Franklin Charles Gimson
Encyclopedia
Sir Franklin Charles Gimson, KCMG, KStJ
, (Chinese: 詹遜, 10 September 1890 - 13 February 1975) was a British
colonial administrator, who served in Ceylon from 1914 to 1941, and later, the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong and the Governor of Singapore.
Gimson assumed the post of the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong in December 1941. However, his appointment was interrupted by the Battle of Hong Kong
. He became a prisoner of war
when then Governor
Sir Mark Young
surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army
on the Christmas Day of 1941. After spending more than three years in Stanley Internment Camp
as an internee, Gimson was freed in August 1945, upon the Liberation of Hong Kong. He formed a short-lived provisional government and briefly declared himself "Acting Governor", but this administration was soon replaced when Rear Admiral
Cecil Harcourt established the military government following in September.
Gimson was the first Governor of Singapore from 1946 to 1952 who reinstalled the civil administration in Singapore
. During his governorship, he witnessed the establishment of both the Legislative Council
and Executive Council in 1947. His governorship was also marked by the increasingly instable political situation which was provoked by the Malayan Emergency
, and the controversial legislation of the Internal Security Act
.
, England
to the Rev. C. K. Gimson. He attended Balliol College, Oxford
in his youth and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree.
Ceylon Civil Service
as a cadet
in November 1914. In the beginning he was attached to the Office of the Naval Intelligence Officer in addition to his own duties. Later on he became an Additional Police Magistrate
in Colombo
. In 1918 he was sent on military service during World War I
and returned to the colonial administration as an Additional Assistant Colonial Secretary
in July 1919. Two months later he was transferred to North Central Province as Assistant Government Agent
.
Gimson was appointed Additional Assistant Colonial Secretary
for the second time in March 1920 and was promoted to the post of 4th Assistant Colonial Secretary in September 1920. Subsequently, he was sent to Mannar
as Acting Assistant Government Agent in February 1922. In February 1924, he was promoted to the Customs Department as Landing Surveyor and acted as Acting Deputy Controller from March to May in 1928. Gimson left the Customs in March 1929 and was appointed as an Additional Assistant to the Director of Education. Later in July 1931 he became Secretary to the Minister of Education.
In February 1932, Gimson was appointed Assistant Government Agent of Trincomalee
and in December 1933, appointed Assistant Government Agent of Kegalle
. In August 1935, he involved in a special duty to help organize the forthcoming general election of members of the State Council
. Afterwards, he was appointed the Chairman of the Municipal Council
of Kandy
in June 1936 but was eventually given the post of Controller of Labour in 1937. Gimson held this office until 1941 and he gained the rank of class one officer in 1938.
initiated its unexpected and sudden large-scale invasion to Hong Kong. The defence forces of Hong Kong soon lost in the Battle of Hong Kong
and then Governor
Sir Mark Young
was forced to surrender on 25 December, which is now known as the Black Christmas. After the victory of Japan, all British officials were arrested and were under Japanese rule. Since the Governor was interned elsewhere, Gimson became the representative of the former government who was responsible to deal with the Japanese over the issue of transfer of power. For some time he even set up a provisional liaison office in Prince's Building
, Central
.
In March 1942, Gimson was finally sent to Stanley Internment Camp
where most British colonial officials and expatriates were interned. During the internment, the British civilian internees established the "British Communal Council", which tried to limitedly maintain the life and order in the camp. As the highest ranking British official in the camp, Gimson became the chairman of the Council and was also responsible to negotiate with the Japanese on matters relating to the camp.
After three years and eight months of Japanese occupation
, the Emperor of Japan finally announced an unconditional surrender
to the Allies
on 15 August 1945. Immediately after the unconditional surrender was made, the Japanese authority had to continue to maintain the order of Hong Kong as the Allies were still on the way to take over. However, all the prohibitions and regulations set by the Japanese were entirely lifted and abolished instantly. On the other hand, on the eve of the surrender of Japan, the British Ambassador to China, Sir Horace Seymour
, had already tried to make contact with Gimson from Chongqing
, urging him to exercise the sovereignty on behalf of the British government. Although Seymour's order arrived late on 23 August, Gimson had declared himself "Acting Governor" and had started to prepare for a "provisional government" on 16 August after knowing Japanese had surrendered. Receiving Seymour's order on 23 August, Gimson and other internees left the camp and took over the authority from Japan. He and other former colonial officials set up the headquarters of the provisional government in the Former French Mission Building
. On 27 August, Gimson made a further announcement through radio
, stating the provisional government had been established. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the provisional rule, the government had to rely on the Japanese troops to maintain the order of Hong Kong since the power of the administration was limited.
