Geoffrey Francis Taylor Colby
Encyclopedia
Sir Geoffrey Francis Taylor Colby (1901–1958) was a British
colonial administrator who was Governor of the protectorate of Nyasaland
between 1948 and 1956. He fought unsuccessfully against creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
.
, England
.
He attended preparatory school at Bexhill-on-Sea
between the ages of seven and thirteen, and in 1914 went on to Charterhouse
, a school that taught the virtues of leadership, public service and keeping a cool head in emergencies. An excellent sportsman, he played both cricket and football for the school.
Colby retained a passion for cricket throughout his life. It was said that when Governor of Nyasaland he delayed a meeting of his executive council for half an hour so he could listen to the closing overs of a test match.
Colby won a scholarship to Clare College
at the University of Cambridge
, studying there from 1919 to 1922.
s factory at Galashiels
. He then applied for an appointment in the Colonial Service, and was posted to Nigeria
in 1925.
In Nigeria he was a District Officer in the Northern region. His duties involved lengthy tours on horseback in the hot, dry climate of the North to check on tax collection, the courts and public works. His health during this period was poor, and he always had a jaundiced appearance, perhaps in part due to poor diet.
When on leave in England in 1930, Colby was introduced to Lilian Florence Illingworth, then aged 25. They became engaged, and were married on 17 January 1931. He was unable to take his wife back with him to Nigeria, since his position did not allow for a wife, and it took a year before he obtained a suitable post in the Lands and Mines department in the Kaduna
secretariat, where he was joined by Lilian.
Colby was posted to Kontagora
in 1935 as District Officer, an isolated post. He was an energetic and efficient administrator, improving the roads and increasing crop production.
In 1939 he became an Assistant Secretary in the Finance branch of the Lagos
secretariat. He rose quickly through the ranks to be made an Administrative Secretary in 1945, in which role he acted as Chief Secretary and Governor's Deputy.
He inherited an awkward problem of land allocation.
The BCA Company owned large areas of land, some densely populated, that could not be developed without evicting the tenants. Other estates were underdeveloped, while there was a shortage of land for the Africans. A Land Planning Committee recommended that the government acquire some of this land for use by Africans.
In November 1948, at Colby's recommendation, the composition of the Legislative Council was changed to include two African and one Asian "unofficials" and three officials.
Colby supported greater educational opportunities for Africans, but his influence was negative. He opposed compulsory attendance, as requested by the chiefs, and supported age limits for entry into school. The latter harmed girls, who would often delay entering school until a later age.
Colby accepted the position of Chief Scout of the Nyasaland Boy Scouts
, and his wife became President of the Girl Guides, giving both these organizations a boost.
Colby was opposed to the creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
against the wish of African leaders such as James Frederick Sangala
.
He advised the Colonial Office to exclude Nyasaland from the planned federation, but his advice was ignored. The Conservative
government pushed ahead with plans, deciding in a January 1953 conference that the federation would come into effect in August 1953.
When the federation was inaugurated there were riots in which eleven Africans were killed and many injured. For a period, the moderate influence of the Nyasaland African Congress
was weakened.
In a letter to his successor, Robert Armitage
, Colby said: "I advised originally against the inclusion of Nyasaland not because I objected so much to the idea of federation but rather because I was convinced that there was no goodwill towards us or understanding of our problem in Salisbury. I fear I have to say that this had been born out in practice. I do not believe that federation can succeed unless there is a complete change of heart in Salisbury - at present I can see no sign of this".
With federation a fait accompli, Colby said "Our job and primary object in the next few years must be to allay African fears ... and to convince the African population that Federation is in their best interests and indeed is in the interest of all communities in this territory".
Colby recommended giving Africans a greater say in government, including opening more civil service jobs to Africans who were qualified, and paying more attention to African leaders. He expected that Nyasaland would eventually become self-governing, but not for many years.
In July 1955, Colby announced a radical change in the structure of the legislative council to take effect after elections in 1956.
The new council would consist of eleven colonial officials and eleven elected representatives. Of the "unofficials", six would be European, elected by the European Voter's Roll, and five African, elected by the three Provincial Councils.
In January 1956, in one of his last communications as Governor, Colby pointed out to the Colonial Office the inequities of revenue distribution in the federation. He said that revenue from Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia
had been "devoted to bolstering a bankrupt and under-taxed Southern Rhodesia
and the major part of the federal government's share of loan funds raised since federation has been spent or earmarked in Southern Rhodesia". He warned against creeping changes in federal policy on non-African agriculture, and warned that this could lead to "a dangerous security situation".
Colby told Armitage that his greatest problem would be the "conglomeration of smart alecks" at the Colonial Office.
Colby left Nyasaland in March 1956. He died in Manchester
on 22 December 1958.
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 was Governor of the protectorate of Nyasaland
Nyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
between 1948 and 1956. He fought unsuccessfully against creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
.
Birth and education
Colby was born in 1901, son of a doctor, and was raised in SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, 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...
.
He attended preparatory school at Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
between the ages of seven and thirteen, and in 1914 went on to Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, a school that taught the virtues of leadership, public service and keeping a cool head in emergencies. An excellent sportsman, he played both cricket and football for the school.
Colby retained a passion for cricket throughout his life. It was said that when Governor of Nyasaland he delayed a meeting of his executive council for half an hour so he could listen to the closing overs of a test match.
Colby won a scholarship to Clare College
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, studying there from 1919 to 1922.
