Gerald Strickland, 1st Baron Strickland
Encyclopedia
Gerald Strickland, 1st Baron Strickland, 6th Count of Catena, GCMG
(full name: Gerald Paul Joseph Cajetan Carmel Antony Martin Strickland; 24 May 186122 August 1940) was a Maltese
and British
politician and peer, who served as Prime Minister of Malta
, Governor of the Leeward Islands, Governor of Tasmania, Governor of Western Australia
and Governor of New South Wales.
, son of naval officer Walter Strickland and Luisa Bonici Mompalao, the niece of a Maltese count who later succeeded to the title of Count of Catena. He was educated at St Mary's College, Oscott, and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He died at his residence in the Villa Bologna, Attard
and is buried in the family crypt at the Cathedral of St Paul, Mdina
.
at an early age and in December 1887, he accompanied Dr. Fortunato Mizzi
– founder of the Maltese Nationalist Party
– to London to submit a scheme for a legislative assembly. The result was that the new Constitution of December 1887 was largely based on the joint Strickland-Mizzi proposals. In the following year, Strickland was appointed Principal Government Secretary, a post which he held till 1902 when to avert more trouble in Malta which were created by his orders in councils to increase taxation, he was nominated Governor of Tasmania (1904 to 1909), Governor of Western Australia
(1909 to 1913) and Governor of New South Wales (1913 to 1917).
In 1917, Count Strickland returned to Malta and, after the grant of Self Government, formed the Anglo-Maltese Party in 1921, which soon afterward amalgamated with the Maltese Constitutional Party to become the Constitutional Party
under his leadership. Strickland was the leader of the Opposition between 1921 and 1927. In 1924, he won the seat of Lancaster
for the Conservatives
in the United Kingdom House of Commons. He left the House of Commons in 1928 upon being made a peer.
After the 1927 election, Strickland had a majority in the Legislative Assembly and became Head of Ministry (the fourth Prime Minister of Malta
) from August 1927 until June 1930. Amongst the most important events of his government were the commencement of building works for St. Luke's Hospital
in Gwardamanġia
, his clash with the Senate, which led to the issue of Letters Patent
which curtailed its powers and his concurrent clash with the Ecclesiastical Authorities. On 1 May 1930, Archbishop Mauro Caruana and Gozo bishop Mikiel Gonzi
issued a pastoral letter, read in all the churches of Malta and Gozo. In it they declared that whoever voted for the Constitutional Party
and its former coalition partner, the Labour Party
, committed a mortal sin. That year he narrowly avoided assassination.
This mortal sin was also committed by those who read Strickland's newspapers, printed by his Progress Press, namely the Daily Malta Chronicle and Ix-Xemx. He subsequently began publishing Il-Progress and Il-Berqa. The clash between the Catholic bishops and the Constitutional Party led to the suspension of the Malta Constitution following consultations between the British Governor and London. Between July 1932 and November 1933, Strickland was again the leader of the Opposition, and after the grant of a new Constitution in 1939, he became the leader of the elected majority in the Council of Government.
. They had five daughters; Hon. Mary Christina (1896–1970), who married Henry Hornyold, became known as Mrs Hornyold-Strickland and chaired the Conservative Party Conference in 1947; Hon Cecilia Victoria
(1897–1982); Hon. Mabel Edeline
OBE (1899–1988); Hon. Henrietta May (1903); and Hon. Dr. Constance Teresa LMSSA (1912–1979). Following the death of Lady Edeline in 1918, Strickland married Margaret Hulton in 1926. She was made a Dame of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1937.
(CMG) in 1889, for rendering invaluable services during a severe cholera epidemic. He was promoted within the order to KCMG
in 1897, and again to GCMG
in 1913. He was raised to the Peerage of the United Kingdom
as Baron Strickland, of Sizergh Castle in the County of Westmorland, on 19 January 1928.
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....
(full name: Gerald Paul Joseph Cajetan Carmel Antony Martin Strickland; 24 May 186122 August 1940) was a Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and 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...
politician and peer, who served as Prime Minister of Malta
Prime Minister of Malta
The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta.-Establishment of the office and developments:The office of "Head of Ministry" was created as soon as Malta was granted autonomous government in 1921. The 1921 constitution was suspended twice before being revoked...
, Governor of the Leeward Islands, Governor of Tasmania, Governor of Western Australia
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
and Governor of New South Wales.
Early life
Strickland was born in VallettaValletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, son of naval officer Walter Strickland and Luisa Bonici Mompalao, the niece of a Maltese count who later succeeded to the title of Count of Catena. He was educated at St Mary's College, Oscott, and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He died at his residence in the Villa Bologna, Attard
Attard
Ħ'Attard is a village located at the centre-most point of the island of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. Ħ'Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus...
and is buried in the family crypt at the Cathedral of St Paul, Mdina
Mdina
Mdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
.
Political career
Strickland began to take an active part in Maltese politicsPolitics of Malta
The politics of Malta takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Malta is the constitutional head of state. Executive Authority is vested in the President of Malta with the general direction and control of the Government of Malta...
at an early age and in December 1887, he accompanied Dr. Fortunato Mizzi
Fortunato Mizzi
Fortunato Mizzi was the founder of the Anti-Reform Party and also the one who started the process which eventually led to Malta's independence...
