Ronald Dare Gillespie facts for kids

Ronald Dare Gillespie (born April 14, 1890 – died April 8, 1981) was an important person who was both a businessman and a British Army officer. He was also a politician in Hong Kong. From 1946 to 1948, he was a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, which is like a government council.

Early Life and Military Service

Ronald Dare Gillespie was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in April 1890. He went to school in Edinburgh, Scotland, at Loretto School. After his training, he went back to British Columbia to work as an engineer and surveyor.

During the First World War, he became a Captain in the Gordon Highlanders, a famous army group. In January 1915, he was captured at La Bassee and became a prisoner of war. This means he was held by the enemy. Later, he was part of an exchange where prisoners from both sides were set free.

Business Career and World War II

After the war, Ronald Gillespie joined a big British company called Imperial Chemical Industries. This company made many different chemicals. He later became the Chairman, which is the top leader, of this company. He worked in several cities in China.

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II, he was held by the Japanese. This happened in Hong Kong. In 1943, he was released in another exchange, this time for Japanese people held by Canada. After his release, Gillespie worked for the British Raw Materials Mission in Washington, D.C., until the war ended.

Political Role in Hong Kong

Ronald Gillespie returned to Hong Kong in October 1945. He became the Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. This is a group that helps businesses in Hong Kong.

In April 1946, he was chosen to represent the Chamber of Commerce in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. This council helps make laws for Hong Kong. He served in this important role until 1948.

Discussing New Taxes

While on the Legislative Council, he joined a special group called the Taxation Committee in 1946. This group had eleven members and was led by the Financial Secretary, C. G. S. Follows. They had to talk about a difficult topic: bringing in new taxes.

Other important members of the committee included Arthur Morse, who was the chief manager of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, and Man-kam Lo. Ronald Gillespie thought that an income tax was the best way to collect money for the government. He believed it would work well if it was collected fairly from everyone.

The government eventually created a new law called the Inland Revenue. This law helped collect taxes. Even though Gillespie supported the new tax law, he was a bit worried. He wondered if the government would have enough skilled people to collect the taxes properly.

Personal Life

Ronald Dare Gillespie was the son of George Gillespie and Florence Adelaide Hebden. He married Kathleen Little. He passed away at the Old House in Milford-on-Sea, near Lymington, Hampshire, on April 8, 1981. He was 90 years old.