Hugh Clifford (colonial administrator) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Hugh Clifford GCMG GBE
19th Governor of the Straits Settlements
In office 3 June 1927 – 21 October 1929
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	Sir Laurence Guillemard
Succeeded by	Sir John Scott (Acting) Sir Cecil Clementi
24th Governor of British Ceylon
In office 30 November 1925 – June 1927
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	Edward Bruce Alexander (Acting)
Succeeded by	Arthur George Murchison Fletcher (Acting)
Governor of Nigeria
In office 8 August 1919 – 13 November 1925
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	Sir Frederick Lugard (Governor-General of Nigeria)
Succeeded by	Sir Graeme Thomson
Governor of Gold Coast
In office 26 December 1912 – 1 April 1919
Monarch	George V
Preceded by	James Jamieson Thorburn Herbert Bryan (Acting)
Succeeded by	Alexander Ransford Slater
Acting Governor of British Ceylon
In office 11 July 1907 – 24 August 1907
Monarch	Edward VII
Preceded by	Henry Arthur Blake
Succeeded by	Henry Edward McCallum
Governor of North Borneo
In office 1900–1901
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Preceded by	Leicester P. Beaufort
Succeeded by	Ernest W. Birch
Personal details
Born	(1866-03-05)5 March 1866 Roehampton, London, England, United Kingdom
Died	18 December 1941(1941-12-18) (aged 75) Roehampton, London, England, United Kingdom
Spouses	Minna à Beckett ​ ​ (m. 1896; died 1907)​ Elizabeth de la Pasture ​ (m. 1910)​
Children	Hugh Gilbert Francis Clifford (son) Mary Agnes Philippa Clifford (daughter) Monica Elizabeth Mary Clifford (daughter)
Parents	Henry Hugh Clifford (father) Josephine Elizabeth Anstice (mother)
Profession	Colonial administrator

Sir Hugh Charles Clifford (born March 5, 1866 – died December 18, 1941) was an important British colonial administrator. He worked for the British government in many different countries around the world.

Early Life

Hugh Clifford was born in Roehampton, London, England. He was one of eight children in his family. His father, Sir Henry Hugh Clifford, was a famous British Army general.

Family Life

Hugh Clifford married Minna à Beckett on April 15, 1896. They had one son and two daughters together. Sadly, Minna passed away on January 14, 1907. On September 24, 1910, Hugh Clifford married Elizabeth Lydia Rosabelle Bonham. She was a writer and had been married before. Through this marriage, he became a stepfather to a well-known author named E. M. Delafield.

Hugh Clifford's Career

Hugh Clifford first wanted to join the military, like his father. But he later decided to work for the government instead. He joined the civil service in the Straits Settlements. This was a group of British territories in Southeast Asia. It included parts of modern-day Malaysia and Singapore. He arrived in Malaya in 1883 when he was just 17 years old.

Working in Malaya

Hugh Clifford spent about 20 years in Malaya. He worked in places like the state of Perak and on the east coast in Pahang. During this time, he spent a lot of time with the local Malay people. He learned their language and studied their culture deeply. He grew to understand and admire many parts of their traditional way of life. He also knew that things would change because of British rule. He held several important roles in Malaya. He was a government agent in Pahang from 1887 to 1888. He also served as the British Resident in Pahang from 1896 to 1900 and again from 1901 to 1903. From 1900 to 1901, he was the Governor of North Borneo.

Moving to Other Colonies

In 1903, Hugh Clifford left Malaya. He became the Colonial Secretary of Trinidad and Tobago. This was another important role in a British colony. Later, he became a Governor in several other British territories:

• Governor of British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from 1907 to 1912.
• Governor of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) from 1912 to 1919.
• Governor of Nigeria from 1919 to 1925.
• He returned to be Governor of Ceylon from 1925 to 1927.

Return to Malaya

His last job was a welcome return to Malaya, a place he loved. He became the Governor of the Straits Settlements and British High Commissioner in Malaya. He served in this role from 1927 until 1929. He had to retire because his wife, Lady Clifford, became ill. Throughout his career, Hugh Clifford also wrote many stories and novels. Most of these were about life in Malaya. He also wrote a book called Farther India. This book tells the story of European explorers and their discoveries in Southeast Asia.

Legacy

Several schools in Malaysia are named Clifford School to honor him. These include:

• SK Clifford, Kuala Lipis
• SMK Clifford, Kuala Lipis
• SK Clifford, Kuala Kangsar
• SMK Clifford, Kuala Kangsar

Clifford Pier in Singapore was built between 1927 and 1933. It was named after Sir Hugh Clifford. He was the Governor of the Straits Settlements when it was built. The pier officially opened on June 3, 1933.

Honours

Hugh Clifford received several important awards for his service. These awards showed his high rank and achievements in the British Empire:

• He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1909.
• He became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in 1921.
• He was also made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1925.

Death

Sir Hugh Clifford passed away peacefully on December 18, 1941. He died in his hometown of Roehampton, London. His wife, Elizabeth, died a few years later on October 30, 1945.