– founder of the Maltese Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Malta)
The Nationalist Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Labour Party. It was founded by Fortunato Mizzi in 1880 as the Anti-Reform Party, opposing taxation decreed by the British colonial authorities and measures to Anglicise the educational and the...
– to London to submit a scheme for a legislative assembly. The result was that the new Constitution of December 1887 was largely based on the joint Strickland-Mizzi proposals. In the following year, Strickland was appointed Principal Government Secretary, a post which he held till 1902 when to avert more trouble in Malta which were created by his orders in councils to increase taxation, he was nominated Governor of Tasmania (1904 to 1909), Governor of Western Australia
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
(1909 to 1913) and Governor of New South Wales (1913 to 1917).
In 1917, Count Strickland returned to Malta and, after the grant of Self Government, formed the Anglo-Maltese Party in 1921, which soon afterward amalgamated with the Maltese Constitutional Party to become the Constitutional Party
Constitutional Party (Malta)
The Constitutional Party was a Maltese political party which had representatives in the Maltese Legislative Assembly and Council of Government between 1921 and 1945 and 1950 and 1953, forming a government between 1927 and 1930 with the support of the Labour Party. A splinter group, the Progressive...
under his leadership. Strickland was the leader of the Opposition between 1921 and 1927. In 1924, he won the seat of Lancaster
Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Lancaster was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1867, centred on the historic city of Lancaster in north-west England...
for the Conservatives
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...
in the United Kingdom House of Commons. He left the House of Commons in 1928 upon being made a peer.
After the 1927 election, Strickland had a majority in the Legislative Assembly and became Head of Ministry (the fourth Prime Minister of Malta
Prime Minister of Malta
The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta.-Establishment of the office and developments:The office of "Head of Ministry" was created as soon as Malta was granted autonomous government in 1921. The 1921 constitution was suspended twice before being revoked...
) from August 1927 until June 1930. Amongst the most important events of his government were the commencement of building works for St. Luke's Hospital
St. Luke's Hospital, Malta
St. Luke's Hospital , is a general hospital located on Gwardamanġia hill, in Pietà, Malta. Its foundation was laid April 5, 1930, by the Governor of Malta, John Du Cane, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Gerald Strickland....
in Gwardamanġia
Gwardamangia
Gwardamanġa , is a hamlet in Tal-Pietà, Malta. In Gwardamanġa, one finds St. Luke's Hospital, Malta's former general public hospital....
, his clash with the Senate, which led to the issue of Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
which curtailed its powers and his concurrent clash with the Ecclesiastical Authorities. On 1 May 1930, Archbishop Mauro Caruana and Gozo bishop Mikiel Gonzi
Mikiel Gonzi
Monsignor Sir Michael Gonzi, KBE, DD was Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Malta...
issued a pastoral letter, read in all the churches of Malta and Gozo. In it they declared that whoever voted for the Constitutional Party
Constitutional Party (Malta)
The Constitutional Party was a Maltese political party which had representatives in the Maltese Legislative Assembly and Council of Government between 1921 and 1945 and 1950 and 1953, forming a government between 1927 and 1930 with the support of the Labour Party. A splinter group, the Progressive...
and its former coalition partner, the Labour Party
Malta Labour Party
The Labour Party is, along with the Nationalist Party, one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta. It is the party of opposition in the Maltese House of Representatives where it has thirty-four of the sixty-nine seats.- Party Structure :...
, committed a mortal sin. That year he narrowly avoided assassination.
This mortal sin was also committed by those who read Strickland's newspapers, printed by his Progress Press, namely the Daily Malta Chronicle and Ix-Xemx. He subsequently began publishing Il-Progress and Il-Berqa. The clash between the Catholic bishops and the Constitutional Party led to the suspension of the Malta Constitution following consultations between the British Governor and London. Between July 1932 and November 1933, Strickland was again the leader of the Opposition, and after the grant of a new Constitution in 1939, he became the leader of the elected majority in the Council of Government.
Personal life
In 1890 Strickland married Lady Edeline Sackville-West (1870–1918), the daughter of the 7th Earl De La WarrEarl De La Warr
Earl De La Warr is a title created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1761.In the United States, Thomas West, 3rd baron is often named in history books simply as Lord Delaware. He served as governor of the Jamestown Colony, and the Delaware Bay was named after him...
. They had five daughters; Hon. Mary Christina (1896–1970), who married Henry Hornyold, became known as Mrs Hornyold-Strickland and chaired the Conservative Party Conference in 1947; Hon Cecilia Victoria
Arthur Francis Turner
Admiral Sir Francis Turner, KCB DSC was a British naval officer. He was the son of Rear Admiral AWJ Turner and his wife Mrs AM Turner .-Naval career:...
(1897–1982); Hon. Mabel Edeline
Mabel Strickland
Mabel Edeline Strickland, OBE was a Maltese journalist and politician, the daughter of Sir Gerald Strickland , the former Prime Minister of Malta....
OBE (1899–1988); Hon. Henrietta May (1903); and Hon. Dr. Constance Teresa LMSSA (1912–1979). Following the death of Lady Edeline in 1918, Strickland married Margaret Hulton in 1926. She was made a Dame of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1937.
Titles and honours
Strickland was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder 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....
(CMG) in 1889, for rendering invaluable services during a severe cholera epidemic. He was promoted within the order to KCMG
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....
in 1897, and again to GCMG
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....
in 1913. He was raised to the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
as Baron Strickland, of Sizergh Castle in the County of Westmorland, on 19 January 1928.