Cyril Hammond Elgee facts for kids

Cyril Hammond Elgee (born October 18, 1871 – died August 17, 1917) was a British administrator. He worked in Nigeria during a time when British rule was being set up. Later, he served as the Acting Commissioner of Montserrat during World War I.

Cyril Hammond Elgee: A British Administrator

Early Life and Education

Cyril Hammond Elgie was born on October 18, 1871. He was the oldest son of Reverend Walter Francis Elgie, a vicar. His mother, Catherine, passed away when he was young.

Cyril went to Lancing College as a scholar from 1885 to 1889. After that, he joined the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1890. This college trained future army officers.

Working in Nigeria

In 1892, Elgee became a second lieutenant in the army. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1893 and captain in 1899. He also served in the Chitral Relief Expedition in 1895.

In 1899, he began working for the Colonial Office. From February 1903 to 1913, Captain Elgee was the British Resident in Ibadan, Nigeria. A Resident was a British official who helped manage the local government. He treated the leaders of Ibadan with respect.

Ibadan's Growth and New Rules

During Elgee's time, Ibadan grew quickly. More people wanted postal services and land. By 1903, six European companies were in Ibadan. By 1906, there were 25 branches of German, English, French, and Brazilian companies.

New laws were needed because court cases became more complex. Elgee explained that local chiefs' courts struggled with cases involving detailed financial records. They also found it hard to judge cases where one person was not a native of the area.

So, British officials worked with Yoruba leaders. They introduced a modified form of English law. This gave the British authority to handle certain civil cases involving foreigners and some criminal cases.

Setting Up Government Services

Elgee helped set up the Ibadan Native Government. He also opened the Treasury, Customs, Police, and Secretariat offices. These were important steps in organizing the local administration. He left his army job in 1904.

The Baale's School

In 1906, Elgee started the Baale's school. Its goal was to train the sons of local chiefs. However, the school was not very successful. The chiefs did not send their sons there, even with pressure from the British.

Later Years and Legacy

Defense Force, Montserrat, 1915. Seated in centre, left to right : Lieut. Dyett, Capt. Elgee (Acting Commissioner), Capt. Ruane, Canon Hayens

After his time in Nigeria, Captain Elgee returned to England several times. In 1915, he became the Acting Commissioner for Montserrat, a British island in the Caribbean.

Cyril Hammond Elgee passed away on August 17, 1917, at the age of 45. There is a special plaque in his memory at St. Mathew's Church in Otterbourne. It also remembers his brother, Hugh Francis Elgee, who died in battle in 1915. Their father used to be the vicar of that church.