Harry Verelst | |
|---|---|
| Governor of the Presidency of Bengal | |
| In office January 1767 – December 1769 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Clive |
| Succeeded by | John Cartier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 February 1734 Hanbury, Worcestershire, England |
| Died | 24 October 1785 (aged 51) Boulogne-sur-Mer, France |
| Resting place | Minster-in-Thanet, Kent, England |
Harry Verelst (11 February 1734 – 24 October 1785) was a colonial administrator with the British East India Company who served as the governor of Bengal from 1767 to 1769.
Verelst traveled to India as a Company employee at a young age and rose through the Company ranks after many years of service, becoming a close supporter of Governor Robert Clive and eventually succeeding him as governor. Like his predecessor, Verelst attempted to reform the Company's administration in Bengal, but he lacked Clive's authority. He took steps to curb corruption and abuses within the Company and to gather information on local laws and customs. He faced opposition from the Company's servants and resigned after nearly three years in office.
After returning to Britain in 1770, he engaged in public polemics about his tenure and British rule in Bengal with William Bolts, a disgruntled former Company employee, and faced lawsuits incited by the latter. The exchanges between Bolts and Verelst stimulated the public discussion about the Company's governance in India. Failing to transport much of his wealth from India, Verelst fell into dire financial straits and fled to the continent to evade his creditors. He died in France in 1785.