Harry Edward Spiller Cordeaux
Encyclopedia
Major Sir Harry Edward Spiller Cordeaux K.C.M.G., C.B. (15 Nov 1870 - 2 July 1943) was a British
army officer and colonial administrator who became in turn Governor of Uganda
, Saint Helena
and the Bahamas.
. His father Edward Cordeaux was a judge in Bombay.
He was educated at Brighton College
and Cheltenham College
.
In 1888 he won a scholarship to St. John's College, Cambridge, graduating with a B.A. in 1892.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1896, Captain in 1903 and Major in 1912.
He entered the Bombay Political Department in 1898, and that year was appointed Assistant Resident at Berbera
, on the Somali Coast.
Cordeaux was appointed Vice-Consul at Berbera on 15 October 1900.
He was Consul (1902-1906), Deputy Commissioner of British Somaliland
(1904-1906) and Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief (1906-1910).
He took a keen interest in the fauna of Somaliland.
He identified the small antelope Cordeaux's Dik-dik Madoqua (saltiana) cordeauxi, now usually seen as a subspecies of Salt's Dik-dik
.
He supervised construction of the railway from Jinja
to Kakindu.
He was appointed Governor of St Helena (1911-1920) and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahama Islands (1920-1926).
In 1920 he laid the foundation stone of the Supreme Court of the Bahamas
.
In 1923 concessions were granted to Sir Harry Cordeaux and Arthur Sands to cut the pine forest on New Providence
.
They built a sawmill south of Gambier Village near Jack Pond, but the license was never profitable and was relinquished in 1930.
During the period of Prohibition in the United States
(1920-1933) there was a huge increase in exports of Whiskey from Britain to the Bahamas. By February 1921, Cordeaux reported that there were thirty-one bonded warehouses in the island.
Revenue rose from 81,049 pounds in 1919 to 1,065,899 pounds in 1923, and remained above 500,000 per year until 1930.
Speaking in Montreal, Cordeaux said said that the liquor traffic was the reason for the island's healthy economy, including the ability to finance a 250,000 pound improvement to the harbor in Nassau
. This statement was widely circulated in the American press. The British took no measures to stop the trade.
Cordeaux married Maud Wentworth-Fitzwilliam on 2 October 1912.
He was appointed C.M.G. in 1902, C.B. in 1904 and K.C.M.G. in 1921.
Cordeaux died on 2 July 1943.
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...
army officer and colonial administrator who became in turn Governor of Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
and the Bahamas.
Birth and education
Cordeaux was born on 15 November 1870 in Poona, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His father Edward Cordeaux was a judge in Bombay.
He was educated at Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
and Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
.
In 1888 he won a scholarship to St. John's College, Cambridge, graduating with a B.A. in 1892.
Early career
Cordeaux joined the Indian Staff Corps in 1895.He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1896, Captain in 1903 and Major in 1912.
He entered the Bombay Political Department in 1898, and that year was appointed Assistant Resident at Berbera
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
, on the Somali Coast.
Cordeaux was appointed Vice-Consul at Berbera on 15 October 1900.
He was Consul (1902-1906), Deputy Commissioner of British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
(1904-1906) and Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief (1906-1910).
He took a keen interest in the fauna of Somaliland.
He identified the small antelope Cordeaux's Dik-dik Madoqua (saltiana) cordeauxi, now usually seen as a subspecies of Salt's Dik-dik
Salt's Dik-dik
Salt's Dik-dik is a small antelope found in semi-desert vegetation, bushland and thickets in the Horn of Africa, but marginally also northern Kenya and eastern Sudan.- Description :...
.
Colonial governor
Cordeaux was appointed Governor of Uganda (1910-1911).He supervised construction of the railway from Jinja
Jinja, Uganda
Jinja is the largest town in Uganda, Africa. It is the second busiest commercial center in the country, after Kampala, Uganda's capital and only city. Jinja was established in 1907.-Location:...
to Kakindu.
He was appointed Governor of St Helena (1911-1920) and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Bahama Islands (1920-1926).
In 1920 he laid the foundation stone of the Supreme Court of the Bahamas
Supreme Court of the Bahamas
The Supreme Court of the Bahamas is the third highest court in the adjudicative hierarchy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The court was created by Article 93 of the Constitution. Before that, the Supreme Court was governed by the Supreme Court Act of 1896.The Neo-Georgian style building which...
.
In 1923 concessions were granted to Sir Harry Cordeaux and Arthur Sands to cut the pine forest on New Providence
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It also houses the national capital city, Nassau.The island was originally under Spanish control following Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, but the Spanish government showed...
.
They built a sawmill south of Gambier Village near Jack Pond, but the license was never profitable and was relinquished in 1930.
During the period of Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
(1920-1933) there was a huge increase in exports of Whiskey from Britain to the Bahamas. By February 1921, Cordeaux reported that there were thirty-one bonded warehouses in the island.
Revenue rose from 81,049 pounds in 1919 to 1,065,899 pounds in 1923, and remained above 500,000 per year until 1930.
Speaking in Montreal, Cordeaux said said that the liquor traffic was the reason for the island's healthy economy, including the ability to finance a 250,000 pound improvement to the harbor in Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
. This statement was widely circulated in the American press. The British took no measures to stop the trade.
Cordeaux married Maud Wentworth-Fitzwilliam on 2 October 1912.
He was appointed C.M.G. in 1902, C.B. in 1904 and K.C.M.G. in 1921.
Cordeaux died on 2 July 1943.