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The Honourable Sir Stamford Raffles | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by George Francis Joseph, c. 1817 | |
| Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen | |
| In office 1818–1824 | |
| Monarchs | George III George IV |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| 2nd British Lieutenant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies | |
| In office 1811–1816 | |
| Appointed by | Earl of Minto |
| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | Rollo Gillespie (acting) |
| Succeeded by | John Fendall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles 5 July 1781 Onboard the ship Ann, off the coast of Port Morant, Jamaica |
| Died | 5 July 1826 (aged 45) Highwood House, Highwood Hill, Middlesex, England |
| Cause of death | Apoplexy (stroke) due to brain tumour |
| Resting place | St Mary's Church, Hendon, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents |
|
| Education | Mansion House Boarding School |
| Known for | Founding years of modern Singapore |
Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles FRS FRAS (5 July 1781 – 5 July 1826)[1][2] was a British colonial official who served as the governor of the Dutch East Indies between 1811 and 1816 and lieutenant-governor of Bencoolen between 1818 and 1824. Raffles was involved in the capture of the Indonesian island of Java from the Dutch during the Napoleonic Wars. It was returned under the Anglo–Dutch Treaty of 1814. He also wrote The History of Java in 1817, describing the history of the island from ancient times.[3] The Rafflesia flower was named after him.[4]
Raffles also played a role in further establishing the British Empire's reach in East and Southeast Asia. He secured control over the strategically located Singapore from local rulers in 1819 to secure British access along the Strait of Singapore and the nearby seas in the region, particularly the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. His actions were initially not endorsed by the British government and led to tensions between the British and the Dutch. The Anglo–Dutch Treaty of 1824 established their respective spheres of influence, the Dutch relinquishing their claims to Singapore while the British ceded Bencoolen to them. An entrepôt was subsequently established in Singapore for maritime trade between Europe and Asia.
While Raffles was largely credited for the founding of contemporary Singapore, the early running of day-to-day operations was mostly done by William Farquhar, who served as the first Resident of Singapore from 1819 to 1823.[5] Raffles soon returned to England in 1824, where he died on his birthday in 1826 at the age of 45. His legacy while complex remains significant in Singapore, most notably the Raffles's Landing Site, as well as his name being a common sight in numerous entities and institutions throughout the country. Others have argued against excessive reverence as he was an imperialist who projected colonialism onto the population of Singapore that predated his arrival.[6][7]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Bastinwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
SophiaRaffleswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Raffles, Thomas Stamford (2015). The History of Java, v. 1–2.
- ^ "Rafflesia". Infopedia. Government of Singapore. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
- ^ "William Farquhar, not Raffles, is true founder of S'pore: UK magazine book review". mothership.sg. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
- ^ "Head Count: The History of Census-taking in Singapore". National Library, Singapore. 21 January 2020.
- ^ "Glory and disgrace: The complex legacy of Singapore founder Raffles". France 24. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2023.