On 30 August 1945, Rear Admiral
Cecil Harcourt and his warships entered Victoria Harbour
. Since Harcourt was asked to form a military government
by London, Gimson transferred the power to him and the military government was officially formed on 1 September. Harcourt himself became the head of the military government and Gimson was appointed Lieutenant Governor
by him. Yet, the creation of the office of Lieutenant Governor was deemed unsuitable by the Colonial Office
and therefore Gimson was soon replaced by a Chief Civil Affairs Officer and his team sent from London on 7 September. Gimson himself was in fact in poor health as a result of more than three years of internment. For health reason, he left for the United Kingdom on 16 September. On the day before his departure, he commented in a radio programme that Hong Kong should undergo political reform in future.
on 1 April 1946. He abolished the military government which was set up by Lord Mountbatten of Burma
and reinstalled the colonial civil administration. In the first two years of his governorship, the recovery of the economy in Singapore was slow and a large scale of riot broke out in 1947. In June 1947, Singapore became a separate Crown Colony
and both Legislative and Executive Councils were established. Following in March 1948, Gimson allowed six of the twenty-five seats in the Legislative Council to be elected.
In June 1948, an armed insurgency by communist groups in Malaya
— the Malayan Emergency
— broke out, and the British imposed harsh measures to control left-wing groups in both Singapore
and Malaya; the controversial Internal Security Act
, which allowed indefinite detention without trial
for persons suspected of being "threats to security", was introduced at this time. Since the left-wing groups were the strongest critics of the colonial system, progress on self-government stalled for several years. The colonial government also tried to prevent contacts between Singaporean Chinese
and the mainland China, which had just fallen under the rule of the Communist Party of China
. Tan Kah Kee
, a local businessman and philanthropist, was denied re-entry into Singapore after he made a trip to China
in 1949.
A second Legislative Council election was held in 1951 with the number of elected seats increased to nine but the colonial administration was still obviously dominant. Gimson retired from the colonial service on 15 November 1952. The post of Governor was succeeded by John Fearns Nicoll
, another Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong.
, Pickering, North Yorkshire
on 13 February 1975, aged 84.
in 1922. The couple had two daughters. Margaret was the daughter of Canon Ward.
KSTJ
KSTJ may refer to:* KFRH, a radio station licensed to Boulder City, Nevada, United States, which used the call sign KSTJ from September 1998 to October 2007...
, (Chinese: 詹遜, 10 September 1890 - 13 February 1975) was a British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
colonial administrator, who served in Ceylon from 1914 to 1941, and later, the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong and the Governor of Singapore.
Gimson assumed the post of the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong in December 1941. However, his appointment was interrupted by the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
. He became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
when then Governor
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
Sir Mark Young
Mark Aitchison Young
Sir Mark Aitchison Young, GCMG was a British administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong during the years immediately before and after the Japanese occupation of the territory.-Early life, service in war:...
surrendered to the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
on the Christmas Day of 1941. After spending more than three years in Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during World War II. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals after their victory in the Battle of Hong Kong, a battle in the...
as an internee, Gimson was freed in August 1945, upon the Liberation of Hong Kong. He formed a short-lived provisional government and briefly declared himself "Acting Governor", but this administration was soon replaced when Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Cecil Harcourt established the military government following in September.
Gimson was the first Governor of Singapore from 1946 to 1952 who reinstalled the civil administration in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. During his governorship, he witnessed the establishment of both the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Singapore
The Legislative Council of Singapore was a Legislative Council in Singapore that assisted the Governor in making laws in Singapore. It officially came into existence in 1946, when the Repeal Act abolished the Straits Settlements, and Singapore became a Crown Colony on its own that would need its...
and Executive Council in 1947. His governorship was also marked by the increasingly instable political situation which was provoked by the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
, and the controversial legislation of the Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act
The term Internal Security Act is often given to a piece of legislation laying down regulations that enable the executive government of a jurisdiction to preserve the internal security of the nation...
.
Early life
Gimson was born on 10 September 1890 in Barrow-on-Soar, LeicestershireLeicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to the Rev. C. K. Gimson. He attended Balliol College, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in his youth and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree.
Early colonial service
Gimson entered the BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Ceylon Civil Service
Ceylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in November 1914. In the beginning he was attached to the Office of the Naval Intelligence Officer in addition to his own duties. Later on he became an Additional Police Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. In 1918 he was sent on military service during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and returned to the colonial administration as an Additional Assistant Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary may refer to:* Secretary of State for the Colonies, British Cabinet minister who headed the Colonial Office, commonly referred to as Colonial Secretary...
in July 1919. Two months later he was transferred to North Central Province as Assistant Government Agent
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
.
