Harcourt Butler

"Sir Harcourt Butler... his brilliant career of more than forty years as an Indian administrator... His promotion in the Indian civil service came quickly. [...] His reports are standard works on various aspects of Indian life."

— The New York Times, 3 March 1938 ^[5]

Honours and legacy

Sir Harcourt was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Star of India (CSI) in 1909, then Knight Commander (KCSI) in 1911, ^[10] and promoted to Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) of the order in 1928. ^[15] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in November 1901, ^[17] and was promoted to Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) of that order in 1923. ^[8]

"Sir Harcourt Butler... was one of the greatest Indian administrators of his day. His official career was without parallel even in the wonderful records of the Indian Civil Service. It extended over nearly 40 years, and for fully half that time he held one great position after another..."

— The Times, 3 March 1938 ^{[18] [1]}

Sir Harcourt was a prominent advocate of industrial advancement and education in India, particularly scientific and technical education. ^[19] He supported and helped Banares Hindu University, University of Lucknow, Aligarh Muslim University, University of Rangoon, and University of Medicine 1, Yangon. ^{[20] [21] [22]} The Harcourt Butler Technological Institute in Kanpur was named after Sir Harcourt in 1926 as he was its relentless chief proponent. The Harcourt Butler School in New Delhi was also re-named after him in 1917. ^[23]

Personal life

Sir Harcourt was born on 1 August 1869 in Paddington, in central London, England, and died on 2 March 1938 in London at age 68. ^[24] He was the fourth child (and second son) of Spencer Perceval Butler, and Mary Butler (née Kendall). His parents had 13 children in total, 11 of whom survived childhood. His elder brother Sir Cyril Kendall Butler, KBE , JP , was Treasurer and Chairperson of Contemporary Art Society. ^{[25] [26]} His younger brothers included the ICS officer Sir Montagu Butler and the British MP Sir G.G.G. Butler. His paternal grandfather, George Butler, and his paternal uncle, Henry Montagu Butler, were both headmasters of Harrow School. ^[6]

Family

Sir Harcourt married Florence Wright on 14 July 1894 in London. ^[27] She was the daughter of ICS officer Francis Nelson Wright. Sir Harcourt and Florence had an unhappy marriage, and she did not even attend his funeral. ^[28] They had one son, Victor Spencer Butler, born on 15 August 1900. ^[29]

Later years

Post retirement, Sir Harcourt involved himself with the Royal Central Asian Society, and became Vice-Chairman of its council in the first half of 1930s. ^[30] However, in his 60s he started suffering physical maladies, but still kept his mental faculties intact. He had recurring periods of illness, and ultimately succumbed to one such episode on 2 March 1938. ^{[24] [31]}

Further reading

• S.C. Sen, Speeches Made by His Excellency Sir Harcourt Butler, The Pioneer Press, 1921; IA URL 1 IA URL 2.
• Michael Fenwick Macnamara, Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler: A Master Governor in British India (1890–1928), Peter Lang Ltd., 2024, ISBN   978-1-8037-4658-6.
• Dhyaneshwar Awasthi, Administrative History of Modern India, National Publishing House, 1973.
• F.H. Brown, Francis Robinson, Butler, Sir (Spencer) Harcourt (1869–1938), administrator in India. , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 23 September 2004.

External links

• Portraits of Sir S.H. Butler in the National Portrait Gallery, London
• Formal portrait photograph of Sir Harcourt at Margaret Greville's Polesden Lacey in the National Trust Collections (URL)
• Newsreel by Pathé News on Sir Harcourt's welcome as Governor of British Burma on the British Pathé Youtube Channel
• Images of Sir Harcourt's sculptures by George Havard Thomas (1893-1933, s/o J.H. Thomas) on The Victorian Web - Statue and Bust

See also

• Lord Minto (Gilbert Elliot), the Viceroy of India
• Sir Antony MacDonnell, Lt.Gov. of NWP, and President of the Indian Famine Commission
• Sir John Prescott Hewett, Lt.Gov. of UPA&O

