22nd October 1772
Henry Seymour Conway is appointed Governor of Jersey
Henry Seymour Conway was a British politician and general. He was Chief Secretary for Ireland, Leader of the House of Commons, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces and, from 1772 until 1795, Governor of Jersey.
Conway was born in Chelsea in 1721 and joined the army when he turned 16, initially with Molesworth’s Regiment of Dragoons. He had been promoted to captain by the time he was 20, and captain-lieutenant the following year. He first saw action in the War of Austrian Succession in 1743 and was involved in suppressing the Jacobite Rebellion at Culloden.
Promotions in Jersey and beyond
He was active in politics throughout his time in the army and, while being promoted to captain, was elected to represent both Antrim County in the Irish Parliament and Northamptonshire in the British Parliament. In all, he spent 60 years in various political roles in Jersey, mainland UK and the island of Ireland.
Conway’s term as Governor of Jersey coincided with the Battle of Jersey, as a result of which he planned a series of towers to be built across the Channel Islands to defend against further invasions. One of these was Seymour Tower, constructed on Jersey’s south east coast in 1782.
FREE Jersey history newsletter
Don't miss our weekly update on Jersey's fascinating history. We promise never to sell your data to anyone else, and there's a super-easy unsubscribe link on the bottom of each email so you can leave whenever you want.
Other events that occured in October
Parliamentarians land at St Ouen’s Bay
- Jersey was strongly in favour of the monarch during the English Civil War, which led to an invasion by 84 ships, that landed 3000 Parliamentarian forces at St Ouen’s Bay.
- Read more…
Under-defended Jersey mulls conscription
- Six years before it was invaded and occupied during the Second World War, Jersey’s authorities recognised that the island was dangerously under-defended.
- Read more…
Canadian politician Isaac LeVesconte dies
- Although born in Jersey – in St Aubin – Isaac LeVesconte made a name for himself in Nova Scotia, to which he emigrated aged 12.
- Read more…
Prolific writer George d’La Forge dies
- George F Le Feuvre was born in St Ouen on 29 September 1891 and, over the next nine decades, did much to preserve the Jèrriais language, despite spending many years in Canada and America.
- Read more…