Irish Statesmen Abroad - The Series

The 1916 Easter Rising generated a generation of Irish leaders and statesmen but as a small island we have punched well above our weight providing statesmen for nations across the world.                    This series published everyday over the next two weeks looks at their stories.

Episode Nine - Natal

Sir Albert Hime was born at Ballydonerea House near Kilcoole County Wicklow in August 1842 and received a third level education at Trinity College as an engineer. Soon after marrying Josephine Searle he found himself in Bermuda working on a major engineering project constructing a causeway. He travelled again in 1875 across the Atlantic but this time he found himself in South Africa and the Colony of Natal, a British colony created after the born war and the short lived Natalia Republic. In 1878 Hime designed and built the Natal Mounted Police Headquarters.

On June 9th 1899 Hime was appointed the Premier of Natal replacing Sir Henry Binnes. In his role he attended the coronation of Edward VII in 1902 and visited Dublin to receive a hononary degree from UCD before returning to Natal. Hime remained Premier until August 17th 1903. The post of Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal also became extinct on 31 May 1910, when it joined the Union of South Africa. He remained in Natal until his death in 1919.