Sir Sidney Godolphin Alexander Shippard, (29 May 1837 – 29 March 1902) was a British

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

and colonial administrator, who served as Resident Commissioner of the Bechuanaland Protectorate 1885–1895.

Early life and career

Shippard was the eldest son of Captain William Shippard, 29th Regiment (son of Rear Admiral Alexander Shippard), and Elizabeth Lydia Peters (daughter of Captain Joseph Peters). He was educated at King's College School and Oxford. Taking his degree in 1863, he was called to the bar as a member of the Inner Temple in 1867. He then entered upon a long career in South Africa. He was attorney-general of Griqualand West from 1873 until 1877, when he was made acting recorder of the High Court of Griqualand. The next year, after clashes with the new Governor

Henry Bartle Frere Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, (29 March 1815 – 29 May 1884) was a Welsh British colonial administrator. He had a successful career in India, rising to become Governor of Bombay (1862–1867). However, as High Commissioner for ...

and the Lieutenant Governor of Griqualand West Sir William Owen Lanyon, he retired from the position. From 1880 to 1885 he sat as a judge of the Supreme Court of the Cape Colony; and he was British commissioner on the Anglo-German commission in 1884-1885 for settling the claims of British subjects at

Lüderitz Bay Lüderitz Bay or Lüderitzbaai (german: Lüderitzbucht), also known as Angra Pequena (, "small cove"), is a bay in the coast of Namibia, Africa. The city of Lüderitz is located at the edge of the bay. Geography The bay is indented and comple ...

(''German: Lüderitzbucht'') and other parts of the south-west coast.

Bechuanaland

Shippard, while at Oxford in 1878, had discussed with

Cecil Rhodes Cecil John Rhodes (5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was a British mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896. An ardent believer in British imperialism, Rhodes and his Br ...

the plan of the projected British advance in south central Africa. He saw in the German annexation of

Damaraland Damaraland was a name given to the north-central part of what later became Namibia, inhabited by the Damara (people), Damaras. It was bounded roughly by Ovamboland in the north, the Namib Desert in the west, the Kalahari Desert in the east, a ...

and Namaqualand the first step in a design to secure for Germany territory stretching from ocean to ocean – a design which if executed would have been fatal to the British position in South Africa. Consequently, when after the Warren expedition of 1885 he was chosen to organize the newly acquired British possessions in Bechuanaland he saw in his appointment an opportunity for forestalling the Germans, and also the Boer adventurers who likewise sought to be beforehand with Britain in the countries north of the Limpopo. From his first establishment in Bechuanaland he kept up a friendly correspondence with the Matabele king

Lobengula Lobengula Khumalo (c. 1845 – presumed January 1894) was the second and last official king of the Northern Ndebele people (historically called Matabele in English). Both names in the Ndebele language mean "the men of the long shields", a refere ...

with the object of attaching him to the British cause. At the end of 1887 he went to

Graham's Town Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana Loc ...

with the hope of inducing the high commissioner ( Sir Hercules Robinson afterwards Lord Rosmead) to sanction the conclusion of a treaty with Lobengula binding that ruler not to cede any part of his territory to any other power than England. "I used all my power of persuasion," Sir Sidney writes, "but failed to induce Lord Rosmead either to act on his own responsibility in the matter or to approach Her Majesty's government on the subject. As a last resource I telegraphed to Mr Rhodes, who was then busily engaged at

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia * Kimberley (Western Australia) ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Kimberley * Kimberley Warm Springs, Tasmania * Kimberley, Tasmania a small town * County of Kimberley, a ...

, to come down at once to Graham's Town and try the effect of his eloquence. He came, and by taking upon himself all pecuniary responsibility succeeded in obtaining the requisite sanction" (see article "Bechuanaland," by Sir S Shippard, in ''British Africa'', London, 1899). The treaty was signed and British interests secured. Shippard was thenceforth freer to devote himself to the special interests of Bechuanaland, which he governed with conspicuous success. He held the chief official position there from 1885 to 1895, being administrator, chief magistrate and president of the Land Commission for British Bechuanaland, and resident commissioner of the Bechuanaland Protectorate and the Kalahari. He was created Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1887. In 1896 he played an unofficial part in the negotiations between Sir Hercules Robinson and the Johannesburg reformers after the Jameson Raid. He then returned to England, where he died in London on 29 March 1902.

Family

Shippard was twice married. First, in 1864, Maria Stockenström, daughter of Sir Andries Stockenström. After her early death in 1870, he remarried Rosalind Ayshford Sanford, daughter of William Ayshford Sanford, of

Nynehead Court Nynehead Court is a Grade II* listed building at Nynehead in Somerset, England. History The building dates back to the late 14th century with major additions in 1675 and the 18th century. It was occupied by the Fluri family (1068 - 1318), the d ...

, Somerset. Lady Shippard died in 1935.

References

---- {{DEFAULTSORT:Shippard, Sidney Godolphin Alexander British colonial governors and administrators in Africa Cape Colony judges Commissioners of the Bechuanaland Protectorate 1837 births 1902 deaths British barristers Cape Colony people Politics of the Cape Colony Members of the Inner Temple People educated at King's College School, London Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Place of birth missing 1880s in Bechuanaland Protectorate 1890s in the Cape Colony 19th-century South African judges 19th-century British lawyers