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The chief secretary of Singapore, known as the colonial secretary of Singapore before 1955, and the colonial secretary of the Straits Settlements before 1946, was a high ranking government official position in the
Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
before 1946 and the
Colony of Singapore Singapore was a British colony for 144 years, apart from a period of occupation under the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945 during the Pacific War. When the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies in 1945, at the end of World War II, S ...
after 1946, between 1867 and 1959. It was second only to the
governor of Singapore The Governors of Singapore were the political leaders of Singapore during its pre-independence phase in the history of Singapore. Residents of Singapore (1819–1826) The Resident of Singapore ruled the British colony that is today the Republi ...
, formerly the
governor of the Straits Settlements The governor of the Straits Settlements was appointed by the British East India Company until 1867, when the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony. Thereafter the governor was appointed by the Colonial Office. The position existed from 1826 ...
in the colonial government. The Straits Settlements, which mainly comprised
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
,
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
and
Malacca Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
, became a Crown colony in 1867. The position of Colonial Secretary was subsequently created with a view to replacing
Resident Councillor Resident may refer to: People and functions * Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country * Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training * Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceutic ...
in Singapore. During the
Japanese occupation of Singapore , officially , was the name for Singapore when it was occupied and ruled by the Empire of Japan, following the fall and surrender of British military forces on 15 February 1942 during World War II. Japanese military forces occupied it after ...
, the position was vacant and suspended following the downfall of the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
into the hands of the
Japanese Empire The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...
. In 1946, Singapore parted from Penang and Malacca, forming itself into a Crown colony, so the jurisdiction of Colonial Secretary was reduced to Singapore only. The title "Colonial Secretary" was later changed to "Chief Secretary" in 1955 when the Crown colony adopted the
Rendel Constitution The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore. A written constitution, the text which took effect on 9 August 1965 is derived from the Constitution of the State of Singapore 1963, provisions of the Federal Const ...
. Having been in existence for 92 years, the position was abolished in 1959 after Singapore attained
self-governance __NOTOC__ Self-governance, self-government, or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any form of ...
. Being the head of the Colonial Secretary's Office, the colonial secretary was an ''ex-officio'' member of both the
Executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...
and Legislative Council, and at the same time the head of the Colonial Secretariat between 1867 and 1955. When Singapore adopted its new constitution in 1955, although the Colonial Secretariat was abolished, the chief secretary remained an ''ex-officio'' member of the
Council of Ministers A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
and the Legislative Assembly. The workplace of Chief Secretary was located at
Empress Place Building The Empress Place Building is a historic building in Singapore, located on the north bank of the Singapore River in the Downtown Core, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district. The building is currently the second wing ...
while
Sri Temasek Sri Temasek is a two-storey detached house built in 1869 which is sited within the grounds of the Istana in Singapore. During the island's colonial era, it served as the residence of the Chief Secretary. Since gaining self-governance from the ...
, which was next to the
Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries. Gover ...
, was the official residence of the chief secretary.


