Henry Hesketh Bell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell GCMG
Sir Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell by Elliott & Fry, 1922 © National Portrait Gallery, London
Born	Henry Hesketh Joudou (1864-12-17)17 December 1864 Chambéry, France
Died	1 August 1952(1952-08-01) (aged 87) Nursing home, London
Nationality	British (naturalised)
Education	Privately in Channel Islands, Paris and Brussels
Occupation	British colonial administrator
Years active	1882-1924
Known for	Building railways in Uganda
Awards	GCMG 1925

Sir Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell (17 December 1864 – 1 August 1952) was an important British colonial administrator and author. He worked in many different parts of the world, helping to manage British colonies. He is especially remembered for his work in Uganda, where he helped build railways and fight diseases.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell was born on December 17, 1864, in Chambéry, France. His father was Henry Jean Antoine Joudou, a timber merchant, and his mother was Martha Bell from Scotland.

He received his education privately in the Channel Islands, Paris, and Brussels. In May 1882, when he was 17, he began his career in Barbados. He started as a clerk in the office of the Governor of Barbados and the Leeward Islands. A family friend, Sir William C. F. Robinson, offered him this first job.

Rising Through the Ranks

From this first role, Hesketh Bell steadily moved up in the colonial administration system. He held many important positions:

• 1885-1889 – Worked in the Inland Revenue Department in Grenada.
• 1890-94 – Served as Supervisor of Customs in the Gold Coast (now Ghana).
• Later, he became the Receiver General and Treasurer of the Bahamas.
• 1899-1905 – Was the Administrator of Dominica.
• 1905-08 – Became the Commissioner, and later Governor, of the Uganda Protectorate.
• 1909-11 – Served as Governor of Northern Nigeria.
• 1912-16 – Was the Governor of the Leeward Islands.
• 1916-24 – His last major role was Governor of Mauritius.

Key Achievements in Uganda

Hesketh Bell made many important contributions during his time in Uganda. He focused on improving the country's infrastructure and public health.

Fighting Sleeping Sickness

One of his most significant achievements was a plan to stop sleeping sickness. This serious disease was spread by the tsetse fly. In August 1907, Bell suggested a large-scale project to fight it.

Once the government approved the money, people living in areas with many tsetse flies were moved. They went from the shores of Lake Victoria to healthier places further inland. People who were sick were put in special camps to get treatment. About 20,000 people received help. The areas around Lake Victoria were also cleared of plants to remove the tsetse fly's habitat.

Developing Railways

Hesketh Bell also had big plans for Uganda's railway system. By 1909, he worked hard to get approval for two major railway projects:

• A line from Jinja, on the north shore of Lake Victoria, to Kakindu and then to Lake Kioga.
• A direct line connecting Kampala to Lake Albert.

These railways were important for trade and travel in the region.

Later Life and Retirement

Hesketh Bell retired in 1924 and moved to Cannes, France. However, he continued to travel widely. In 1925-26, he went on a long trip to the Far East. He studied how French and Dutch colonial governments worked there. His findings were published in a book called Foreign colonial administration in the Far East in 1928. For this book, he received the Gold Medal from the Royal Commonwealth Society.

During World War II, Bell returned to live in the Bahamas. He often visited London, where he was a member of the Conservative Club. He passed away on August 1, 1952, at a nursing home in London.

Awards and Honours

Henry Bell received several important awards and honours for his service:

• In 1891, he became a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
• He was made a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in 1903.
• He was promoted to Knight Commander (KCMG) in 1908, which gave him the title "Sir."
• Finally, he became a Grand Knight Commander (GCMG) in the 1925 New Year Honours.

Some of Bell's Books

Hesketh Bell was also an author. He wrote memoirs, fiction, and books about colonial history and administration. Some of his works include:

• 1889 – Obeah: witchcraft in the West Indies
• 1893 – A Witch's Legacy
• 1893 – The History, Trade, Resources, and present Condition of the Gold Coast Settlement
• 1894 – Outlines of the Geography of the Gold Coast Colony and Protectorate. Compiled for use in the colonial schools
• 1909 – Report on the Measures Adopted for the Suppression of Sleeping Sickness in Uganda
• 1911 – Love in Black (Sketches of native life in West Africa)
• 1911 – Recent Progress in Northern Nigeria
• 1928 – Foreign colonial administration in the Far East
• 1946 – Glimpses of a Governor's Life, from diaries, letters and memoranda
• 1948 – Witches & Fishes