Michael Keane : Short Biography

Sir Michael Keane Governor of Assam

Michael was born on the 18th of June 1874 son of Jeremiah Keane and Mary Kissane from Barraduff, Lisselton, Listowel, Co Kerry, Ireland. He was one of seven children four boys and three girls. He was educated in St Michael’s in Listowel. "Exhibitions" were set up in 1878 by the Board of Education to help educate bright students whose families might not be able to afford further schooling. It seems Michael took these exams first in his primary school of St Michael's Listowel in 1888 this funded his education in Blackrock College, Dublin Sept 1889-July 1891 where attended as a boarder.

He did the senior grade exhibition in Blackrock in 1891 getting 1st Class prize this funded his further education at Clongowes where he won the Senior grade Gold Medal in 1892, this would have funded his university education. Both colleges were the top Schools in Ireland at the time.

The records show he was on the senior rugby team in Blackrock in 1891. Their accounts for the time listed as extras at the time were cricket clothes and bathing clothes - his parents paid for these.
They also show he attended soirees of music, recitations and theatres etc.

In 1898 he joined the Indian Civil Service and was posted to the to the North West frontier province of the then British India (now part of Pakistan) where he served as under secretary to the Governor till 1907.

From 1910 to 1914 he served as Settlement officer in Rajputana (now the state of Rajasthan) by 1914 he had reached the rank of Deputy Commissioner. During this period he met and in 1911 married Joyce Lovett Thomas they had three children Denis Michael, Joyce Criena and Pamela Kissane (apparently she was always referred to as Kissane) they are my second cousins once removed.

Michael remained in Rajputana until 1919 when he became judicial secretary and later chief secretary to the United Provinces Government (approx present day states of Uttar Pradash and Oudh, India)

In 1921 he was appointed President of the Legislative Council and held that position until 1925 two years later he was appointed President of the Legislative Council.

In 1928 he served on the Public Services Commission.

During 1930 he was a member of the Board of Revenue of the United Provinces.

In 1932 he succeed Sir Egbert Hammond's as Governor of Assam, he was also knighted that year.

As Governor of Assam Michael and his wife were popular they took a deep interest in the people he had a bridge over the river Surma named after him. Joyce became a patron of a girl’s school in Shillong which was also named after her. In fact the school is still there bearing her name Lady Keane College for girls.

Michael remained as Governor until Spring 1937 when it is assumed he retired due to ill health as he died later that year on the 10th of August at his home in Norfolk.

Michael was buried in Salt house in Norfolk following a Requiem mass in Westminster Cathedral celebrated by his brother Fr. John Keane. His other brother Bishop Patrick Keane of Sacramento predeceased him in 1928.

Sources

http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/…/det…/4893530042682…

Obituary Catholic Herald 20th Aug 1937
Obit.The Tablet 14th Aug 1937
http://en.wikipedia.org/…/North-West_Frontier_Province_(190…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajputana
http://en.wikipedia.org/w…/United_Provinces_of_Agra_and_Oudh
Blackrock College Archives