15 August 1864(1864-08-15) (aged 52–53) Spa, Belgium
Sir Charles Justin MacCarthy (1811–1864)[1] was the 12th Governor of British Ceylon and the 12th Accountant General and Controller of Revenue. He was appointed on 22 October 1860 and was Governor until 1 December 1863. He also served as acting governor on two separate occasions. He was first appointed in 1850.[2][3]
Life
His parents were Donough and Mary MacCarthy, and he was born in Brighton.[4][5] He was a relation of Nicholas Wiseman, and in the early 1830s was in Rome, with a view to entering the Roman Catholic priesthood. Under the influence of the ideas of Lamennais, however, he ceased theological studies. In Rome through Wiseman he met Monckton Milnes, who became a lifelong friend. Milnes then helped him into a colonial career.[1][6]
MacCarthy was knighted in 1857.[1] In office he adopted a policy of financial retrenchment. His main aim was to promote railway construction.[7] He left Ceylon in December 1863, in poor health.[8] He died at Spa, Belgium, on 15 August 1864.[9]
Family
MacCarthy married in 1848 Sophia Brunel Hawes, botanist and eldest daughter of Sir Benjamin Hawes.[5][10][11] They had a son, Charles Philip.[12]