The son of the 4th Baron Dufferin, Frederick Temple Blackwood was educated at Eton and Christ Church College, Oxford, but did not graduate. He succeeded his father in 1841 as 5th Baron Dufferin in the peerage of Ireland. Dufferin served as Lord-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria (1849-1852, 1854-1858). His experience in overseas administration was enhanced in 1860 with his appointment as Commissioner to Syria, followed in 1864 by his appointment as Under-Secretary for India and then as Undersecretary of War within the British Government in 1866. Dufferin sat in the Lords as a Liberal and was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1868-1872) under William Gladstone. Appointed Governor General of Canada in 1872, Earl of Dufferin displayed great tact and judgment during the Pacific Scandal that forced the Prime Minister John A. Macdonald to resign. However, Dufferin's attempts to reconcile British Columbia to Confederation annoyed the government of Alexander Mackenzie. During his term as governor general, Prince Edward Island was admitted to Confederation (1873), and several well-known Canadian institutions, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Royal Military College of Canada, and the Intercolonial Railway, were established. He was the first governor general to make La Citadelle in Québec City as a second vice-regal residence. After leaving Canada Dufferin served as ambassador to Russia (1879-1881) and to Turkey (1881-1884), Viceroy and Governor-General of India (13 Dec 1884 - 10 Dec 1888), and then as ambassador to Italy (1888-1891) and to France (1891-1896). |