As Governor of Hong Kong from 1844 to 1848, Sir John Francis Davis helped meld British colonial ambitions with traditional Chinese governance practices. His policies played an important role in forming Hong Kong’s distinctive identity as a meeting point of Eastern and Western cultures.
Early Life and Career
Sir John Francis Davis (1795-1890) came from an influential Davis family background. His mother Henrietta Boileau (1773-1853) was from a French noble refugee family that fled Languedoc for England, while his father Samuel Davis (1760-1819) was a director of the prestigious East India Company.
Davis had a deep fascination with Chinese culture from an early age. In 1813, at just 18 years old, he was appointed as a writer at the East India Company’s factory in Canton (Guangzhou). His exceptional linguistic abilities in Mandarin earned him a spot accompanying Lord Amherst’s famous embassy to Beijing in 1816, providing first-hand exposure to the Chinese empire.
Upon returning to Canton, Davis swiftly rose through the Company ranks, becoming president of the factory in 1832. His reputation as a leading British sinologist and translator was cemented by works like The Fortunate Union, his influential translation of a 17th century Chinese novel.
Appointment as Governor of Hong Kong (1844-1848)
On February 9, 1844, Davis was appointed British Plenipotentiary and Superintendent of Trade in China. Just two weeks later, he assumed the role of second Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the newly acquired colony of Hong Kong, a position he would hold until 1848.
This appointment came at a tumultuous time. Hong Kong was still recovering from the First Opium War, and tensions persisted over the British right of entry into Canton per the Treaty of Nanking. As Governor, Davis faced immense pressure from British traders demanding unfettered access.
Accomplishments as Governor
Despite inheriting a tinderbox situation, Davis applied his deep cultural knowledge to stabilize Hong Kong over his four-year tenure. His most significant achievement was the 1847 agreement with Imperial Commissioner Qiying to open Canton to British entry and punish those who attacked the British.
To maintain order locally, Davis revived the traditional Chinese baojia system of community policing. This gave respected local leaders direct authority in reporting civil violations to colonial authorities. The first Hong Kong Census was also conducted in 1844 under his governorship, recording a population of nearly 24,000.
Consistent with his sinologist background, Davis advocated ending the counterproductive prohibition on the opium trade based on England’s own failed experience. Horse racing also emerged as a community tradition during this period.
John Francis Davis was not just a governor; he was a linguist too. His mastery of the Chinese language enabled him to translate many Chinese books into English, including the notable works The Chinese: A General Description of China and its Inhabitants (1836) and Sketches of China (1841). His translations played a significant role in opening up Chinese culture and history to the Western world 🌉📚.
Baronetcy and Family Life
In 1845, in recognition of his distinguished service, Davis was awarded the Davis Baronetcy of Hollywood in the County of Gloucestershire by the British Crown.
Davis married Emily Humfrays (1801-1866) in 1822. They had one son and six daughters:
- Sulivan Francis Davis (1827-1862)
- Henrietta Anna Davis (1823-1909)
- Emily Nowell Davis (1824-?); married Daniel Augustus Beaufort.
- Julia Sullivan Davis (1825-?); married Robert Cann Lippincott.
- Helen Marian Davis (1830-1859)
- Florence Davis (1831-1914)
- Elizabeth Davis (1839-1855)
After the death of his wife Emily, Davis married Lucy Ellen Rocke (1830-?). They had a son, Sir Francis Boileau Davis (1871–1896).
Contributions to Sino-British Relations
For all his well-intentioned efforts, Davis’s hardline stance against the opium trade and measures to regulate British traders earned him powerful enemies. He resigned in 1847 after bitter clashes with the influential British merchant community in Hong Kong.
In later years, Davis focused on academic pursuits, endowing a prestigious scholarship at Oxford for Chinese studies. He passed away in 1890 at his estate in Bristol at the ripe age of 95.
Sir John Francis Davis brought immense linguistic and cultural expertise to stabilizing the fledgling colony of Hong Kong. While his brief tenure was marred by controversy, his policies laid the groundwork for a system of governance that bridged British and Chinese interests through the revival of traditional institutions like the baojia system. As one of the 19th century’s preeminent British sinologists, Davis’s legacy endures as an early architect shaping the unique identity of colonial Hong Kong, immortalized in locations like Mount Davis, Mount Davis Path, Mount Davis Road, and Davis Street.
Beyond his administrative and diplomatic roles, John Francis Davis contributed significantly to cultural exchanges between China and the West. He founded the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1847 and served as its first president, promoting scholarly research and understanding of Asia among Western scholars 🎓🌍.
Recommended Reading:
- Peyton, Will. “John Francis Davis as Governor and Diplomat on the China Coast (1844–1848).” The International History Review, vol. 39, 2017, pp. 1-24.
- Sherpa, Diki. “Village Policing in Early Colonial Hong Kong: Adopting Baojia System.” American University Press.
- “English East India Company, in China.” Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. Encyclopedia.com.
