Kenelm Hubert Digby
Encyclopedia
Kenelm Hubert Digby MBE
(10 March 1912, London
– 5 August 2001) was the proposer of the notorious 1933 "King and Country" debate
in the Oxford Union
, and later Attorney General and judge in Sarawak
.
, a lawyer who was Permanent Under-Secretary in the British Home Office from 1895–1903; his father was also a lawyer, who had commanded a warship in World War I and stood unsuccessfully as both a Liberal and a Labour MP. Kenelm was educated at Lydgate House Preparatory School and then Gresham's School
in Norfolk
, and then studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at St John's College, Oxford
.
In 1933 at a debate in the Oxford Union
, Digby proposed the motion "That this House would in no circumstances fight for its King and country.
" The debate was lively, and eventually was carried by 275 votes to 153. A nationwide furore followed, and Digby and his fellow undergraduates were accused of sending a dangerous message to Europe's dictators — that Englishmen were soft and would not fight. Isis
, a student magazine of the University of Oxford
, reported that Digby had a "tub-thumping style of oratory which would be more appreciated in Hyde Park than in the Union", while sixty years after the event, Digby mused "It was just a debate. I don't know what all the fuss was about. Frank Hardie had asked me to propose the motion and I agreed. That's all there was to it. But ever since the debate security intelligence organisations seem to have taken an interest in me." Digby kept the white feather
s he was given after the debate.
In 1934 he was called to the Bar and a few days later sailed to Kuching
in Sarawak as a newly recruited District Officer to work for Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke
, last of the White Rajahs
of Sarawak. He returned to England at the end of his contract in 1939 and went into chambers as a pupil of Neil Lawson, who subsequently became a High Court Judge. On the outbreak of war, he joined the National Council for Civil Liberties as an unpaid volunteer while awaiting his call-up, having no intention of registering as a conscientious objector. In the spring of 1940 he was asked back to Sarawak, and was appointed Legal Adviser to Rajah Brooke
and a member of the Council Negri
. He played an important role in drafting Sarawak's 1941 constitution. With the Japanese invasion of Borneo
, Sarawak was taken over by the Japanese in December 1941, and the Europeans interned, first in houses and prisons in Kuching and then at the Batu Lintang camp
outside Kuching. Digby spent three and a half years here, until his liberation in September 1945.
Digby met his wife-to-be Mutal Fielding on a P&O
liner on the way back to Kuching in 1940, and they became engaged in Singapore in 1941. Mutal lived in Hong Kong
, and before they could be married the war intervened. Mutal was interned at Stanley Internment Camp
, and amongst the many internees there was Kenelm's cousin Professor Kenelm Hutchinson Digby
, who was a leading surgeon and head of surgery at Hong Kong University. Digby and Mutal were finally reunited in November 1945 in Southampton
, when Digby arrived home on HMS Ranchi
. The Digbys were married on 21 February 1946 at Sherfield English
near Romsey
in Hampshire
, before returning to Sarawak. Digby rejoined the Sarawak Civil Service as Legal Adviser, then becoming Attorney-General and editor of the Sarawak Gazette and a circuit judge.
Digby's circuit judge's job ended in 1951, and he returned to London and practised briefly at the bar, he also found alternative work as a deputy coroner to five London boroughs. He left with Mutal for New Zealand
in 1955, tempted by New Zealand's assisted migration scheme. He worked as a solicitor for the State Advances Corporation in Wellington
for five years, and then was appointed solicitor to the Department of Health. He retired in 1977 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. He was also a Companion of the Star of Sarawak. He died on 5 August 2001 after a fall in his garden, and was survived by Mutal and their three children.
For Digby, the fall-out from the Oxford debate of 1933 lasted through many decades. A life-long socialist but never a communist, Digby's suspected communism made him unpopular with the authorities in Sarawak and brought his career there to a premature end, and he was rarely briefed by solicitors when working as a lawyer in the UK. After his death, Mutal commented: "That Oxford Union motion haunted him. It dogged him wherever he went."
Order 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...
(10 March 1912, 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...
– 5 August 2001) was the proposer of the notorious 1933 "King and Country" debate
The King and Country debate
The King and Country debate was a discussion at the Oxford Union debating society on 9 February 1933 of the resolution: "That this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country". It was passed by 275 votes to 153, and became one of the most well-known and notorious debates...
in the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
, and later Attorney General and judge in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
.
Biography
Digby was born in London, the son of Edward Aylmer Digby and Winifred Digby Watson, who were first cousins. Digby's paternal grandfather was Sir Kenelm Edward DigbyKenelm Edward Digby
This article is about Kenelm Digby, the English lawyer and civil servant. For other people with the same name, see Kenelm Digby Sir Kenelm Edward Digby KCB, GCB, was an English lawyer and civil servant...
, a lawyer who was Permanent Under-Secretary in the British Home Office from 1895–1903; his father was also a lawyer, who had commanded a warship in World War I and stood unsuccessfully as both a Liberal and a Labour MP. Kenelm was educated at Lydgate House Preparatory School and then Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and then studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
.
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
, Digby proposed the motion "That this House would in no circumstances fight for its King and country.
The King and Country debate
The King and Country debate was a discussion at the Oxford Union debating society on 9 February 1933 of the resolution: "That this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country". It was passed by 275 votes to 153, and became one of the most well-known and notorious debates...
