Sir Henry Bradshaw Popham (23 August 1881 – 15 April 1947) was a soldier in the

South African War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

and

Governor of the Windward Islands This is a list of viceroys in the British Windward Islands. The colony of the Windward Islands was created in 1833 and consisted of Grenada, Barbados (to 1885), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tobago (to 1889), St. Lucia (from 1838), and Domin ...

1937–1942.

Early life and education

Popham was born 23 August 1881 at

Walmer Walmer is a town in Dover District, the district of Dover, Kent, in England. Located on the coast, the parish of Walmer is south-east of Sandwich, Kent. Largely residential, its coastline and castle attract many visitors. It has a population of ...

, Kent, the son of a surgeon at the Royal Navy hospital at Port Royal in Trinidad, Thomas Dalton Popham (1849–1885) and Annie Emma West (1857–1945). his brother was Charles Home Popham (1884–1955). He was educated at

Tonbridge School (God Giveth the Increase) , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = , president = , head_label ...

in Kent. He later married Millicent Collyer on 27 March 1913 at Seaton in Devon.

Career

Popham's first commission was in Prince Albert's 13th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry in 1900. He then served in

(receiving 2 medals). He was seconded to the Gold Coast Regiment as Lieutenant (replacing O. C. Mordaunt) on 1 May 1905., whilst there he entered the Colonial Service where he became private secretary and Aide-de-camp to the Acting-Governor from March to August 1909, then at the Colonial-Secretary’s office from January 1910, private secretary to Acting-Governor from February to June 1911, and Acting Chief Assistant Colonial-Secretary and elk. of councils between July and August 1913. Served as District Commissioner in 1914 followed by a secondment to the British Sphere of Occupation in

Togoland Togoland was a German Empire protectorate in West Africa from 1884 to 1914, encompassing what is now the nation of Togo and most of what is now the Volta Region of Ghana, approximately 90,400 km2 (29,867 sq mi) in size. During the period kno ...

as District Political Administration from 1914 to 1920 (for which he was granted an M.B.E.) He then returned to the Gold Coast as Senior Assistant to the Colonial Secretary in 1920; as Deputy Provincial Commissioner in 1921 and Provincial Commissioner in 1922 from which he retired on an annual salary of £1200, on medical grounds, in 1923. Then in 1925 he continued as Commissioner of Cyprus and Administrator to Dominica in 1933. This followed, on Sir Selwyn Grier retirement, with his appointment on 19 January 1937 to Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the

Windward Islands french: Îles du Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth ...

residing at

St. George's, Grenada St. George's (Grenadian Creole French: ''Sen Jòj'') is the capital of Grenada. The town is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is located on a horseshoe-shaped harbour. St. George's is a popular Caribbean tourist destinatio ...

where his salary rose to £2,500 (with £500 duty allowance and another £500 travelling allowance). It was during this role he visited, with his wife, the

1939 New York World's Fair The 1939–40 New York World's Fair was a world's fair held at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York, United States. It was the second-most expensive American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchas ...

in August. Popham died 15 April 1947 and his will was probated on 31 October 1947 in London, England.

Honours and awards

Among some of his achievements, Popham was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(M.B.E.) in 1918, made a CMG in June 1935 and then later knighted Commander

KCMG KCMG may refer to * KC Motorgroup, based in Hong Kong, China * Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, British honour * KCMG-LP, radio station in New Mexico, USA * KCMG, callsign 1997-2001 of Los Angeles radio station KKLQ (FM) ...

in 1938.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Popham, Henry Bradshaw 1881 births 1947 deaths Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Members of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Tonbridge School People from Walmer Governors of the Windward Islands Somerset Light Infantry officers