JERVOIS, SIR WILLIAM FRANCIS DRUMMOND (1821-97) was born at Cowes, Isle of Wight, the son of General William Jervois, K.H. Educated at Dr Burney's academy at Gosport and Barry's school at Woolwich, he entered the Royal Military Academy in 1837. (2nd lieut. Royal Engineers 1839; lieut. 1841; capt. 1847; brev. major 1854; brev. lieut-col. 1861; lieut-col. 1862; col. 1872; maj-general 1877; lieut-gen. 1882; colonel commandant of Royal Engineers 1893.) Jervois sailed for the Cape in 1841, and served on the construction of defensive posts on the eastern frontier against the Kaffirs. Late in 1842 he was brigade-major to a mixed force to check the Boers at Colesberg. He built a bridge over the Fish river at Fort Brown and a road to Fort Beaufort, and did much surveying and engineering in Natal, Cape Colony and Kafraria, part of the time under military escort. His work was warmly praised by Sir Harry Smith. In 1849-52 Jervois commanded a company of his corps at Woolwich and Chatham, and in making the defences of Alderney. In 1855 he was commanding Royal Engineer in the London district, and in 1856 assistant inspector-general of fortifications. Next year he was appointed (in addition) secretary to the defence committee, and in 1859 to the royal commission on the defences of the Kingdom. The defences of dockyards and naval bases were for the most part designed by him. In 1862 he was director of works for fortifications and confidential adviser to the secretaries for war. In 1863 he reported on the defences of British North America, and during the Civil War he visited the principal forts on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. (C.B. 1863) He replied with energy and success to criticisms of his plans. In 1869 Jervois visited Halifax, Bermuda, Gibraltar and Malta, and in 1871-72 the Red Sea and India. He was close at hand when Lord Mayo was assassinated at the Andaman islands. (K.C.M.G. 1874 for services in Canada.) In 1875 Jervois was appointed governor of Straits Settlements, where he sent commissioners to govern Perak in the name of the sultan. He received the thanks of the Government of India for a successful campaign against the ruler. In 1877 he was appointed adviser on defence to the governments of the Australian colonies. In July he was appointed Governor of South Australia and, after taking over his duties, he visited New Zealand and Tasmania in continuation of his work as adviser. (G.C.M.G. 1878.) His recommendations were accepted and generally carried out.

After five years of successful administration in South Australia, Jervois was appointed to New Zealand, taking up his duties on 20 Jan 1883. His reports on our defences created genuine interest, and the war scare of 1885 assisted the Government in inaugurating a scheme of defence. Jervois incurred a certain amount of criticism by his intervention to prevent the New Zealand Government sending a national vessel to Samoa when the king made overtures for protection (1884). His views on defence and imperial policy were very sound, but occasionally daring, as for instance when he expressed the opinion that Chinese labour was the most suitable for the development of parts of Australia. He completed his term in New Zealand on 18 Mar 1889, and left behind him the reputation of a highly successful and popular governor.

In 1890 he was a member of Stanhope's committee on coast defence duties, when he strongly urged that the Navy should be entrusted with the protection of naval bases. He contributed many papers on engineering and fortification to technical and service journals. In 1892 he revisited Australia. He died on 16 Aug 1897. Jervois married (1850) Lucy (d. 1895), daughter of William Norsworthy.

D.N.B.; Royal Engineers records; Saunders; Gisborne (p); Scholefield, Pacific; The Times, 18 Aug 1897.

Reference: Volume 1, page 236

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