History


Background of its creation

In the context of the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
's outward expansion, the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
(EIC) had gradually started to extend their influence to the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
as early as the late eighteenth century. In February 1819,
Sir Stamford Raffles Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles (5 July 1781 – 5 July 1826) was a British statesman who served as the Lieutenant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies between 1811 and 1816, and Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen between 1818 and 1824. He is b ...
, EIC's
Bengkulu Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
Governor took the lead by establishing a trading settlement in
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
; he appointed
Resident Resident may refer to: People and functions * Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country * Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training * Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceutic ...
of
Malacca Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
William Farquhar William Farquhar ( ; 26 February 1774 – 11 May 1839) was a Scottish colonial administrator employed by the East India Company, who served as the sixth Resident of Malacca between 1813 and 1818, and the first Resident of Singapore between ...
as the first Resident and Commandant of Singapore to administer its trade affairs, marking the prelude to the colonial history of Singapore."Singapore", retrieved on 13 March 2012. In 1826, the EIC established the
Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
by centralising the administration of trading settlements in Singapore,
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
and
Malacca Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
for better efficiency.''The Statesman's Year-Book 1941'', page 182. After the formation of the Straits Settlements, the post of the Resident in Singapore was restructured as
Resident Councillor Resident may refer to: People and functions * Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country * Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training * Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceutic ...
, who continued to be Singapore's highest-ranking official; The posts of Resident Councillor, Penang and ''Resident Councillor, Malacca'' were also created, while a holder of the newly created
Governor of the Straits Settlements The governor of the Straits Settlements was appointed by the British East India Company until 1867, when the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony. Thereafter the governor was appointed by the Colonial Office. The position existed from 1826 ...
would be stationed in Penang.Lepoer, 1989. Soon after, due to the rapid development of trade and the constant expansion of trading ports, the office of the Governor of the Straits Settlements was relocated from Penang to Singapore in 1832, thus replacing the Resident Councillor as the highest-ranking official in Singapore. When the Straits Settlements was established in 1826, it was administered under India as its
Presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by a ...
; it was later administered as a
Residency Residency may refer to: * Domicile (law), the act of establishing or maintaining a residence in a given place ** Permanent residency, indefinite residence within a country despite not having citizenship * Residency (medicine), a stage of postgrad ...
from 1830 to 1851, when it was directly under the
Governor of India A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
. However, the ultimate control over the Straits Settlements remained under EIC's Board of Directors in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. The
British Government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...
took over the EIC's administrative powers over India in 1858 due to the
Sepoy Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...
and established
direct rule in India In India, President's rule is the suspension of state government and imposition of direct Union government rule in a state. Under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, if a state government is unable to function according to Constitutional ...
. The Government of the Straits Settlements continued to be accountable to the Government of British India, while local Resident Councillors, originally employees of the EIC, were transited over to the colonial civil service. In 1867, the
Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created to deal with the colonial affairs of British North America but required also to oversee the increasing number of col ...
of the British Government decided to directly administer the Straits Settlements as a
crown colony A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony administered by The Crown within the British Empire. There was usually a Governor, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local Counci ...
, with Colonel Ronald MacPherson, the last Resident Councillor of Singapore as the inaugural Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements.Sutherland, 16 September 2009.


Straits Settlements

Nineteen people served as the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements from 1867 to 1942, excluding
acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad r ...
officials. Even though this position evolved from the post of Resident Councillor of Singapore, the nature of both differed. On one hand, the status of the Colonial Secretary was higher than that of the Resident Councillors in Penang and Malacca. On the other hand, the main duties of the Colonial Secretary was to oversee and coordinate administration, while that of the Resident Councillor of Singapore under the EIC's administration covered areas such as law enforcement, land use, vessels, postal services, custom affairs and municipal services. Therefore, the newly created position was similar to the Secretary to the Government of British India as well as the colonial secretaries or chief secretaries in other British colonies in terms of its nature. At that time, the Colonial Secretary was stationed in Singapore, the post was also known as the "Colonial Secretary of Singapore"."SWETTENHAM, Sir Alexander", 1996. In July 1896, the British Government formed the
Federated Malay States )Under God's Protection , capital = Kuala Lumpur1 , religion = Islam , legislature = Federal Legislative Council , type_house1 = State level , common_languages = , title_leader = Monarch , leader1 ...
(FMS), which comprised
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
,
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
,
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
and
Pahang Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
in the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
, with the Governor of the Straits Settlements concurrently as
High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Malaya In 1896, the post of High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States was created; the High Commissioner represented the British Government in the Federated Malay States, a federation of four British protected states in Malaya. The High Commissi ...
.Andaya, page 183. However, both the Governor and Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements were stationed in Singapore, so the Resident-General of the FMS (renamed Chief Secretary in 1911 and
Federal Secretary The federal secretary (also referred to as the secretary to the Government of Pakistan) is the highest-ranking position in the Government of Pakistan, occupied by the most senior civil servant in a specific ministry or division. The secretary is ...
in 1936) stationed in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
was put in charge of the administration of the FMS. The responsibilities of the Resident-General of the FMS and the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements did not overlap, but both were similar in nature; a resident was stationed in each of the states of the FMS, but the Resident-General of the FMS had to govern in his daily routine on behalf the High Commissioner. Hence, he held relatively more powers as compared with the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements. During
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
's invasion of Singapore in January 1942, the then-Colonial Secretary Stanley Jones was revoked from his position due to alleged ineffective defence coordination. The position was taken over temporarily by FMS Federal Secretary Hugh Fraser, who retreated to Singapore."Mr. S. W. Jones", 28 January 1942. Both Fraser and Sir Shenton Thomas, Governor of the Straits Settlements, stayed in Singapore until the last moment; they were imprisoned following the fall of Singapore to the Japanese. The post of Colonial Secretary was vacant due to the fall of Singapore. Following the
unconditional surrender An unconditional surrender is a surrender in which no guarantees are given to the surrendering party. It is often demanded with the threat of complete destruction, extermination or annihilation. In modern times, unconditional surrenders most ofte ...
of Japan in 1945, the United Kingdom set up a provisional military government without restoring the post, so as to prepare for the dissolution of the Straits Settlements, in response to the post-war situation.


