Donald Friell McLeod

Sir Donald Friell McLeod KCSI CB (6 May 1810 – 28 November 1872) was a Lieutenant Governor of British Punjab (in office: 10 January 1865 – 1 June 1870). He was one of the founders of Lahore Oriental College, now part of the Punjab University and is generally remembered as a philanthropic administrator and promoter of education (of both Oriental studies by Europeans, and European literature studies in India).

Sir Donald Friell McLeod KCSI CB
The grave of Sir Donald Friell McLeod, Kensal Green Cemetery, London
Lieutenant governor of Punjab
In office 10 January 1865 – 1 June 1870
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Preceded by	Sir Robert Montgomery
Succeeded by	Sir Henry Marion Durand
Personal details
Born	6 May 1810 Fort William, Calcutta, British India
Died	28 November 1872 (aged 62) London, England
Alma mater	East India Company College

Biography

Son of Lieutenant General Duncan McLeod, he was born in Fort William, Calcutta, and was educated at Edinburgh High School of Edinburgh, and the East India Company College at Hailey. He returned to Bengal in 1828 as an officer to start his career in the Company's administrative service. He worked in the Sagar and Nerbudda territories and Benares in 1831–49. He was appointed Commissioner of Jalandhar in 1849 and Judicial Commissioner of the Punjab in 1854.

He was at Lahore during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and earned a C.B. He was Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab in 1865–1870, receiving K.C.S.I. in 1866.

He encouraged Oriental Studies and voiced his opinion on education in vernacular languages. Due to his efforts, the British Government introduced vernaculars in universities alongside English and agreed to the establishment of the Oriental College in Lahore in 1866. His efforts won praises from the natives and the officials.

He was Chairman of the Sind, Panjab and Delhi Railway before he retired and settled in London. He died from the effects of an accident at Gloucester Road station on the London Underground.[1] The nearby McLeod's Mews was allegedly named after him. [2]

He had pronounced religious opinions and was a philanthropist. Sir John Lawrence called him "cunctator", i.e. having a tendency to procrastinate or avoid confrontation.

After his death, his collection of some 2,000 books was purchased in 1873 by the newly established University College, Lahore (now the University of the Punjab) as the foundation for its university library.

He is buried on the east side of the south section of the central north-south path in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.

Memory

• McLeod Ganj was named after him.
• McLeod Road Lahore is named after him

Notes

1. Archbold 1893.
2. Hobbouse, Hermione. "Emperor's Gate and Vicinity Pages 339-342 Survey of London: Volume 42, Kensington Square To Earl's Court. Originally published by London County Council, London, 1986". British History Online. Retrieved 24 July 2020.

References

Archbold, William Arthur Jobson (1893). "McLeod, Donald Friell" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 35. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Literature

• Lake, Major-General Edward John. Sir Donald McLeod, C.B., K.C.S.I: A record of forty-two years' service in India. London: The Religious Tract Society, 1873.
• McLeod, Sir Donald Friell, an entry in: Charles Edward Buckland. Dictionary of Indian biography. London, 1906.