Herbert Stanley
Encyclopedia
Sir Herbert James Stanley, GCMG
(25 July 1872 – 5 June 1955) was a leading British administrator, who served at different times as Governor of Northern Rhodesia
, Ceylon
and Southern Rhodesia.
Born in England, Stanley was educated at Eton College
and Balliol College, Oxford
, and worked in the foreign service in Dresden
and Coburg
before serving as the Resident Commissioner for Southern
and Northern Rhodesia
from 1911 to 1914.
Stanley proved controversial in this role when he refused to allow settlers to take land from Africans, instead assigning 21500000 acres (87,007.5 km²) in perpetuity exclusively for the use of Africans.
Based in South Africa during World War I
, Stanley married Reniera Cleote, from a leading Cape Town
family, in Cape Town in 1918. She was described as "one of the most beautiful women of the century in any country of the world".
In 1918, Stanley was appointed Imperial Secretary in South Africa
, a position he held until 1924, when he was appointed the inaugural Governor of Northern Rhodesia. As Governor, Stanley sought an amalgamation of the central African colonies and an extension of the Northern Rhodesian railway into Southern Rhodesia.
In 1927, Stanley was transferred to Ceylon as its Governor, which drew criticism due to his lack of background knowledge of Asian affairs, although he is reported to have acquitted himself well. He returned to Africa in 1931 to serve as High Commissioner for the United Kingdom
in South Africa before his appointment as Governor of Southern Rhodesia in 1935, initially for a two year term, but he was persuaded to remain in Salisbury
until 1942, when he retired from active service.
Upon his retirement, Stanley settled in Cape Town and was appointed Chief Commissioner of the South African Boy Scouts
. He died a widower in a Cape Town
nursing home, aged 82, survived by two sons and two daughters.
(DBE) in 1941, and was styled thereafter as Dame Reniera Stanley. She predeceased her husband and was survived by their four children.
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....
(25 July 1872 – 5 June 1955) was a leading British administrator, who served at different times as Governor of Northern Rhodesia
Governor of Northern Rhodesia
This page contains a list of Governors of Northern Rhodesia from 1924 to 1964. See also the List of Presidents of Zambia.-List of Governors:...
, Ceylon
Governor of Ceylon
The British Governor of Ceylon was an official who ruled Ceylon during the British colonial period between 1798 and 1948....
and Southern Rhodesia.
Born in England, Stanley was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, and worked in the foreign service in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
and Coburg
Coburg
Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920...
before serving as the Resident Commissioner for Southern
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 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...
from 1911 to 1914.
Stanley proved controversial in this role when he refused to allow settlers to take land from Africans, instead assigning 21500000 acres (87,007.5 km²) in perpetuity exclusively for the use of Africans.
Based in South Africa 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...
, Stanley married Reniera Cleote, from a leading Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
family, in Cape Town in 1918. She was described as "one of the most beautiful women of the century in any country of the world".
In 1918, Stanley was appointed Imperial Secretary in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, a position he held until 1924, when he was appointed the inaugural Governor of Northern Rhodesia. As Governor, Stanley sought an amalgamation of the central African colonies and an extension of the Northern Rhodesian railway into Southern Rhodesia.
In 1927, Stanley was transferred to Ceylon as its Governor, which drew criticism due to his lack of background knowledge of Asian affairs, although he is reported to have acquitted himself well. He returned to Africa in 1931 to serve as High Commissioner for the 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...
in South Africa before his appointment as Governor of Southern Rhodesia in 1935, initially for a two year term, but he was persuaded to remain in Salisbury
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
until 1942, when he retired from active service.
Upon his retirement, Stanley settled in Cape Town and was appointed Chief Commissioner of the South African Boy Scouts
South African Scout Association
The South African Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognized Scouting association in South Africa. Scouting began in the United Kingdom in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell and rapidly spread to South Africa, with the first Scout troops appearing in...
. He died a widower in a Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
nursing home, aged 82, survived by two sons and two daughters.
Dame Reniera Stanley
Reniera Cleote Stanley was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(DBE) in 1941, and was styled thereafter as Dame Reniera Stanley. She predeceased her husband and was survived by their four children.