218. Henry Blake
Of Renvyle, J.P.
256. Harold Henry Blake
Died unmarried
Lost in the wreck of the Solway April 8, 1643
261. Herbert Henry Blake
Died unmarried
262. Emelie Anna Blake
Died unmarried
Died unmarried
Eleventh Baronet of Menlo
Twelfth Baronet of Menlo. M.P. for the Borough of Galway from 1813 to 1820 and again from 1841 to his death.
271. Ellie Blake
Died unmarried
272. Eleanor Blake
Died unmarried
273. Eliza Blake
Died unmarried
Of Meelick, Co. Galway
276. Walter J. Blake
Surgeon-Major
246. Sir Henry Arthur Blake , G.C.M.G, K.C.M.G., C.M.G., F.R.G.S., J.P., D.L.
Early life and career
Blake was born in Limerick, Ireland on 8 January, 1840. He was the son of Peter Blake, a county Inspector of Irish Constabulary. Blake started out as a draper's assistant at a haberdashery, but soon joined the Irish Constabulary in 1859, where he worked as an inspector and Resident Magistrate of Duff in 1876. In 1882, he was raised to the position of Special Resident Magistrate.Early colonial services
In 1884, Blake was made Governor of Bahamas, a position he held until 1887. In that year, he was transferred to Newfoundland, where he served as governor from 1887 to 1889. In 1886, Blake was appointed to Queensland, but resigned without entering the administration. Eventually, in 1889, Blake became the Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of Jamaica. His term was extended in 1894 and 1896, at the request of Legislature and public bodies of the Island.Governor of Hong Kong
In 1898 He was appointed Governor of Hong Kong, a position he served until in 1903. Five months before Blake arrived in Hong Kong, the British Government successfully negotiated an agreement with the Imperial Chinese Government, allowing the Hong Kong Government to lease the New Territories for 99 years. During Blake's tenure, he sent in administrators to the New Territories to assert control of the colony. The residents of the area organized a tough resistance movement, which was subdued with the use of British Troops under Commander Gascoigne.Blake left Hong Kong immediately after he attended the inauguration of the Supreme Court building (now the LegCo Chambers) in 1903.
Post-governorship
Blake was appointed Governor of Ceylon at the end of his tenure in Hong Kong, and he served in that capacity until 1907. This was his last post in the Colonial Services.Personal life
Blake married twice. He married Jeannie Irwin in 1862. Jeannie died in 1866, and Blake married his second wife, Edith, in 1874. He had two sons and one daughter. Blake died on 23 February, 1918.Honours
* C.M.G., 1887
* K.C.M.G., l888
* G.C.M.G., 1897
* Knight of Justice of Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
* Fellow of Royal Geographical Society (F.R.G.S.)
* J.P.
* D.L.
* Fellow of Royal Colonial Institute (F.R.C.I.)
* Fellow of Institute of Directors (F.I.D.)
* Honorary Colonel of Ceylon Mounted Rifles
* District Grand Master Ceylon Freemasons.
* Member, Council Royal Dublin Society
* Honorary Member, Royal Zoological Society, London.Places named after him
The community of Blaketown in Canada was named in his honour when he was the governor of Newfoundland. Also, the Blake Park and Blake Dock Hong Kong were both named after him.Additional sources
Blake was born in Limerick, Ireland on January 8, 1840. He started out as a draper's assistant at a haberdashery but soon joined the Irish Constabulary where he worked as an inspector and magistrate (Duff). He was made governor of the Bahamas in 1886, and was transferred to Newfoundland in 1887. He was knighted the same year.Blake was Newfoundland's governor during a controversy over fishing rights in Newfoundland waters. The terms of the 1818 fishing convention which gave American fishers substantial rights to the waters and to Newfoundland shores for processing were up for discussion. Britain and the United States, however, had planned to meet without Newfoundland's knowledge. Outraged, Prime Minister Winter demanded to attend and eventually did (Hiller 155). During this time, Blake acted mostly as mediator.
Blake's term ended in 1889. He subsequently served as governor of Jamaica, Hong Kong, and Ceylon. In 1910, he became chairman of the newly-formed Newfoundland Oilfields Limited which explored oil deposits in the Parsons Pond area. Blake died on February 23, 1918. The community of Blaketown is named in his honour.
continued...
After a term as an Irish magistrate, Blake became:
1884-1887: governor of the Bahamas
1887-1889: governor of Newfoundland
he was then appointed governor of Queensland but resigned before taking office
1889-1897: governor of Jamaica
1897-1903: governor of Hong Kong
1903-1907: governor of Ceylon
In 1910 he left the Colonial Office to become chairman of Newfoundland Oilfields Limited.Blake had a strong interest in botany. The tree Bauhinia blakeana, which was first found in Hong Kong around 1880, was named after him. Its flower was adopted as the emblem of Hong Kong in 1965 and since 1997 it is the representative flower for the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, and appears on its flag and its coins.
277. Harry Irwin Blake
Resident in Queensland 1889
Of Raheen Park
291. Henry Claude Blake
Athlone Pursuivant of Arms, a member of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, and Lieutenant in 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Royal welsh Fusiliers
301. Vera Blake
Martin J. Blake lists her name as Eileen