Richard Bourke

Sir Richard Bourke
Bourke by Martin Archer Shee (c. 1837–1850)
8th Governor of New South Wales
In office
3 December 1831 – 5 December 1837
MonarchsWilliam IV
Victoria
Preceded bySir Ralph Darling
Succeeded byGeorge Gipps
Personal details
Born(1777-05-04)4 May 1777[1]
Dublin, Ireland
Died12 August 1855(1855-08-12) (aged 78)[1]
County Limerick, Ireland
SpouseElizabeth Jane Bourke
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/serviceBritish Army
RankGeneral
Battles/wars
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath

General Sir Richard Bourke, KCB (4 May 1777 – 12 August 1855) was an Irish soldier, who served in the British Army and was Governor of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837. As a lifelong Whig (Liberal), he encouraged the emancipation of convicts and helped bring forward the ending of penal transportation to Australia. In this, he faced strong opposition from the landlord establishment and its press. He approved a new settlement on the Yarra River, and named it Melbourne, in honour of the incumbent British prime minister, Lord Melbourne.

  1. ^ a b "ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. THE LATE SIR R. BOURKE, K.C.B." The Argus (Melbourne). No. 2637. Victoria, Australia. 4 December 1855. p. 6. Retrieved 24 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.