the acting Governor of Madras. Later in the year 1875, Hay was promoted to the ranks of Field Marshal.
Personal Life of George Hay
George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale was married with Lady Susan Montagu. The couple had 7 sons and 6 daughters, namely, Susan Ramsay, Marchioness of Dalhousie, Lady Hannah Charlotte, Lady Louisa Jane, Lady Elizabeth, Lady Millicent, Lord Arthur, Earl of Gifford, Lord William Montagu, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale, Lord John, Lady Jane, Lady Julia, Lord Charles Edward, Lady Emily and Lord Frederick. George Hay died on 10 October 1876 at the age of 89, at Yester in Scotland.
