Luke Smythe O'Connor
Luke Smythe O'Connor (15 April 1806 – 24 March 1873) was a British army officer and colonial administrator. He served as Governor of the Gambia from 1852 to 1859, and held senior roles in the Colony of Jamaica during the 1860s, including President of the Privy Council of Jamaica. Early life O'Connor was born in Dublin in 1806. Army career O'Connor was appointed as an Ensign in the 1st West India Regiment on 27 April 1827. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 22 March 1831, and Captain on 17 January 1834. In 1843, it was decided that the British colonies in West Africa should be garrisoned by the West India Regiments in turn, rather than just by the 3rd West India Regiment. O'Connor was dispatched from Barbados to Sierra Leone, in command of two companies of his regiment. He was promoted to brevet Major on 9 November 1846, and to a full major on 1 January 1847. In 1848, he was dispatched from Jamaica to British Honduras, where there were disturbances among the Yucatan Indians. In September 1852, O'Connor was appointed as Governor of the Gambia, and was invested with command of all British troops in West Africa. He played