John Gardiner Austin

John Gardiner Austin was a British colonial administrator. He was Lieutenant-Governor of British Honduras 1864-1867, and Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1868 to 1879, acting as Administrator of the colony in 1877.

Background and early life

Austin was born in Lowlands, British Guiana to William Austin and Methetabel Percy His father was a land owner born Barbados and son of slave and plantation owner Colonel Thomas Austin. Austin later sent to England to study.

Austin was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of British Honduras in February 1864, and served for two years until 1867.
In 1868, he was appointed Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong, serving as such until 1879. He was also Auditor General of the colony from 1870 to 1879, and Administrator from March to April 1877. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in March 1876, for his services in Hong Kong.

Austin married, in 1836, Emma Wilday, and was the father of six sons and four daughters, including:

Charles Wilday Austin
John Gardiner Austin, who in September 1901 was appointed a Member of the Barbados Legislative council. Sir Harold Austin was his son.
Mehetabel Percy Austin, who married in 1862 Axel Dickson, a member of the Swedish parliament of Scottish origin. She was one of few people born on leap day to celebrate a centennial.

Mount Austin on Hong Kong Island, Austin Road and Austin Avenue in Kowloon were named after him. The Austin station of the MTR was so-named due to its proximity to Austin Road West, and the naming may be more influenced by geographical convenience rather than any direct link to Austin himself.