Gimson was appointed Additional Assistant Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary may refer to:* Secretary of State for the Colonies, British Cabinet minister who headed the Colonial Office, commonly referred to as Colonial Secretary...
for the second time in March 1920 and was promoted to the post of 4th Assistant Colonial Secretary in September 1920. Subsequently, he was sent to Mannar
Mannar, Sri Lanka
Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior...
as Acting Assistant Government Agent in February 1922. In February 1924, he was promoted to the Customs Department as Landing Surveyor and acted as Acting Deputy Controller from March to May in 1928. Gimson left the Customs in March 1929 and was appointed as an Additional Assistant to the Director of Education. Later in July 1931 he became Secretary to the Minister of Education.
In February 1932, Gimson was appointed Assistant Government Agent of Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
and in December 1933, appointed Assistant Government Agent of Kegalle
Kegalle
Kegalle is a town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the Colombo - Kandy road. Its 48 miles/78 km away from Colombo and 24 Miles/40 km away from Kandy. It is the Capital City of the Kegalle District which is one of the two districts belonging to Sabaragamuwa province...
. In August 1935, he involved in a special duty to help organize the forthcoming general election of members of the State Council
State Council of Ceylon
The State Council of Ceylon was the unicameral legislature for Ceylon , established in 1931 by the Donoughmore Constitution. The State Council gave universal adult franchise to the people of the colony for the first time...
. Afterwards, he was appointed the Chairman of the Municipal Council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
of Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
in June 1936 but was eventually given the post of Controller of Labour in 1937. Gimson held this office until 1941 and he gained the rank of class one officer in 1938.
Life as Colonial Secretary and internment in Hong Kong
Gimson was promoted to the post of Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong in 1941 and arrived at the colony on 7 December, just the day before the Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
initiated its unexpected and sudden large-scale invasion to Hong Kong. The defence forces of Hong Kong soon lost in the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
and then Governor
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
Sir Mark Young
Mark Aitchison Young
Sir Mark Aitchison Young, GCMG was a British administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong during the years immediately before and after the Japanese occupation of the territory.-Early life, service in war:...
was forced to surrender on 25 December, which is now known as the Black Christmas. After the victory of Japan, all British officials were arrested and were under Japanese rule. Since the Governor was interned elsewhere, Gimson became the representative of the former government who was responsible to deal with the Japanese over the issue of transfer of power. For some time he even set up a provisional liaison office in Prince's Building
Prince's Building
The Prince's Building is an office tower and shopping centre located along Statue Square in Central, Hong Kong. Tenants include KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.The name has been used for two structures in the same area....
, Central
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
.
In March 1942, Gimson was finally sent to Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during World War II. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals after their victory in the Battle of Hong Kong, a battle in the...
where most British colonial officials and expatriates were interned. During the internment, the British civilian internees established the "British Communal Council", which tried to limitedly maintain the life and order in the camp. As the highest ranking British official in the camp, Gimson became the chairman of the Council and was also responsible to negotiate with the Japanese on matters relating to the camp.
After three years and eight months of Japanese occupation
Japanese occupation of Hong Kong
The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began after the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered the territory of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting by British and Canadian defenders against overwhelming Japanese Imperial forces. The occupation lasted...
, the Emperor of Japan finally announced an unconditional surrender
Unconditional surrender
Unconditional surrender is a surrender without conditions, in which no guarantees are given to the surrendering party. In modern times unconditional surrenders most often include guarantees provided by international law. Announcing that only unconditional surrender is acceptable puts psychological...
to the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
on 15 August 1945. Immediately after the unconditional surrender was made, the Japanese authority had to continue to maintain the order of Hong Kong as the Allies were still on the way to take over. However, all the prohibitions and regulations set by the Japanese were entirely lifted and abolished instantly. On the other hand, on the eve of the surrender of Japan, the British Ambassador to China, Sir Horace Seymour
Horace James Seymour
Sir Horace James Seymour GCMG CVO was a British diplomat, Ambassador to China from 1942 to 1946.-Early life and family:The elder son of Hugh Francis Seymour and the grandson of Col...
