Robert Coryndon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Robert Thorne Coryndon KCMG
Robert Coryndon, Nairobi, 1923, with Palmer Kerrison (left) and E.A.T. Dutton (right)
Governor of Kenya
In office 1922 – 10 February 1925
Preceded by	Sir Edward Northey
Succeeded by	Sir Edward Grigg
Governor of Uganda
In office 1918–1922
Preceded by	Sir Frederick Jackson
Succeeded by	Sir Geoffrey Archer
Resident Commissioner in Basutoland
In office 1916–1917
Preceded by	Sir Herbert Sloley
Succeeded by	Sir Edward Garraway
Resident Commissioner in Swaziland
In office 1907–1916
Preceded by	Francis Enraght-Moony
Succeeded by	de Symons Honey
Personal details
Born	2 April 1870 Cape Colony
Died	10 February 1925 (1925-02-11) (aged 54) Nairobi

Sir Robert Thorne Coryndon, KCMG (April 2, 1870 – February 10, 1925) was an important British leader in colonial Africa. He worked as a secretary for Cecil Rhodes, a famous businessman. Later, he became the Governor of the colonies of Uganda (1918–1922) and Kenya (1922–1925). He was known as one of the most powerful colonial administrators of his time.

Early Life and Adventures

Robert Thorne Coryndon was born in Cape Colony, South Africa, on April 2, 1870. His parents were English. He went to school at St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown in South Africa and Cheltenham College in England.

In 1889, he returned to South Africa. He started training to become a lawyer in Kimberley. However, he did not enjoy office work. After a few months, he joined the Bechuanaland Border Police. This police force was part of the British South Africa Company (BSAC). Cecil Rhodes had created this company in 1889.

In 1890, Robert was part of the Pioneer Force. This group helped to settle the area known as Mashonaland. He also served in military campaigns in Matabeleland in 1893 and 1896.

Working with Cecil Rhodes

In 1896, Coryndon became the private secretary to Cecil Rhodes. He worked for Rhodes during a special government investigation in 1896. This investigation looked into an event called the Jameson Raid.

In 1897, Rhodes sent Coryndon to Barotseland. He was to represent the BSAC there. In October 1897, he arrived at King Lewanika's capital, Lealui. The king was not very welcoming. King Lewanika found it hard to understand how Coryndon could work for both a company and the government.

In 1899, Queen Victoria signed an order. This order officially set up company rule in Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia. In September 1900, Coryndon was made commissioner of this area. He held this important job until 1907. After that, he became the Resident Commissioner in Swaziland. He also led a special commission about native reserves in Southern Rhodesia from 1914 to 1915. In 1916, he was appointed Resident Commissioner in Basutoland.

Leading Colonies: Governor Roles

Governor of Uganda

In 1917, Coryndon was given the role of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Uganda. He started this job in 1918. As Governor, he faced a big problem with the East African currency, the rupee. Its value was linked to the Indian rupee. European settlers wanted to lower its value and link it to the British pound instead. But investors strongly disagreed because they would lose money.

One major effect of this change would be to lower the value of money held by African cotton farmers. Some officials thought the loss for families would be small. However, Coryndon worried about people losing trust in the government. He believed you could not just calculate the average loss. Coryndon liked Uganda because there were "no settler problems." This meant there were not many European settlers.

Coryndon's government was praised for helping African people. He made sure they benefited from the growing economy. He removed unpopular taxes. He also canceled all debts that Africans owed to the colonial government for fines. Coryndon also increased wages for all Africans working for the British government. He did this because wages needed to keep up with rising prices.

Governor of Kenya

In the early 1920s, Winston Churchill was in charge of the colonies. In 1922, he chose Coryndon to be the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Kenya. He also made him the High Commissioner of Zanzibar. The previous governor, Edward Northey, had policies that almost made the colony go bankrupt. Between 1913 and 1920, the amount of goods produced by local people had actually gone down.

Coryndon was expected to bring in new policies. These policies would help African production grow. Soon after arriving in Kenya, Coryndon wrote to Churchill. He said he believed he could handle the European settlers. He planned to encourage the growth of local crops and help local people develop.

Coryndon created a "dual policy." This policy aimed to fix problems caused by favoring settlers too much. But it also avoided saying that African interests were always most important. In September 1923, Coryndon explained his idea. He said that the interests of Europeans and Africans could work together. He believed that with the right help, Africans would become Kenya's greatest strength. The government should care about their well-being, health, and sense of duty. Africans should also get education that fit their needs. This dual policy later became the official way the colony was run.

Churchill also asked Coryndon to solve the "Indian question" in Kenya. This was about the rights of Indian settlers. Churchill supported white settlement but also saw a need for Indian merchants. Many Indians moved to Nairobi in the 1920s. They worked as shopkeepers, railway workers, and government clerks. White settlers then moved to the suburbs. Indians wanted the same political rights as white settlers.

The British government tried to find a solution. They suggested rules about education and property. These rules would allow about 10% of Indians to vote. They also set rules for candidates to ensure Europeans kept a majority. Coryndon presented these ideas to European leaders in Nairobi. They all rejected them. They demanded that rules be made to stop more Indian people from moving to Kenya.

Coryndon was given special honors for his work. He became CMG in 1911 and KCMG in 1919. He passed away in Nairobi on February 10, 1925. After his death, the Kenyan Legislative Council gave money to his wife and children. This was to support them after his passing.

His Legacy

Coryndon was one of Cecil Rhodes's important followers. He learned a lot from Rhodes. His private secretary later described him as a "simple man with simple ideas." He believed in letting local people have some say in their own rule. He wanted to build a modern society based on the traditions of the people.

The Coryndon Museum

In 1929, the Kenyan government set aside land in Nairobi for a museum. The Coryndon Museum officially opened on September 22, 1930. After Kenya became independent in 1963, it was renamed the Nairobi National Museum.

The SS Robert Coryndon Ship

A large ship named the SS Robert Coryndon was built in England. It was 207 feet long and weighed 800 tons. This steamer operated on Lake Albert between 1930 and 1964. The ship offered a ferry service from Butiaba to the Congo and through Pakwach in Pakwach District.

The famous writer Ernest Hemingway once stopped in Butiaba. His plane had crashed during a hunting trip. He described the ship as "magnificence on water." The ship sank in 1964. Today, only its abandoned remains can be seen.