Harold Baxter Kittermaster
Encyclopedia
Sir Harold Baxter Kittermaster KCMG, KBE (14 May 1879 - 20 March 1939) was governor of British Somaliland
(now Somaliland
), British Honduras
(now Belize
), and then of the Nyasaland
protectorate (now Malawi
) in the period before the Second World War.
, England
and was educated at Shrewsbury
and at Christ Church, Oxford
.
He married Winifred Elsie, born on 25 April 1899 in Coventry, daughter of Richard Alexandra Rotherham.
At a height of six feet, eight and a half inches (two meters) he was reckoned to be one of the tallest men in the British Colonial Service.
, before World War I
, and assisted Theodore Roosevelt
on his 1909 safari.
Kittermaster was the officer-in-charge of the Northern Frontier District during the Aulihan
Somali uprising, which started with a major cattle raid on the Samburu in December 1915 and was followed by the sack of the British post at Sarinley
in Jubaland
. The British had limited forces in the area and were distracted by military operations in German East Africa
. Kittermaster was unable to persuade the authorities to undertake serious reprisals until September 1917.
After ruthless military action and many deaths the Aulihan were forced to capitulate and pay compensation in cattle. Kittermaster said: "no further trouble need be feared from the Aulihan for some time to come".
Kittermaster established the administrative boundary later called the Kittermaster Line separating the Samburu grazing lands of the Leroghi plateau from the larger Laikipia plateau, which had been reserved for white settlers.
He was appointed the first acting district commissioner in the Turkana District
in the northwest of what is now Kenya.
from 1925 to 1931.
He was handicapped by strict limits of expenditure by the Treasury, usually limited to ₤200,000 annually. As far as possible, he made sure this money was used productively, setting up an agricultural department and distributing groundnuts and cowpeas to prospective growers.
In 1927 he decided that the livestock industry was crucial to the economy, and introduced measures that included launching a compulsory inoculation program, building stock dips and organizing the market for animal products.
He also obtained funding for well-boring from the Colonial Office.
Although there were labor grievances against the British administration during Kittermaster's tenure, he undertook few reforms since the situation did not appear to be deteriorating.
The colony was poor, but Kittermaster refused to believe that some people were close to starvation.
He did nothing to introduce a minimum wage or to reform laws that prevented the formation of unions and imposed a land tax paid mostly by smallholders.
A report on education in the British West Indies
during this period concluded that primary education was the least progressive of any part of the empire
, and the school buildings were in very poor condition.
Kittermaster said it was unfortunate that the report did not cover the British Honduras, but noted that it "has not been found practical to take any action with a view to improving the present situation due to the impossibility of providing increased appropriations for education".
He did however recommend "missions to establish schools wherever there is a minimum of children", perhaps with a view to shifting responsibility for funding to the church.
In 1932 he commented on secondary schooling that "the high rate of fees is far beyond the means of an ordinary parent of a primary school pupil".
Otherwise, he did not introduce any major innovations. He said "So far as my own policy is concerned I may say it has been to carry on the policies of my predeccessors, ... and it seemed to me that the last thing the Protectorate would require was another new broom".
At the time of his appointment, Native Associations of educated Africans were attempting to become recognized by the colonial administration as alternative representatives of the people to the Native Authorities, which were headed by conservative chiefs and headmen. Kittermaster did not entirely reject this concept. After some debate, the Native Associations were allowed to send their views to the Secretariat, which would acknowledge their receipt, but any action would still be taken through the Native Authorities.
Kittermaster met with Levi Z. Mumba, the leader of the Native Association movement, on 12 May 1935. He took a conciliatory approach and encouraged the Associations to continue their activity on useful lines.
Kittermaster inherited the controversial issue of land rights. Landlords who had acquired title to estates were entitled by statute to evict 10% of resident Africans every five years. The government had to find land of equal value nearby. The subject was complicated by non-disturbance clauses for the original occupants of the land, who could remain without paying rent. Although the question was not urgent due to a shortage of labor, Young had proposed various changes to clarify the laws, which Kittermaster supported, essentially leading towards the acquisition of land from private estates for permanent settlement of Africans. However, the Secretary of State directed that no changes to the laws be made.
The colonial government decided in 1934 to encourage the Nyanja language as the lingua franca
in Nyasaland, since it was the most widely spoken.
Kittermaster ordered immediate implementation of this policy.
The missions opposed the decision, as did ethnic groups such as the Yao people and the Tumbuka speakers
led by Levi Mumba.
After the London Missionary Society
appealed to London
, Kittermaster was told to suspend the decision and hold a conference to resolve the issue. In the end the decision was to encourage use of Nyanja but allow free use of other languages.
Kittermaster's administration had little positive impact. While he was in office, annual internal revenue declined from ₤511,000 to ₤506,000.
The civil service remained static, growing from 3,437 to 3,534 officers.
Early in 1939, Kittermaster was taken ill and was diagnosed to be suffering from appendicitis. His condition became serious and the doctors were unable to save him. He died on 20 March 1939.
His wife, Winifred Elsie, lived to advanced old age, dying in 1993.
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...
(now Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
), British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
(now Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
), and then of the Nyasaland
Nyasaland
Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....
protectorate (now Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
) in the period before the Second World War.
Early years
Harold Baxter Kittermaster was born on 14 May 1879, son of the Reverend FW Kittermaster of CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, 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...
and was educated at Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
He married Winifred Elsie, born on 25 April 1899 in Coventry, daughter of Richard Alexandra Rotherham.
At a height of six feet, eight and a half inches (two meters) he was reckoned to be one of the tallest men in the British Colonial Service.
Kenya
Kittermaster was a colonial official in British East Africa, now KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, before 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...
, and assisted Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
on his 1909 safari.
