Frere, Sir Henry Bartle Edward (1815-1884), a British colonial official, entered the Indian Civil Service in 1834. He served as chief commissioner of Sindh (1850-1859) and governor of Bombay (1862-1867). His administration promoted economic development in Sindh. During the Indian rebellion of 1857, his leadership kept Sindh and the region of Punjab calm. For these achievements, he was honored with a knighthood. He was made a baronet in 1876 for his improvement of Indian agriculture and education.
In 1877, Frere became the first high commissioner of South Africa and was given the task of uniting the British and Dutch South African republics into a single British-run federation. Opposed by Boer settlers in the Transvaal and by Zulu tribes, Frere tried to destroy the Zulus by provoking a war with them in 1879. Following early British losses, Frere was recalled to England and publicly criticized in 1880.
