Harold MacMichael
Encyclopedia
Sir Harold Alfred MacMichael, GCMG
, DSO
(1882-1969), was a British
colonial administrator.
. After passing his civil service exam, he entered the service of the British Empire
in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
. He then served in the Blue Nile province until 1915 when he became a senior inspector of Khartoum
province, rising to the position of civil secretary in 1926. In 1933 he became Governor of Tanganyika
until 1937. The next year he became High Commissioner
of the British Mandate of Palestine and survived an assassination attempt in 1944 by members of the right-wing Lehi
that wounded his wife.
MacMichael also served a stint as High Commissioner of Malta.
for centralised control over the Malay states within days after British Allied forces
landed in Singapore
on 5 September 1945.
MacMichael, who had then completed his stint as High Commissioner
of the British Mandate of Palestine was empowered to sign official treaties with the Malay rulers over the Malayan Union
proposal scheme. MacMichael made several visits to the Malay rulers, beginning with Sultan Ibrahim of Johor in October 1945. The Sultan quickly consented to MacMichael's proposal scheme, which was motivated by his strong desire to visit England
at the end of the year. MacMichael paid further visits to other Malay rulers over the proposal, and sought their consent over the proposal scheme. Many Malay rulers expressed strong reluctance in signing the treaties with MacMichael, partly because they feared losing their royal status and the prospect of their states falling into Thai political influence.
The treaties provided that United Kingdom
had full administrative powers over the Malay states except in areas pertaining to Islamic customs. The Malays
strongly protested against the treaties, as the treaties had the effect of circumscribing the spiritual and moral authority of the Malay rulers, which the Malays held high esteem over it. Communal tensions between the Malays and Chinese
were high, and the prospect of granting citizenship to non-Malays was deemed unacceptable to the Malays.
Opposition to Malayan Union
and MacMichael's perceived highhanded ways in getting the Malay rulers consent led to the birth of Malay nationalism in then British Malaya
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The 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....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(1882-1969), was a British
United 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...
colonial administrator.
Early service
MacMichael graduated with a first from Magdalene College, CambridgeMagdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
. After passing his civil service exam, he entered the service of the British Empire
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...
in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. He then served in the Blue Nile province until 1915 when he became a senior inspector of Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
province, rising to the position of civil secretary in 1926. In 1933 he became Governor of Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
until 1937. The next year he became High Commissioner
High Commissioners of Palestine
High Commissioners of Palestine were the highest ranking authority representing the United Kingdom in the British Mandate of Palestine. They were based in Jerusalem...
of the British Mandate of Palestine and survived an assassination attempt in 1944 by members of the right-wing Lehi
Lehi (group)
Lehi , commonly referred to in English as the Stern Group or Stern Gang, was a militant Zionist group founded by Avraham Stern in the British Mandate of Palestine...
that wounded his wife.
MacMichael also served a stint as High Commissioner of Malta.
Malayan Union
The British Military Administration set to task of reviving pre-war plansBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
for centralised control over the Malay states within days after British Allied forces
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...
landed in Singapore
Post-war Singapore
Post-war Singapore refers to a period in the history of Singapore from 1945, when the Empire of Japan surrendered to the Allies at the end of World War II, until 1955, when Singapore gained partial internal self-governance.-Return of British rule:...
on 5 September 1945.
MacMichael, who had then completed his stint as High Commissioner
High Commissioners of Palestine
High Commissioners of Palestine were the highest ranking authority representing the United Kingdom in the British Mandate of Palestine. They were based in Jerusalem...
of the British Mandate of Palestine was empowered to sign official treaties with the Malay rulers over the Malayan Union
Malayan Union
The Malayan Union was a federation 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 so as to simplify administration. The Malayan Union later became the independent...
proposal scheme. MacMichael made several visits to the Malay rulers, beginning with Sultan Ibrahim of Johor in October 1945. The Sultan quickly consented to MacMichael's proposal scheme, which was motivated by his strong desire to visit 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...
at the end of the year. MacMichael paid further visits to other Malay rulers over the proposal, and sought their consent over the proposal scheme. Many Malay rulers expressed strong reluctance in signing the treaties with MacMichael, partly because they feared losing their royal status and the prospect of their states falling into Thai political influence.
The treaties provided that United Kingdom
United 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...
had full administrative powers over the Malay states except in areas pertaining to Islamic customs. The Malays
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
strongly protested against the treaties, as the treaties had the effect of circumscribing the spiritual and moral authority of the Malay rulers, which the Malays held high esteem over it. Communal tensions between the Malays and Chinese
Malaysian Chinese
Malaysian Chinese is a Malaysian of Chinese origin. Most are descendants of Chinese who arrived between the fifteenth and the mid-twentieth centuries. Within Malaysia, they are usually simply referred to as "Chinese" in all languages. The term Chinese Malaysian is also sometimes used to refer to...
were high, and the prospect of granting citizenship to non-Malays was deemed unacceptable to the Malays.
Opposition to Malayan Union
Malayan Union
The Malayan Union was a federation 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 so as to simplify administration. The Malayan Union later became the independent...
and MacMichael's perceived highhanded ways in getting the Malay rulers consent led to the birth of Malay nationalism in then British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
Family
MacMichael's daughter, Araminta, married the politician and business leader Toby Low, 1st Baron AldingtonToby Low, 1st Baron Aldington
Toby Austin Richard William Low, 1st Baron Aldington, KCMG, CBE, DSO, TD, DL, PC , was a British Conservative Party politician and businessman.-Life:...
.