, had already tried to make contact with Gimson from Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
, urging him to exercise the sovereignty on behalf of the British government. Although Seymour's order arrived late on 23 August, Gimson had declared himself "Acting Governor" and had started to prepare for a "provisional government" on 16 August after knowing Japanese had surrendered. Receiving Seymour's order on 23 August, Gimson and other internees left the camp and took over the authority from Japan. He and other former colonial officials set up the headquarters of the provisional government in the Former French Mission Building
Former French Mission Building
The Former French Mission Building is a declared monument of Hong Kong. It is located at 1, Battery Path, Central. It currently houses the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong.-Features:...
. On 27 August, Gimson made a further announcement through radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, stating the provisional government had been established. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the provisional rule, the government had to rely on the Japanese troops to maintain the order of Hong Kong since the power of the administration was limited.
On 30 August 1945, Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Cecil Harcourt and his warships entered Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
. Since Harcourt was asked to form a military government
Military government
Military government can refer to conditions under either Military occupation, or Military dictatorship.-Military Government:Military government is the form of administration by which an occupying power exercises governmental authority over occupied territory.The Hague Conventions of 1907 specify...
by London, Gimson transferred the power to him and the military government was officially formed on 1 September. Harcourt himself became the head of the military government and Gimson was appointed Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
by him. Yet, the creation of the office of Lieutenant Governor was deemed unsuitable by the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
and therefore Gimson was soon replaced by a Chief Civil Affairs Officer and his team sent from London on 7 September. Gimson himself was in fact in poor health as a result of more than three years of internment. For health reason, he left for the United Kingdom on 16 September. On the day before his departure, he commented in a radio programme that Hong Kong should undergo political reform in future.
Governor of Singapore
After spending sometime in the United Kingdom, the recovered Gimson became Governor and Commander-in-Chief of SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on 1 April 1946. He abolished the military government which was set up by Lord Mountbatten of Burma
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and reinstalled the colonial civil administration. In the first two years of his governorship, the recovery of the economy in Singapore was slow and a large scale of riot broke out in 1947. In June 1947, Singapore became a separate Crown Colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
and both Legislative and Executive Councils were established. Following in March 1948, Gimson allowed six of the twenty-five seats in the Legislative Council to be elected.
In June 1948, an armed insurgency by communist groups in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
— the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
— broke out, and the British imposed harsh measures to control left-wing groups in both Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaya; the controversial Internal Security Act
Internal Security Act (Singapore)
The Internal Security Act of Singapore is a law that allows the Singapore government to investigate security threats like international terrorism, foreign subversion, espionage and acts of violence or hatred using race or religion...
, which allowed indefinite detention without trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
for persons suspected of being "threats to security", was introduced at this time. Since the left-wing groups were the strongest critics of the colonial system, progress on self-government stalled for several years. The colonial government also tried to prevent contacts between Singaporean Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
and the mainland China, which had just fallen under the rule of the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
. Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee
Tan Kah Kee was a prominent businessman, community leader, and philanthropist in colonial Singapore, and a Communist leader in the People's Republic of China.- Early years :...
, a local businessman and philanthropist, was denied re-entry into Singapore after he made a trip to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1949.
A second Legislative Council election was held in 1951 with the number of elected seats increased to nine but the colonial administration was still obviously dominant. Gimson retired from the colonial service on 15 November 1952. The post of Governor was succeeded by John Fearns Nicoll
John Fearns Nicoll
Sir John Fearns Nicoll was a British colonial governor. He was Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1949 to 1952, and Governor of Singapore from 1952 to 1955.He died at the hospital located at Scio House, Putney Heath....
, another Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong.
Later years
Gimson spent his time back in the United Kingdom in retirement. He died in Applegarth, Thornton-le-DaleThornton-le-Dale
Thornton-le-Dale is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, about two miles east of Pickering. A thatched cottage in the village has appeared on countless calendars and chocolate boxes over the years...
, Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
on 13 February 1975, aged 84.
Family
Gimson was married to Margaret Dorothy Ward, MBEMBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in 1922. The couple had two daughters. Margaret was the daughter of Canon Ward.
Honours
- C.M.G.Order of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(1945) - K.C.M.G. (1946)
- K.St.JKSTJKSTJ may refer to:* KFRH, a radio station licensed to Boulder City, Nevada, United States, which used the call sign KSTJ from September 1998 to October 2007...
Others
- Honorary Doctor of LawDoctor of lawDoctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
(presented by the University of MalayaUniversity of MalayaThe University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
in 1952) - Member of the Royal Commonwealth SocietyRoyal Commonwealth SocietyThe Royal Commonwealth Society is an international educational charity and a private members' club. Its mission is to support and promote the modern Commonwealth, its culture and core values...
- Freeman of the City of Singapore