Arthur Mooring
Encyclopedia
Sir George Mooring known to his friends as Satan for unknown reasons, possibly his eyebrows, was British Resident in Zanzibar
from January 1960 to December 1963.
Arthur George Rixson Mooring was born in Dunstable
, Bedfordshire
on November 23, 1908, the son of the editor of the Bedford Gazette. He was educated at Bedford Modern School
and Queens' College, Cambridge
where he read Modern Languages and as a dedicated rowing man, he coached the Queen's boat.
He entered the Colonial Service in 1931 and was sent to Nigeria where he served in every Province in the North. He joined the Royal West African Frontier Force
and at the outbreak of war in 1039 was called up and served with them for four years in the Arakan
, Burma, fighting like commandos to keep the Japanese away from India. He was mentioned in dispatches
and gained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
. Upon demobilisation he returned to Nigeria, being posted to the Finance Department of the Secretariat in Lagos and after 2 years to Ibadan, where he rose to become Minister of Finance of the Western Region. When the Deputy Governor had to return to the United Kingdom due to sudden illness, Satan took his place and found himself Acting Governor for the three months interim between Western Governors. He was knighted in 1955.
In 1959 he was awarded the KCMG and became the British Resident
Zanzibar
, for 5 years. Independence having been urged by the British Government, against his advice, this was granted in 1963 and his tour of duty was cut by a year. The Sultan of Zanzibar awarded him the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, First Class. A month later revolution broke out, causing a great many deaths and other miseries, and Satan was called upon by the British Government to help the Sultan and his enormous enourage to settle in England.
During the next 5 years he undertook Economic and Boundary Commissions to the Gilbert & Ellice Islands, Sierra Leone
and Antigua
. He became Chairman o the Civil Service Commission. He had married Patricia Josephine Downman (née Hare-Duke) in 1947 and they had a son, William, born in 1949 and a daughter, Julia, born in 1951. They settled in Earl Soham in Suffolk where Satan sat on a number of local committees, delighted in his large garden, and enjoyed some ocean-going sailing. He died of cancer in 1969.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
from January 1960 to December 1963.
Arthur George Rixson Mooring was born in Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
on November 23, 1908, the son of the editor of the Bedford Gazette. He was educated at Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School is a British co-educational independent school in the Harpur area of Bedford, in the county of Bedfordshire, in England.Bedford Modern comprises a junior school and a senior school...
and Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
where he read Modern Languages and as a dedicated rowing man, he coached the Queen's boat.
He entered the Colonial Service in 1931 and was sent to Nigeria where he served in every Province in the North. He joined the Royal West African Frontier Force
Royal West African Frontier Force
The West African Frontier Force was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The decision to raise this force was taken in 1897 because of concern at French colonial...
and at the outbreak of war in 1039 was called up and served with them for four years in the Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
, Burma, fighting like commandos to keep the Japanese away from India. He was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
and gained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. Upon demobilisation he returned to Nigeria, being posted to the Finance Department of the Secretariat in Lagos and after 2 years to Ibadan, where he rose to become Minister of Finance of the Western Region. When the Deputy Governor had to return to the United Kingdom due to sudden illness, Satan took his place and found himself Acting Governor for the three months interim between Western Governors. He was knighted in 1955.
In 1959 he was awarded the KCMG and became the British Resident
Resident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, for 5 years. Independence having been urged by the British Government, against his advice, this was granted in 1963 and his tour of duty was cut by a year. The Sultan of Zanzibar awarded him the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, First Class. A month later revolution broke out, causing a great many deaths and other miseries, and Satan was called upon by the British Government to help the Sultan and his enormous enourage to settle in England.
During the next 5 years he undertook Economic and Boundary Commissions to the Gilbert & Ellice Islands, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. He became Chairman o the Civil Service Commission. He had married Patricia Josephine Downman (née Hare-Duke) in 1947 and they had a son, William, born in 1949 and a daughter, Julia, born in 1951. They settled in Earl Soham in Suffolk where Satan sat on a number of local committees, delighted in his large garden, and enjoyed some ocean-going sailing. He died of cancer in 1969.