Evolution after World War II

Following the dissolution of the Straits Settlements, Singapore became a crown colony on 1 April 1946. Its
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
restored the civil government, while Penang and Malacca, previously part of the Straits Settlements, were incorporated into the newly formed
Malayan Union The Malayan Union was a union of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government to simplify administratio ...
.''The Statesman's Year-Book 1955, page 245. In view of this, the post of the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements was renamed Colonial Secretary of Singapore, with Sir Patrick McKerron as the first to hold this post."McKERRON, Sir Patrick (Alexander Bruce)", 1996. After the
Rendel Constitution The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore. A written constitution, the text which took effect on 9 August 1965 is derived from the Constitution of the State of Singapore 1963, provisions of the Federal Const ...
took effect from February 1955, the post was renamed as Chief Secretary of Singapore, in response to the growing post-war self-governance movements in Singapore, and to the change in the functions and powers.''The Statesman's Year-Book 1956'', page 244. In the 1950s, constitutional amendments were made several times in preparation for self-governance in Singapore. In June 1959, the State of Singapore was established according to constitutional arrangements; under British
suzerainty Suzerainty () is the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity who controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, while allowing the tributary state to have internal autonomy. While the subordinate party is cal ...
, the Governor was replaced by the ''
Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yang di-Pertuan Negara (English: (he) who is Lord of the State) is a title for the head of state in certain Malay language, Malay-speaking countries, and has been used as an official title at various times in Brunei and Singapore. Sabah The head ...
'' while the position of Chief Secretary was abolished. E. B. David was the last person to hold this position in colonial Singapore.''The Statesman's Year-Book 1960'', page 245. Since then, Singapore's governing powers fell into the hands of the newly created
Prime Minister of Singapore The prime minister of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The president appoints the prime minister, a Member of Parliament (MP) who in their opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of the majority of ...
and his cabinet. From 1946 to 1959, only four colonial officials held the post of Colonial Secretary or Chief Secretary in post-war Singapore.


