3-021-580 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The late Sir James Emerson-Tennent, Bart., K.C.B., 1869. Engraving from a photograph by Mr. Mayall. 'The death of Sir James Emerson-Tennent, a distinguished man of letters, politician, and member of the civil service, was recorded in this Journal a fortnight ago. He was nearly seventy-five years of age. The son of Mr. Emerson, a Belfast merchant, he was educated at Trinity College, Dublin; and travelled in Greece, being an enthusiast for Greek independence, at the same time as Lord Byron. He married the daughter and heiress of Mr. Tennent, a banker of Belfast, whose name he took in addition to his own. He entered Parliament as M.P. for Belfast in December, 1832...[In] 1845,...having held for some time the post of Secretary to the India Board, he accepted from Sir Robert Peel the Colonial Secretaryship of Ceylon [now Sri Lanka]...He discharged the office of Secretary to the Poor-Law Board under the Earl of Derby's first Administration...Sir James...was the author of a book of travels in Greece, a history of Modern Greece, a history of the new kingdom of Belgium, and a very complete and beautiful descriptive work on Ceylon, besides many essays and reviews or magazine writings'. From "Illustrated London News", 1869.