Malcolm Stevenson
Encyclopedia
Sir Malcolm Stevenson KCMG
(15 March 1878 – 27 November 1927) was a British
colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Cyprus
and later as the Governor of the Seychelles.
, Ireland
, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin
, from which he graduated in 1901. He entered the Ceylon Civil Service
in that year, rising to Second Assistant Colonial Secretary
in May 1911. From December 1912 to October 1913 he was seconded to the Colonial Office
in London
, but then returned to Ceylon as private secretary to Governor
Sir Robert Chalmers. In 1914 he married Chalmers's daughter, Mabel, and in 1915 he was promoted to Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary.
In May 1917, Stevenson was appointed Chief Secretary
of Cyprus
, in which post he administered the government from November 1918 to August 1920, when he was appointed High Commissioner. In May 1925, when Cyprus was given the status of a Crown Colony
, he became the first Governor
, holding the post until November 1926. In May 1927 he was appointed Governor of the Seychelles, but died suddenly just six months later.
Stevenson was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours
and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1923 Birthday Honours.
He died on 27 November 1927 in the Seychelles
.
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....
(15 March 1878 – 27 November 1927) was a 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...
colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Cyprus
Governor of Cyprus
This is a list of the British High Commissioners and Governors of Cyprus.Hitherto a territory of the Ottoman Empire, a British protectorate under Ottoman suzerainty was established over Cyprus by the Cyprus Convention of 4 June 1878. The United Kingdom declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 5...
and later as the Governor of the Seychelles.
Biography
Stevenson was born in LisburnLisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, from which he graduated in 1901. He entered the Ceylon Civil Service
Ceylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
in that year, rising to Second Assistant Colonial Secretary
Chief Secretary
The Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
in May 1911. From December 1912 to October 1913 he was seconded to the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
in 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...
, but then returned to Ceylon as private secretary to Governor
Governor of Ceylon
The British Governor of Ceylon was an official who ruled Ceylon during the British colonial period between 1798 and 1948....
Sir Robert Chalmers. In 1914 he married Chalmers's daughter, Mabel, and in 1915 he was promoted to Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary.
In May 1917, Stevenson was appointed Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary
The Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, in which post he administered the government from November 1918 to August 1920, when he was appointed High Commissioner. In May 1925, when Cyprus was given the status of a Crown Colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
, he became the first Governor
Governor of Cyprus
This is a list of the British High Commissioners and Governors of Cyprus.Hitherto a territory of the Ottoman Empire, a British protectorate under Ottoman suzerainty was established over Cyprus by the Cyprus Convention of 4 June 1878. The United Kingdom declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 5...
, holding the post until November 1926. In May 1927 he was appointed Governor of the Seychelles, but died suddenly just six months later.
Stevenson was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1923 Birthday Honours.
He died on 27 November 1927 in the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
.