Major responsibilities and powers

The position of the Chief Secretary and Colonial Secretary of Singapore, as well as the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements, i.e. their predecessor, was the highest ranking position in the
civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
during the colonial period. The status of a person holding this position was second only to that of the
Governor of Singapore The Governors of Singapore were the political leaders of Singapore during its pre-independence phase in the history of Singapore. Residents of Singapore (1819–1826) The Resident of Singapore ruled the British colony that is today the Republi ...
and the
Governor of the Straits Settlements The governor of the Straits Settlements was appointed by the British East India Company until 1867, when the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony. Thereafter the governor was appointed by the Colonial Office. The position existed from 1826 ...
. When the Governor was on leave or when its post was vacant, the Chief Secretary would usually be in charge of appointing an acting Governor. As the highest-ranking official second to the Governor, the Chief Secretary was the head of the Chief Secretary's Office (formerly the Colonial Secretary's Office) and worked in the
Empress Place Building The Empress Place Building is a historic building in Singapore, located on the north bank of the Singapore River in the Downtown Core, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district. The building is currently the second wing ...
, with other officials to assist him with his administration. The Colonial Secretary, predecessor of the Chief Secretary, was also responsible of the Colonial Secretariat situated in the Empress Place Palace, but after the
Rendel Constitution The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore. A written constitution, the text which took effect on 9 August 1965 is derived from the Constitution of the State of Singapore 1963, provisions of the Federal Const ...
took effect from February 1955, the Secretariat was abolished following a reduction in the Chief Secretary's powers, while the Chief Secretary's Office continued to function. The Colonial Secretary had comparatively greater powers than the Chief Secretary. Similar to other British colonies, the Colonial Secretary was responsible of coordinating and overseeing the daily operation of government sectors and presided over the planning and enactment of important government policies. Besides Singapore, other places such as
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
,
Malacca Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
,
Dinding The Manjung District, formerly Dindings, is a district in the southwestern part of the state of Perak, Malaysia. The district is well known for Pangkor Island, an attraction in Perak and the home of the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM), Lumut Naval Ba ...
and
Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capit ...
were also under the Colonial Secretary's jurisdiction during the
Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
period; in addition, other than Singapore, these places also had their own ''Resident Councillor''. On 1 April 1946, Singapore became a crown colony, reducing the Colonial Secretary's jurisdiction to only Singapore. After the Rendel Constitution took effect from February 1955, the
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
position, the
Council of Ministers A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
as well as Legislative Assembly were created and the ministers who were popularly elected took up responsibility in governing Singapore, thus significantly reducing the Chief Minister's powers. Nevertheless, the Chief Secretary still controlled areas such as Singapore's foreign affairs, internal security,
defence Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...
, broadcasting and public relations. The Colonial Secretary and Chief Secretary had long been important official positions in colonial Singapore; since the formation of the Executive Council and the
Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements The Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements was a legislature formed on 1 April 1867, when the Straits Settlements was made a Crown colony. This allowed laws to be made swiftly and efficiently, as it was directly responsible to the Secret ...
in 1867, the Colonial Secretary was an ''ex officio'' member for both Councils. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, both Councils were initially replaced by the ''Singapore Advisory Council'' in 1946; it was later officially restructured as the
Executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...
and Legislative Councils of Singapore. The Colonial Secretary served in the Advisory Council as well as the Executive and Legislative Councils as an ''ex officio'' member in post-war Singapore. In February 1955, a democratic election system was introduced, with the Executive Council being replaced by the Council of Ministers, while the Legislative Council was restructured to form the Legislative Assembly. The Council of Ministers continued to be chaired by the Governor, while the Legislative Assembly was to be presided over by the Governor-appointed Speaker; The Colonial Secretary, together with the
Attorney-General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
and the ''Financial Secretary'' continued to remain as ''ex officio'' members in both bodies, leaving them the only members who were concurrently colonial civil servants. In 1959, the State of Singapore was established, while the Council of Ministers was replaced by the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
; The Legislative Assembly continued to function and the
Prime Minister of Singapore The prime minister of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The president appoints the prime minister, a Member of Parliament (MP) who in their opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of the majority of ...
was to preside over the Cabinet, while the position of the Chief Secretary was abolished. The Colonial Secretary had the power to issue
warrants Warrant may refer to: * Warrant (law), a form of specific authorization ** Arrest warrant, authorizing the arrest and detention of an individual ** Search warrant, a court order issued that authorizes law enforcement to conduct a search for eviden ...
to arrest and deport any persons suspected of endangering public order and social stability. The
Chinese community The Chinese people or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation. Chinese people are known as Zhongguoren () or as Huaren () by speakers of s ...
back then regarded the colonial Governor as the highest ranking "
prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
" (
is a Chinese character encountered in East Asian languages. It was grouped with as Radical 96 in the ''Kangxi'' radicals. It may also refer to: * kings, in reference to non-Chinese states * the early Chinese sovereigns of the Xia, Shang, and ...
wáng) under the
British monarch The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...
, while the Colonial Secretary was viewed as a "prince" second to the Governor. Also, the word "warrant" was transliterated as "hua" (
Hua is a common transliteration for some Chinese surnames, of which the most common ones are 華/华 () and 花 (). The Cantonese romanizations for 華 and 花 are Wah and Fa, respectively. 華, when pronounced in the fourth tone in Mandarin, is ex ...
huā). Therefore, the Chinese community termed warrants issued by the Colonial Secretary as the "Second Prince's Warrant" (二王花 Èr-wáng Huā).Jin, page 59. Persons who were taken into custody and deported by the Colonial Secretary included ''Hau Say Hoan'' (侯西反), an anti-Japanese Chinese businessman who resided in Singapore for 38 years. He was accused by Sir Alexander Small, the then-Colonial Secretary of being anti-British and engaging in dealings with illegal organisations to endanger public order in December 1939; Small invoked the Expulsion Order and deported Hau, and prohibited him from re-entry.


