William Des Vœux
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Sir George William Des Vœux GCMG |
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| 3rd Administrator of Saint Lucia | |
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In office January 1869 – December 1878 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Preceded by | James Mayer Grant |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Elibank Havelock |
| 2nd High Commissioner for the Western Pacific | |
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In office January 1880 – December 1886 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Preceded by | Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon |
| Succeeded by | Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell |
| 3rd Governor of Fiji | |
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In office January 1880 – December 1886 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Preceded by | Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon |
| Succeeded by | Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell |
| 54th Governor of Newfoundland | |
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In office 1886–1887 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Thorburn |
| Preceded by | Sir John Hawley Glover |
| Succeeded by | Sir Henry Arthur Blake |
| 10th Governor of Hong Kong | |
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In office 6 October 1887 – 10 December 1891 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Preceded by | Sir George Ferguson Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Sir William Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
22 September 1834 Baden-Baden, Germany |
| Died | 15 December 1909 (aged 75) London, England |
| Spouse(s) | Marion Denison Pender |
| Children | 5 sons, 3 daughters |
| Alma mater | Balliol College, Oxford, University of Toronto |
| Profession | Colonial administrator, barrister |
Sir George William Des Vœux GCMG (22 September 1834 – 15 December 1909) was a British colonial governor who served as Governor of Fiji (1880–1885), Governor of Newfoundland (1886–1887), and Governor of Hong Kong (1887–1891).
Des Vœux was born on 22 September 1834 in Baden-Baden, Germany. He was of French descent – his ancestor Marin de Bacquencourt Des Vœux settled in Portarlington, Ireland, in the early 18th century, having come from Picardy in northern France. Des Vœux attended a public school in London before starting his studies at Charterhouse School and Balliol College, Oxford, but left without a degree in 1856 after his father gave him the choice of finishing his degree and become a clergyman or seeking his fortune in the colonies. Des Vœux then moved to Canada, where he finished his BA at the University of Toronto and became a barrister in Upper Canada in 1861.
Des Vœux became stipendiary magistrate and superintendent of rivers and creeks in British Guiana from 1863 to 1869, where he championed native causes. He reorganised and codified old French system of law when he was the Administrator and Colonial Secretary of St. Lucia between 1869 and 1880. Afterwards, Des Vœux was appointed Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner Western Pacific from 1880 to 1885. He was appointed Governor of Newfoundland from 1886–1887.
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