Henry Plantagenet Somerset
Henry Plantagenet Somerset was a pioneer pastoralist and politician in Queensland, Australia. Somerset was a liberal politician who represented the State district of Stanley in the Legislative Assembly from 1904 to 1920, and canvassed successfully for the extension of the railway through the Brisbane River Valley to the rich timber reserves in the Blackbutt Range and beyond. Both the Somerset Dam and the local government area of Somerset Region are named in his honour.
H. P. Somersets family claimed descent from John of Gaunt and Katherine Swinburne through the Beaufort line. Henry was the second son of Colonel Charles Henry Somerset and Christina Emma Thompson and was born at Fort Armstrong in Kafraria, Cape Colony onMay 1852 where his father was a serving officer with the 72nd Highlanders. In 1855 his family moved to India, and remained until the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 after which his mother returned to England with her four young children. They were cared for by relatives until Henrys father returned in ill health and both his parents died in 1863 when Henry was 11. The following year Henry Somerset was sent to Wellington College by his guardian, General Edward Somerset where he remained until he was 18, excelling at sport, music and art. Wellington College had been established by Queen Victoria for the education of her armys orphans in 1859 and Henrys years there provide the most joyous chapters of his autobiography.
Source: Wikipedia