Career paths

In the colonial history of Singapore, the posts of Colonial Secretary and Chief Secretary were held by
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
colonial officials. Unlike
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, which is also a former British colony, no locals had ever been appointed as Colonial Secretary or Chief Secretary. In the early days, most of the Colonial Secretaries had colonial military background or had previously served in other parts of the
Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
or the
Malay peninsula The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
. In 1905, F. G. Penney became the first
cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...
to be appointed Colonial Secretary.Braddell, Brooke and Makepeace, page 140. Since then, many Colonial Secretaries and Chief Secretaries were cadets from the FMS or other parts of the Straits Settlements. Cadets were recruited from
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
by the
Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created to deal with the colonial affairs of British North America but required also to oversee the increasing number of col ...
through a systematic open recruitment test, and those who stand out were mainly outstanding graduates from top universities; these Colonial Secretaries and Chief Secretaries include Edward Brockman,
Richard James Wilkinson Richard James Wilkinson (29 May 1867 – 5 December 1941) was a British Colonial administrator, scholar of Malay language, Malay, and historian. The son of a British Consul, Richard James Wilkinson was born in 1867 in Salonika (Thessaloniki) i ...
, Sir Hayes Marriott, Sir Andrew Caldecott, Sir Alexander Small and E. B. David."MARRIOTT, Sir Hayes", 1996."CALDECOTT, Sir Andrew", 1996."SMALL, Sir Alexander Sym", 1996."DAVID, Sir Edgeworth (Beresford)", 1996. In colonial Singapore, the post of Colonial Secretary or Chief Secretary provided opportunities for promotion in the colonial civil service:
Cecil Clementi Smith Sir Cecil Clementi Smith (23 December 1840 – 6 February 1916),. was a British colonial administrator. Background The son of an Essex rector, John Smith, and his wife Cecilia Susanna Clementi (daughter of Muzio Clementi), Cecil Clementi Smi ...
and
Sir Arthur Young Colonel Sir Arthur Edwin Young (15 February 1907 – 20 January 1979) was a British police officer. He was Commissioner of Police of the City of London from 1950 to 1971 and was also the first head of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to be styled ...
later became
Governors of the Straits Settlements A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
; Sir William Goode later served as Singapore's last
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
;"GOODE, Sir William (Allmond Codrington)", 1996. John Douglas,
James Alexander Swettenham Sir James Alexander Swettenham (1846 – 19 April 1933) was a British colonial administrator who was Governor of British Guiana (1901–1904) and Governor of Jamaica (1904–1907). Early life Alexander was born the son of James Oldham Swetten ...
,
Walter Egerton Sir Walter Egerton, (1858 – 22 March 1947) had a long career in the administration of the British Empire, holding senior positions which included the Governorships of Lagos Colony (1904–1906), Southern Nigeria (1906–1912), and British Gui ...
(acting),
Richard James Wilkinson Richard James Wilkinson (29 May 1867 – 5 December 1941) was a British Colonial administrator, scholar of Malay language, Malay, and historian. The son of a British Consul, Richard James Wilkinson was born in 1867 in Salonika (Thessaloniki) i ...
and
Andrew Caldecott Sir Andrew Caldecott (26 October 1884 – 14 July 1951) was a British colonial administrator. Early years Andrew Caldecott was born on 26 October 1884 in Boxley, Kent, United Kingdom. He was the eldest child of Rev Andrew Caldecott and Isobel ...
