Andrew Caldecott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Andrew Caldecott
|
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||
| 28th Governor of Ceylon | |||||||||
| In office 16 October 1937 – 19 September 1944 |
|||||||||
| Monarch | George VI | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Reginald Stubbs | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Henry Moore | ||||||||
| 19th Governor of Hong Kong | |||||||||
| In office 12 December 1935 – 16 April 1937 |
|||||||||
| Monarch | George V Edward VIII George VI |
||||||||
| Colonial Secretary | Thomas Southorn Norman Lockhart Smith |
||||||||
| Preceded by | William Peel | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Geoffry Northcote | ||||||||
| Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements | |||||||||
| In office 17 February 1934 – 9 November 1934 |
|||||||||
| Monarch | George V | ||||||||
| Preceded by | Cecil Clementi | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Shenton Thomas | ||||||||
| 17th Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements | |||||||||
| In office 23 May 1933 – 7 December 1935 |
|||||||||
| Monarch | George V | ||||||||
| Governor | Cecil Clementi Shenton Thomas |
||||||||
| Preceded by | John Scott | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Alexander Sym Small | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born | 26 October 1884 Boxley, Kent, United Kingdom |
||||||||
| Died | 14 July 1951 (aged 66) Itchenor, Sussex, United Kingdom |
||||||||
| Spouses |
Olive Mary Innes
(m. 1918; died 1943)Evelyn May Palmer
(m. 1946–1951) |
||||||||
| Children |
|
||||||||
| Parents |
|
||||||||
| Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 郝德傑 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 郝德杰 | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
Sir Andrew Caldecott (26 October 1884 – 14 July 1951) was an important British colonial administrator. He worked in different parts of the British Empire, including Malaya (now Malaysia), Hong Kong, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He was known for his ability to handle difficult situations and work with different groups of people.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Andrew Caldecott was born on October 26, 1884, in Boxley, Kent, United Kingdom. He was the oldest child of Rev Andrew Caldecott and Isobel Mary Johnson. His younger brother, John Leslie Caldecott, served in the military. Sadly, John died during World War I in 1914 at the age of 28.
Education and Achievements
Andrew Caldecott attended Uppingham School and later went to Exeter College, Oxford, at the University of Oxford. He was a very good student and earned scholarships. In 1907, he graduated with a degree in Classics. Later, in 1948, Exeter College made him an Honorary Fellow, which is a special honor.
Career as a Colonial Administrator
After finishing college in 1907, Caldecott joined the Colonial Office. This office managed the British Empire's colonies. He was sent to Malaya (a region in Southeast Asia).
Working in Malaya
Caldecott started his career in Malaya as a "Cadet" in the Federated Malay States. He worked in various roles, often as a District Officer, which meant he was in charge of local areas. He also worked in the central government in Kuala Lumpur.
From 1924 to 1925, he helped organize the Malaya Pavilion at the British Empire Exhibition in the United Kingdom. This was a big event to show off the different parts of the British Empire. After this, he received an award called the CBE from the British government.
Caldecott returned to Malaya and continued to take on important roles. He became the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements in 1933. In 1934, he even served as the Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements. He was known for being fair and good at solving problems between different ethnic groups. This made him very popular with everyone. He was also the first president of the Football Association of Malaysia.
Governor of Hong Kong
In 1935, Andrew Caldecott was appointed governor of Hong Kong. This was a very important job. His time in Hong Kong was quite short, lasting just over a year. He was then sent to Ceylon because of a growing independence movement there.
During his time as Governor, some important things happened in Hong Kong:
- Kai Tak Airport received its first regular flight.
- The Queen Mary Hospital opened.
- He suggested that Chinese civil servants should be promoted to replace European ones, though this policy took many years to happen.
- The Second Sino-Japanese War began, causing over 100,000 refugees from China to seek safety in Hong Kong.
People in Hong Kong were sad to see him leave because he was a respected leader.
Governor of Ceylon
Sir Andrew Caldecott was sent to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1937. His main job was to understand the local situation and suggest changes to how the country was governed. His ideas were very important for the future of Ceylon's government.
He was Governor of Ceylon during World War II. During his leadership, several key developments took place:
- In 1938, the first diesel train ran to Galle.
- In 1939, the Bank of Ceylon opened.
- In 1942, the University of Ceylon was established.
Personal Life and Hobbies
Andrew Caldecott married Olive Mary Innes in 1918. She passed away in 1943. He later married Evelyn May Palmer in 1946. He had a son, John Andrew Caldecott, and a daughter, Joan Caldecott.
Caldecott had many interests outside of his work. He wrote articles and books about Malayan history. Later in his life, he published two collections of supernatural stories called "Not Exactly Ghosts" (1947) and "Fires Burn Blue" (1948). He also enjoyed drawing, playing the piano, tennis, and golf. He even composed the melody for the Negeri Sembilan anthem, Berkatlah Yang DiPertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan.
Published Works
- History of Jelebu, 1912.
- Not Exactly Ghosts, 1947.
- Fires Burn Blue, 1948.
Awards and Recognitions
Sir Andrew Caldecott received many awards and honors for his service:
- C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), 1926
- C.M.G. (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George), 1932
- K.B.E. (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire), 1935
- K.St.J. (Knight of the Order of Saint John), 1936
- K.C.M.G. (Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George), 1937
- G.C.M.G. (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George), 1941
- He also received honorary degrees from the University of Oxford and in Ceylon.
- He was a member of the Royal Asiatic Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Places Named After Him
Several places are named after Sir Andrew Caldecott:
- In Hong Kong, Caldecott Road in New Kowloon is named after him.
- In Singapore, Caldecott Hill, Caldecott Close, Caldecott MRT station, and Andrew Road are named in his honor. Olive Road is named after his first wife, Olive Mary Innes.
See Also
