Major-General William John Butterworth (10 June 1801 – 4 November 1856) was the governor of the Straits Settlements from August 1843 to 21 March 1855. In 1851, when the Straits Settlements were transferred from the authority of the

Governor of Bengal In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to build a factory at Hooghly district, Hughli, without fortifications. Various chief agents, Governors and presidents were appointed to look after co ...

to be directly under the control of the

Governor-General of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...

, Butterworth remained as governor.

Career

Butterworth joined the army in Madras and rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 38th

Madras Regiment The Madras Regiment is the oldest infantry regiment of the Indian Army, originating in the 1750s as a unit of the East India Company, British East India Company. The regiment took part in numerous campaigns with the British Indian Army and the po ...

. While he was governor of the Straits Settlements, Butterworth was instrumental in establishing the Singapore Volunteer Corps. Butterworth was later promoted to major general in 1855.

Personal life

Butterworth's parents were Captain William Butterworth RN and his wife Ann (née Hodgkinson). Captain Butterworth died at the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar was a naval engagement that took place on 21 October 1805 between the Royal Navy and a combined fleet of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish navies during the War of the Third Coalition. As part of Na ...

in 1805.

Awards and honours

Butterworth was appointed a Companion of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

(CB) in the 1838 Coronation Honours.

Legacy

The town of Butterworth, Penang is named after him.

References

Governors of the Straits Settlements 1801 births 1856 deaths Companions of the Order of the Bath Administrators in British Singapore {{British-Army-bio-stub