Kittermaster was the officer-in-charge of the Northern Frontier District during the Aulihan
Aulihan
The Aulihan are a Somali clan, a division of the larger Ogaden clan, living on both sides of the Kenya - Somalia border.The Aulihan migrated from the Ogaden region of Western Ethiopia in response to pressure from the expanding Ethiopian empire and had taken control of the hinterland of the lower...
Somali uprising, which started with a major cattle raid on the Samburu in December 1915 and was followed by the sack of the British post at Sarinley
Sarinley
Sarinley is a small town north west of Bardera in Gedo region in Somalia. The town lies about 7 km west of Jubba River on the road to Garbahaarreey.-History:...
in Jubaland
Jubaland
Jubaland , also known as Azania or the Juba Valley and formerly as Trans-Juba , is an autonomous region in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in...
. The British had limited forces in the area and were distracted by military operations in German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
. Kittermaster was unable to persuade the authorities to undertake serious reprisals until September 1917.
After ruthless military action and many deaths the Aulihan were forced to capitulate and pay compensation in cattle. Kittermaster said: "no further trouble need be feared from the Aulihan for some time to come".
Kittermaster established the administrative boundary later called the Kittermaster Line separating the Samburu grazing lands of the Leroghi plateau from the larger Laikipia plateau, which had been reserved for white settlers.
He was appointed the first acting district commissioner in the Turkana District
Turkana District
Turkana District is an administrative district in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. Turkana is the northwesternmost district in Kenya. It is bordered by the countries of Uganda to the west; South Sudan and Ethiopia, including the disputed Ilemi Triangle, to the north and northeast; and Lake...
in the northwest of what is now Kenya.
British Somaliland
Kittermaster was Governor of British SomalilandBritish 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...
from 1925 to 1931.
He was handicapped by strict limits of expenditure by the Treasury, usually limited to ₤200,000 annually. As far as possible, he made sure this money was used productively, setting up an agricultural department and distributing groundnuts and cowpeas to prospective growers.
In 1927 he decided that the livestock industry was crucial to the economy, and introduced measures that included launching a compulsory inoculation program, building stock dips and organizing the market for animal products.
He also obtained funding for well-boring from the Colonial Office.
British Honduras
Kittermaster took office as Governor of the British Honduras on 9 March 1932.Although there were labor grievances against the British administration during Kittermaster's tenure, he undertook few reforms since the situation did not appear to be deteriorating.
The colony was poor, but Kittermaster refused to believe that some people were close to starvation.
He did nothing to introduce a minimum wage or to reform laws that prevented the formation of unions and imposed a land tax paid mostly by smallholders.
A report on education in the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
during this period concluded that primary education was the least progressive of any part of the 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...
, and the school buildings were in very poor condition.
Kittermaster said it was unfortunate that the report did not cover the British Honduras, but noted that it "has not been found practical to take any action with a view to improving the present situation due to the impossibility of providing increased appropriations for education".
He did however recommend "missions to establish schools wherever there is a minimum of children", perhaps with a view to shifting responsibility for funding to the church.
In 1932 he commented on secondary schooling that "the high rate of fees is far beyond the means of an ordinary parent of a primary school pupil".
Nyasaland
Kittermaster was 55 years old when appointed Governor of Nyasaland in 1934. He sponsored limited development of the Native Authority system and enacted rules to regulate emigrant labor.Otherwise, he did not introduce any major innovations. He said "So far as my own policy is concerned I may say it has been to carry on the policies of my predeccessors, ... and it seemed to me that the last thing the Protectorate would require was another new broom".
At the time of his appointment, Native Associations of educated Africans were attempting to become recognized by the colonial administration as alternative representatives of the people to the Native Authorities, which were headed by conservative chiefs and headmen. Kittermaster did not entirely reject this concept. After some debate, the Native Associations were allowed to send their views to the Secretariat, which would acknowledge their receipt, but any action would still be taken through the Native Authorities.
Kittermaster met with Levi Z. Mumba, the leader of the Native Association movement, on 12 May 1935. He took a conciliatory approach and encouraged the Associations to continue their activity on useful lines.
Kittermaster inherited the controversial issue of land rights. Landlords who had acquired title to estates were entitled by statute to evict 10% of resident Africans every five years. The government had to find land of equal value nearby. The subject was complicated by non-disturbance clauses for the original occupants of the land, who could remain without paying rent. Although the question was not urgent due to a shortage of labor, Young had proposed various changes to clarify the laws, which Kittermaster supported, essentially leading towards the acquisition of land from private estates for permanent settlement of Africans. However, the Secretary of State directed that no changes to the laws be made.
The colonial government decided in 1934 to encourage the Nyanja language as the lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
in Nyasaland, since it was the most widely spoken.
Kittermaster ordered immediate implementation of this policy.
The missions opposed the decision, as did ethnic groups such as the Yao people and the Tumbuka speakers
Tumbuka language
The Tumbuka language is a Bantu language which is spoken in parts of Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania.The language of the Tumbuka people is called chiTumbuka — the chi- marker in front of Tumbuka means “thing”, “concept”, and is understood in this case “the language of ”...
led by Levi Mumba.
After the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
appealed to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Kittermaster was told to suspend the decision and hold a conference to resolve the issue. In the end the decision was to encourage use of Nyanja but allow free use of other languages.
Kittermaster's administration had little positive impact. While he was in office, annual internal revenue declined from ₤511,000 to ₤506,000.
The civil service remained static, growing from 3,437 to 3,534 officers.
Early in 1939, Kittermaster was taken ill and was diagnosed to be suffering from appendicitis. His condition became serious and the doctors were unable to save him. He died on 20 March 1939.
His wife, Winifred Elsie, lived to advanced old age, dying in 1993.