Joseph Byrne (British Army officer)

Brigadier-General Sir Joseph Aloysius Byrne GCMG KBE CB (2 October 1874 – 13 November 1942[1]) was the Royal Irish Constabulary's Inspector-General from 1916 until 1920. He later served abroad in Sierra Leone, Seychelles and Kenya.[2][3]

Biography

Byrne was born on 2 October 1874, the son of Dr J. Byrne, Deputy Lieutenant for County Londonderry. He was educated at St George's College, Weybridge.[4]

He joined the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1893 and served in the Boer War, where he was wounded at the Siege of Ladysmith. He continued to serve during the remainder of the war, and was invalided home in March 1902.[5] He later served as Assistant Adjutant-General at the War Office and was made Deputy Adjutant-General, Irish Command, on 27 April 1916, during the Easter Rising as Brigadier-General. He was appointed Inspector General of the Royal Irish Constabulary on 1 August 1916. Byrne held the position of Inspector-General until 6 January 1920.[1]

Following his police service he was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, London, in 1921. Later that year he entered the Colonial Service and in 1922 was appointed Governor of the Seychelles.[1] Thereafter he was made Governor of Sierra Leone from 24 September 1927 to 1929, and again from 1930 to 23 May 1931.

In 1931 he was made Governor of Kenya. His time in Kenya coincided with the worldwide depression, and his government undertook various austerity measures. Despite this, he took steps to support European settler agriculture and increased funding for African peasant production. He also oversaw upgrades to hospital and prison facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa. His lack of sympathy towards the European settlers, and implementation of an income tax long opposed by many settlers, meant he was an unpopular figure in sections of the settler community.[4][6]

Byrne retired in 1936, and died on 13 November 1942 in Surrey, England.[7]

Personal life

Byrne married in 1908, Marjorie, daughter of Allan F. Joseph, of Cairo. She died 19 November 1960.[8]

References

1. "Brig.-Gen. Sir Joseph Byrne". The Times. London, England. 14 November 1942. p. 6 – via The Times Digital Archive 1785-2008.
2. "Sierra Leone". www.worldstatesmen.org.
3. "Governor Byrne". www.sna.gov.sc. The Seychelles National Archive.
4. Robert M. Maxon, Thomas P. Ofcansky, Historical Dictionary of Kenya, Rowman & Littlefield, 9 Sep 2014, p.41
5. "The War - Return of Troops". The Times (36718). London. 18 March 1902. p. 11.
6. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives.
7. The Times, Wednesday, 2 December 1942; pg. 1; Issue 49408; col E
8. The Times, Thursday, 24 November 1960; pg. 17; Issue 54937; col E