Alured Clarke

Sir Alured Clarke (towards 1745 - September 16th 1832) was an officer and British colonial administrator. It occupied of the functions in Jamaica, with the Canada and in British India.

Beginning of career

Clarke united the army in 1759. In 1776, arrived at the rank of lieutenant-colonel, it unloaded in New York with its regiment. Of 1782 with 1790 he was lieutenant-governor of Jamaica where he made good impression.

In Canada

March 19th, 1790, Clarke was named lieutenant-governor of the province of Quebec to replace Henry Hope. It took its station the next on October 8th. The general governor, his superior, was Lord Dorchester. In August 1791, Dorchester left for England and Clarke assumed the capacities of governor and commander-in-chief. At that time specifies, the new constitution of the colony, the constitutional Acte of 1791, tie-beam in force. Two distinct colonies, the Low-Canada and the High-Canada were consequently created starting from the Province of Quebec. Clarke had mainly the load of Low-Canada, though the attibutions of the governor-general, that he assumed temporarily, included a certain authority on High-Canada. Important thing, Low-Canada was to have an elected representative assembly, in addition to the named Legislative council which assisted the governor.

The principal responsibility for Clarke was thus to apply the provisions of the new constitution. In particular, the delimitation of the borders with High-Canada and especially with the the United States was delicate, and the sometimes contradictory instructions coming from London. The mode of attribution of the grounds to the colonists and the reorganization of the courts were other subjects which occupied Clarke during the year 1792.

In order to organize the news Room of assembly of Low-Canada, Clarke on the whole published the May 7th 1792 a proclamation dividing the province into 27 electoral districts sending 50 deputies. In December of the same year, Clarke inaugurated the first session new Parliament, which lasted until May of the following year.

After this hard work, Clarke was relieved of the return of Dorchester in September 1793, and benefitted from it to return temporarily to England.

Subsequent career

Henry Dundas, at one time Minister of Interior Department and thus person in charge of the colonies, was extremely satisfied with the work of Clarke. Become Minister for the War, it named this one ordering of a reinforcement of troops which left for the India in 1795. Clarke was successively lieutenant-general of India, commander-in-chief with Madras then with the Bengal, briefly governor-general of India in 1798, then its commander-in-chief until in 1801.

Of return in England in 1801, Clarke was promoted general in 1802, then marshal in 1830, two years before its death.

See too

List of the governors of Canada before the Confederation

External bonds

Biography with the biographical Dictionary of Canada