" The debate was lively, and eventually was carried by 275 votes to 153. A nationwide furore followed, and Digby and his fellow undergraduates were accused of sending a dangerous message to Europe's dictators — that Englishmen were soft and would not fight. Isis
Isis magazine
The Isis Magazine was established at Oxford University in 1892 . Traditionally a rival to the student newspaper Cherwell, it was finally acquired by the latter's publishing house, OSPL, in the late 1990s...
, a student magazine of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, reported that Digby had a "tub-thumping style of oratory which would be more appreciated in Hyde Park than in the Union", while sixty years after the event, Digby mused "It was just a debate. I don't know what all the fuss was about. Frank Hardie had asked me to propose the motion and I agreed. That's all there was to it. But ever since the debate security intelligence organisations seem to have taken an interest in me." Digby kept the white feather
White feather
A white feather has been a traditional symbol of cowardice, used and recognised especially within the British Army and in countries associated with the British Empire since the 18th century...
s he was given after the debate.
In 1934 he was called to the Bar and a few days later sailed to Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
in Sarawak as a newly recruited District Officer to work for Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke
Charles Vyner Brooke
Vyner, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG was the third and final White Rajah of Sarawak.-Early life:...
, last of the White Rajahs
White Rajahs
White Rajahs refers to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. A Rajah is a monarch in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.-Rulers:...
of Sarawak. He returned to England at the end of his contract in 1939 and went into chambers as a pupil of Neil Lawson, who subsequently became a High Court Judge. On the outbreak of war, he joined the National Council for Civil Liberties as an unpaid volunteer while awaiting his call-up, having no intention of registering as a conscientious objector. In the spring of 1940 he was asked back to Sarawak, and was appointed Legal Adviser to Rajah Brooke
Charles Vyner Brooke
Vyner, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG was the third and final White Rajah of Sarawak.-Early life:...
and a member of the Council Negri
Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak
The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is a unicameral institution consisting of 71 members elected from single-member constituencies throughout the state...
. He played an important role in drafting Sarawak's 1941 constitution. With the Japanese invasion of Borneo
Battle of Borneo (1941–42)
For campaigns on eastern Borneo, see Battle of Tarakan and Battle of Balikpapan .The Battle of Borneo was a successful campaign by Japanese Imperial forces for control of Borneo island and concentrated mainly on the subjugation of the Kingdom of Sarawak, North Borneo, and the western part of...
, Sarawak was taken over by the Japanese in December 1941, and the Europeans interned, first in houses and prisons in Kuching and then at the Batu Lintang camp
Batu Lintang camp
Batu Lintang camp at Kuching, Sarawak on the island of Borneo was a Japanese internment camp during the Second World War. It was unusual in that it housed both Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees...
outside Kuching. Digby spent three and a half years here, until his liberation in September 1945.
Digby met his wife-to-be Mutal Fielding on a P&O
P&O
P&O may refer to:* Pickling and oiling raw steel.* Phosphate conversion coating and oiling aluminium, zinc, cadmium, silver, or tin.-Shipping:* Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, a former British shipping and logistics company....
liner on the way back to Kuching in 1940, and they became engaged in Singapore in 1941. Mutal lived in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and before they could be married the war intervened. Mutal was interned at Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp
Stanley Internment Camp was a civilian internment camp in Hong Kong during World War II. Located in Stanley, on the southern end of Hong Kong Island, it was used by the Japanese imperial forces to hold non-Chinese enemy nationals after their victory in the Battle of Hong Kong, a battle in the...
, and amongst the many internees there was Kenelm's cousin Professor Kenelm Hutchinson Digby
Kenelm Hutchinson Digby
This article is about Kenelm Digby, the surgeon. For other people with the same name, see Kenelm Digby Kenelm Hutchinson Digby OBE FRCS was a British surgeon who lived and worked for many years in Hong Kong, where he held various Professorships at Hong Kong University from 1913 - 1949. The K. H...
, who was a leading surgeon and head of surgery at Hong Kong University. Digby and Mutal were finally reunited in November 1945 in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, when Digby arrived home on HMS Ranchi
SS Ranchi
The SS Ranchi was a British passenger and cargo carrying ocean liner. During World War II she served as an armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranchi.-P&O career:...
. The Digbys were married on 21 February 1946 at Sherfield English
Sherfield English
Sherfield English is a small village in the district of Test Valley in Hampshire, England. Its nearest town is Romsey, which lies approximately 4 miles south-west....
near Romsey
Romsey
Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, before returning to Sarawak. Digby rejoined the Sarawak Civil Service as Legal Adviser, then becoming Attorney-General and editor of the Sarawak Gazette and a circuit judge.
Digby's circuit judge's job ended in 1951, and he returned to London and practised briefly at the bar, he also found alternative work as a deputy coroner to five London boroughs. He left with Mutal for New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1955, tempted by New Zealand's assisted migration scheme. He worked as a solicitor for the State Advances Corporation in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
for five years, and then was appointed solicitor to the Department of Health. He retired in 1977 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. He was also a Companion of the Star of Sarawak. He died on 5 August 2001 after a fall in his garden, and was survived by Mutal and their three children.
For Digby, the fall-out from the Oxford debate of 1933 lasted through many decades. A life-long socialist but never a communist, Digby's suspected communism made him unpopular with the authorities in Sarawak and brought his career there to a premature end, and he was rarely briefed by solicitors when working as a lawyer in the UK. After his death, Mutal commented: "That Oxford Union motion haunted him. It dogged him wherever he went."