Early career
After leaving university, Colby spent a year as an assistant master at his prep school, and a year working in a fellmongerFellmonger
A fellmonger was a dealer in hides or skins, particularly sheepskins, who might also prepare skins for tanning. The name is derived from the Old English ‘fell’ meaning skins and ‘monger’ meaning dealer...
s factory at Galashiels
Galashiels
Galashiels is a burgh in the Scottish Borders, on the Gala Water river. The name is often shortened to "Gala" .Galashiels is a major commercial centre for the Scottish Borders...
. He then applied for an appointment in the Colonial Service, and was posted to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
in 1925.
In Nigeria he was a District Officer in the Northern region. His duties involved lengthy tours on horseback in the hot, dry climate of the North to check on tax collection, the courts and public works. His health during this period was poor, and he always had a jaundiced appearance, perhaps in part due to poor diet.
When on leave in England in 1930, Colby was introduced to Lilian Florence Illingworth, then aged 25. They became engaged, and were married on 17 January 1931. He was unable to take his wife back with him to Nigeria, since his position did not allow for a wife, and it took a year before he obtained a suitable post in the Lands and Mines department in the Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
secretariat, where he was joined by Lilian.
Colby was posted to Kontagora
Kontagora
Kontagora is a major town on the south bank of the Kontagora River in north-west Niger State, Nigeria. It is the capital city of the Kontagora Emirate....
in 1935 as District Officer, an isolated post. He was an energetic and efficient administrator, improving the roads and increasing crop production.
In 1939 he became an Assistant Secretary in the Finance branch of the Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
secretariat. He rose quickly through the ranks to be made an Administrative Secretary in 1945, in which role he acted as Chief Secretary and Governor's Deputy.
Governor of Nyasaland
Colby was appointed Governor of Nyasaland, arriving there in March 1948.He inherited an awkward problem of land allocation.
The BCA Company owned large areas of land, some densely populated, that could not be developed without evicting the tenants. Other estates were underdeveloped, while there was a shortage of land for the Africans. A Land Planning Committee recommended that the government acquire some of this land for use by Africans.
In November 1948, at Colby's recommendation, the composition of the Legislative Council was changed to include two African and one Asian "unofficials" and three officials.
Colby supported greater educational opportunities for Africans, but his influence was negative. He opposed compulsory attendance, as requested by the chiefs, and supported age limits for entry into school. The latter harmed girls, who would often delay entering school until a later age.
Colby accepted the position of Chief Scout of the Nyasaland Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts
A Boy Scout is a member of a Scouting organization. There are thousands of national Scouting organizations or federations; these are grouped into six international Scouting associations with some non-aligned organizations....
, and his wife became President of the Girl Guides, giving both these organizations a boost.
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
against the wish of African leaders such as James Frederick Sangala
James Frederick Sangala
James Frederick Sangala was a founding member of the Nyasaland African Congress during the period of British colonial rule.Sangala was given the nickname "Pyagusi", which means "one who perseveres"....
.
He advised the Colonial Office to exclude Nyasaland from the planned federation, but his advice was ignored. The Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government pushed ahead with plans, deciding in a January 1953 conference that the federation would come into effect in August 1953.
When the federation was inaugurated there were riots in which eleven Africans were killed and many injured. For a period, the moderate influence of the Nyasaland African Congress
Nyasaland African Congress
The Nyasaland African Congress was an organization that evolved into a political party in Nyasaland during the colonial period. The NAC was suppressed in 1959, but was succeeded in 1960 by the Malawi Congress Party, which went to on decisively win the first universal suffrage elections in 1961,...
was weakened.
In a letter to his successor, Robert Armitage
Robert Perceval Armitage
Robert Perceval Armitage was a British colonial administrator who held senior positions in Kenya and the Gold Coast, and was Governor of Cyprus and then Nyasaland during the period when the former British colonies were gaining independence.-Early years:Armitage was born on 21 December 1906 in...
, Colby said: "I advised originally against the inclusion of Nyasaland not because I objected so much to the idea of federation but rather because I was convinced that there was no goodwill towards us or understanding of our problem in Salisbury. I fear I have to say that this had been born out in practice. I do not believe that federation can succeed unless there is a complete change of heart in Salisbury - at present I can see no sign of this".
With federation a fait accompli, Colby said "Our job and primary object in the next few years must be to allay African fears ... and to convince the African population that Federation is in their best interests and indeed is in the interest of all communities in this territory".
Colby recommended giving Africans a greater say in government, including opening more civil service jobs to Africans who were qualified, and paying more attention to African leaders. He expected that Nyasaland would eventually become self-governing, but not for many years.
In July 1955, Colby announced a radical change in the structure of the legislative council to take effect after elections in 1956.
The new council would consist of eleven colonial officials and eleven elected representatives. Of the "unofficials", six would be European, elected by the European Voter's Roll, and five African, elected by the three Provincial Councils.
In January 1956, in one of his last communications as Governor, Colby pointed out to the Colonial Office the inequities of revenue distribution in the federation. He said that revenue from Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
had been "devoted to bolstering a bankrupt and under-taxed Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
and the major part of the federal government's share of loan funds raised since federation has been spent or earmarked in Southern Rhodesia". He warned against creeping changes in federal policy on non-African agriculture, and warned that this could lead to "a dangerous security situation".
Colby told Armitage that his greatest problem would be the "conglomeration of smart alecks" at the Colonial Office.
Colby left Nyasaland in March 1956. He died in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
on 22 December 1958.