later became Governors in other British colonies. There were also holders who retired after leaving office: F. G. Penney, Sir Hayes Marriott,
Sir John Scott John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon, (4 June 1751 – 13 January 1838) was a British barrister and politician. He served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain between 1801 and 1806 and again between 1807 and 1827. Background and education Eldon ...
, Sir Alexander Small, Sir Patrick McKerron and W. L. Blythe."SCOTT, Sir John", 1996."BLYTHE, Wilfred Lawson", 1996. The longest serving holder of the post was Sir F. S. James; he served for eight years from 1916 to 1924.Braddell, Brooke and Makepeace, page 145. The shortest serving was
Edward Lewis Brockman Sir Edward Lewis Brockman (29 June 1865 – 10 January 1943) was a colonial administrator who served briefly as the Colonial Secretary to the Straits Settlements in 1911 and was the chief secretary to the Federated Malay States (FMS) from 191 ...
; he held this appointment in 1911 but was transferred to serve as Chief Secretary of the FMS shortly after in the same year.Braddell, Brooke and Makepeace, page 141. In addition, Colonel Ronald MacPherson, the inaugural Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements was the only holder to have died in office. Holders of the post of Colonial Secretary or Chief Secretary enjoyed remuneration and welfare similar to that of colonial secretaries or chief secretaries in other British colonies."On Promotion Bent.", 16 December 1891. According to data in 1892, the annual salary of the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements was $10,800 (
Straits dollar The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1898 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Kingdom of Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo. Histor ...
), the second highest among colonial officials in
British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ms, Tanah Melayu British) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. U ...
after the Governor; the third highest-paying was the Resident Councillor of Penang, with a salary of $9,600 per year, excluding bonuses. The official residence of the Chief Secretary or Colonial Secretary was
Sri Temasek Sri Temasek is a two-storey detached house built in 1869 which is sited within the grounds of the Istana in Singapore. During the island's colonial era, it served as the residence of the Chief Secretary. Since gaining self-governance from the ...
, inaugurated in 1869, located within the grounds of the
Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries. Gover ...
. All holders of the position resided in Sri Temasek from 1869 to 1959.Sutherland, 25 February 2011.


List of officeholders


Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements (1867–1942)


Colonial Secretary of Singapore (1946–1955)


Chief Secretary of Singapore (1955–1959)


See also

*
Governor of the Straits Settlements The governor of the Straits Settlements was appointed by the British East India Company until 1867, when the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony. Thereafter the governor was appointed by the Colonial Office. The position existed from 1826 ...
*
Governor of Singapore The Governors of Singapore were the political leaders of Singapore during its pre-independence phase in the history of Singapore. Residents of Singapore (1819–1826) The Resident of Singapore ruled the British colony that is today the Republi ...
*
Chief Minister of Singapore The chief minister of Singapore was the head of government of the Colony of Singapore until its abolition on 3 June 1959. It was replaced by the office of Prime Minister. The chief minister was appointed by the governor of Singapore. The chief mi ...