References

1. "Sir Harcourt Butler". The Times. 3 March 1938. p. 16.
2. "Obituary: Sir Harcourt Butler, G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E". Nature. 141 (3571): 635. 9 April 1938. doi:10.1038/141635a0. ISSN   0028-0836.
3. Macnamara, Michael Fenwick (3 September 2024). "Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler – An Exceptional Governor of Early Twentieth Century British India – 1890 – 1928". peterlang.com. Peter Lang Group AG. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
4. "Sir Harcourt (Spencer) Butler". upgovernor.gov.in. Govt of UP. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
5. "SIR HARCOURT BUTLER; Former Indian Administrator Dies in London at Age of 68". The New York Times. 3 March 1938. p. 21.
6. S.C. Sen, ed. (1921). "(Introduction)". Speeches Made by His Excellency Sir Harcourt Butler. Allahabad: The Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
7. E. Lawrence; et al., eds. (1 September 1898). History of Services of Gazetted Officers attached to the N.W. Provinces and Oudh — Corrected up to 1st July 1898 (Ninth (New Series) ed.). Allahabad: Govt Press, NWP&O. p. 146.
8. "Record of Services (BUTLER, Sir Spencer Harcourt, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., I.C.S.)". The India Office List for 1927 (Forty First Publication ed.). London, UK: Harrison and Sons, Ltd. March 1927. p. 530. Archived from the original on 24 January 2017.
9. D. Awasthi (1973). "1. Hereditary, Training and Assignments". Administrative History of Modern India (PDF). National Publishing House. pp. 1–12. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
10. J. Stuart-Milne; et al., eds. (23 August 1919). History of Services of Gazetted Officers (Civil Department) attached to the United Provinces — Corrected up to 1st July 1919 (Part I) (Thirtieth (New Series) ed.). Allahabad: Govt Press, United Provinces. pp. 45–47.
11. S.C. Sen, ed. (1921). "Proceedings of Conference in Lucknow on 10 Nov 1919". Speeches Made by His Excellency Sir Harcourt Butler. Allahabad: The Pioneer Press. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
12. Atul Chandra Chatterjee (31 October 1908). "Preface". Notes on the Industries of the United Provinces. Allahabad: F. Luker, Superintendent, Govt. Press. Archived from the original on 27 October 2008.
13. Riddick, John F. (2006). The History of British India: A Chronology. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 166. ISBN   978-0-313-32280-8.
14. "A fine balance of luxury and care". Hindustan Times . 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011.
15. "Record of Services (BUTLER, Sir Spencer Harcourt, G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., late I.C.S.)". The India Office List for 1930 (Forty-Fourth Publication ed.). London, UK: Harrison and Sons, Ltd. April 1930. p. 546. Archived from the original on 24 January 2017.
16. Robinson, Francis. "Butler, Sir (Spencer) Harcourt". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32218.(Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
17. "Supplement to the London Gazette of Friday, the 8th of November". The London Gazette (Supplement). No. 27374. 9 November 1901. p. 7288.
18. Darcy Moore, ed. (19 July 1925). "(Review) Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler: A Master Governor in British India (1890–1928)". darcymoore.net. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
19. "(Remarks by Babu Vikramajit Singh)". Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the United Provinces: Official Report - 2nd January to 12th March, 1921 (Report). Vol. I. 14 February 1921. p. 46.
20. D. Awasthi (1973). "7. Growth of Education". Administrative History of Modern India (PDF). National Publishing House. pp. 90–117. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
21. "About: History". um1yangon.org. Interim University Council, University of Medicine 1, Yangon. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
22. Maung Tha (23 November 2019). "Yangon University and Colonial Era Buildings". Myanmar Digital News. News and Periodicals Enterprise, Ministry of Information, Myanmar. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
23. Parvez Sultan (15 December 2017). "A century in life of a school: How Delhi's Harcourt Butler Senior Secondary migrated to Shimla in summers". Hindustan Times.
24. Richard Swetenham (ed.). "Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, GCSI GCIE". Swetenham Family. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
25. William Roberts (1985). "Sir Cyril Butler". An English Cubist.
26. "Sir Cyril Kendall Butler KBE (1864 - 1936)". contemporaryartsociety.org. Contemporary Art Society.
27. "24. Amelia Katherine Florence WRIGHT [99832], Fourth Generation, The Descendants of William Wright, c. 1830". airgale.com.au. Howard Ulph SMITH Genealogy Site. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017.
28. Gilmour, David (2018). The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience. London: Penguin. p. 193. ISBN   978-0-2410-0453-1.
29. Gilmour, David (2006). The Ruling Caste. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 281.
30. "Officers and Council 1933-34" (PDF). Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society. 21 (1). The Royal Central Asian Society: 2. 1 January 1934. ISSN   0035-8789.
31. John Prescott Hewett (1 April 1938). "Obituary: Sir Harcourt Butler" . Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society. 25 (2). Routledge: 342–344. doi:10.1080/03068373808730858. ISSN   0035-8789.

Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, DL
Governor of British Burma
In office 2 January 1923 –20 December 1927

Government offices
Preceded by Sir George Shaw	Lieutenant Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma 1915–1917	Succeeded by Walter Francis Rice
Preceded by Sir James Scorgie Meston	Lieutenant Governor of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh 1918–1920	Succeeded by last incumbent
Preceded by first incumbent	Governor of United Provinces of Agra and Oudh 1921–1922	Succeeded by Sir Ludovic Charles Porter
Preceded by Sir Reginald Henry Craddock	Lieutenant Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma 1922–1923	Succeeded by last incumbent
Preceded by first incumbent	Governor of British Crown Colony of Burma 1923–1927	Succeeded by Sir Charles Alexander Innes