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.
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Other events that occured in October
Printer and publisher John Guiton is born
- John Guiton acquired the Jersey Evening post very soon after its creation and his name has been associated with Channel Islands publishing ever since.
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Jersey holds its first modern marathon
- Jersey held its first modern marathon in 2006 when 300 long-distance runners set off on a route that took them across the island.
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Rare Bronze Age pottery found in Trinity
- Rare Bronze Age pottery was found in the parish of Trinity in the island of Jersey. It was thought to be 3000 years old.
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HMS Charybdis sinks with heavy loss of life
- JMS Charybdis was sunk by two torpedoes during the Second World War with the loss of more than 400 sailors.
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