References


External links


English-language

*
Legislative Council
, ''The Straits Times'', 8 May 1875, page 2. *
Government Gazette
, ''The Straits Times'', 22 May 1875, page 5. * Foster, Joseph, ''Men-at-the-bar''. Printed for the author by Hazell, Watson, and Viney, 1885. *
"Government Gazette", 28 August.
, ''Straits Times Weekly Issue'', 1 September 1891, page 6. *
On Promotion Bent.
, ''Straits Times Weekly Issue'', 16 December 1891, page 9. *
The New Colonial Secretary.
, ''Straits Times Weekly Issue'', 16 February 1892, page 7. * Braddell, Roland St. John; Brooke, Gilbert Edward and Makepeace, Walter,
One Hundred Years of Singapore
'. London: Murray, 1921. *
Colonial Secretariat
, ''The Straits Times'', 12 March 1924, page 8. *
Expulsion of Hau Say Hoan
, ''The Straits Times'', 30 December 1939, page 10. *
Mr. S. W. Jones
, ''The Straits Times'', 28 January 1942, page 4. * ''The Statesman's Year-Book 1941''. London: Palgrave, 1941. * ''The Statesman's Year-Book 1955''. London: Palgrave, 1955. * ''The Statesman's Year-Book 1956''. London: Palgrave, 1956. * ''The Statesman's Year-Book 1960''. London: Palgrave, 1960. * Allen, J. de Vere, "Malayan Civil Service, 1874-1941: Colonial Bureaucracy/Malayan Elite", ''Comparative Studies in Society and History'' Vol. 12, No. 2. UK: Cambridge University Press, April 1970, pages 149 - 178. * Andaya, Barbara Watson and Andaya, Leonard Y.,
A History of Malaysia
'. Hong Kong: Palgrave Macmillan, 1982. * Lepoer, Barbara Leitch, ed.,
Singapore: A Country Study
'. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1989. * Sandhu, Kernial Singh and Wheatley, Paul,
Management of Success: The Moulding of Modern Singapore
'. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1989. * "BLYTHE, Wilfred Lawson", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "CALDECOTT, Sir Andrew", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "DAVID, Sir Edgeworth (Beresford)", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "GOODE, Sir William (Allmond Codrington)", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "HEMMANT, George", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "HOSE, Edward Shaw", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "MARRIOTT, Sir Hayes", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "McKERRON, Sir Patrick (Alexander Bruce)", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "SCOTT, Sir John", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "SMALL, Sir Alexander Sym", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * "SWETTENHAM, Sir Alexander", ''Who was Who''. London: A & C Black, 1996. * Lippman, David H.,

, ''World War II Plus 55'', 1998. * Omar, Marsita,

, ''Singapore Infopedia''. National Library, Singapore, 5 April 2006. * Sutherland, Duncan,

, ''Singapore Infopedia''. National Library, Singapore, 16 September 2009. * Quah, Jon S. T.,
Public Administration Singapore-Style
'. UK: Emerald Group Publishing, 2010. * Bertram, Anton,
The Colonial Service
'. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. * Sutherland, Duncan,

, ''Singapore Infopedia''. National Library, Singapore, 25 February 2011. *

, ''World Statesmen.org'', retrieved on 13 March 2012. *

, ''World Statesmen.org'', retrieved on 13 March 2012. *

, ''World Statesmen.org'', retrieved on 13 March 2012. *

, ''Singapore Infopedia'', retrieved on 29 July 2014.


Chinese-language

* Jin, Xingzhong,

(Singapore Chinese Volunteer Army during World War II), 《廣州文史資料》第十九輯 (Volume XIX of ''Guangzhou Cultural and Historical Data''). Cultural and Historical Data Research Committee of the Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province Committee of the Chinese People Consultative Conference, June 1980. * Tan, Kah Kee
南僑回憶錄
(''Nanyang Chinese Memoirs'', Volume I). United States: Global Publishing, 1993. {{ISBN, 9789814327275
Lists of political office-holders in Malaysia Administrators in British Malaya
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...