Milner's Kindergarten
Encyclopedia
Milner's Kindergarten is an informal reference to a group of Britons
who served in the South African Civil Service
under High Commissioner
Alfred, Lord Milner, between the Second Boer War
and the founding of the Union of South Africa
. They were in favour of the South African union and, ultimately, an imperial federation of the British Empire
itself. On Milner's retirement, most continued in the service under William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne, who was Milner's successor. Many of these men themselves attained public prominence after their South African experience, hence the 'kindergarten
' tag.
Other key members were:
Many of these men continued to associate formally after their South African service through their founding of The Round Table Journal
, which was established to promote Imperial Federation
. Patrick Duncan's obituary in the journal's September 1943 edition, may best describe their ethos:
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...
who served in the South African Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
under High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
Alfred, Lord Milner, between the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and the founding of the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
. They were in favour of the South African union and, ultimately, an imperial federation of the British 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...
itself. On Milner's retirement, most continued in the service under William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne, who was Milner's successor. Many of these men themselves attained public prominence after their South African experience, hence the 'kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
' tag.
Other key members were:
- Sir Patrick Duncan - Governor General of South Africa, 1937-1943
- Philip Henry Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian - British Ambassador to the United States of America, 1939-1940
- Robert Henry Brand, 1st Baron BrandRobert Henry Brand, 1st Baron BrandRobert Henry Brand, 1st Baron Brand CMG was a British civil servant, businessman, and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.-Background and education:...
- managing director of Lazard BrothersLazardLazard Ltd is the parent company of Lazard Group LLC, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 42 cities across 27 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Central and South America...
till 1944 - according to Carroll QuigleyCarroll QuigleyCarroll Quigley was an American historian and theorist of the evolution of civilizations. He is noted for his teaching work as a professor at Georgetown University, for his academic publications, and for his research on secret societies.- Biography :Quigley was born in Boston, and attended...
, the leader from 1955 to 1963. - Lionel CurtisLionel CurtisLionel George Curtis was a British official and author. He advocated British Empire Federalism and, late in life, a world state...
- Royal Institute of International Affairs founder - Richard "Dick" FeethamRichard FeethamRichard Feetham was a lawyer, politician and judge in South Africa. He was chairman of the Feetham Function Committee on Constitutional Reform in India and of the Irish Boundary Commission ....
- lawyer, later chairman of the Irish Boundary Commission and eventually Judge of Appeal in South Africa. - George Geoffrey Dawson - editor of The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 1912-1917 - John Buchan, 1st Baron TweedsmuirJohn Buchan, 1st Baron TweedsmuirJohn Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir was a Scottish novelist, historian and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation....
- novelist and Governor General of CanadaGovernor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, 1935-1940 - Sir Dougal Orme Malcolm
- William Lionel Hichens
- John Dove
- Arthur Frederick Basil Williams
- Lord Basil Temple BlackwoodBasil Temple BlackwoodIan Basil Gawaine Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood styled Lord Basil Temple Blackwood, was a British lawyer, civil servant and book illustrator.-Early life:...
- Hugh A. Wyndham
- Sir George V. Fiddes
- Sir John Hanbury-WilliamsJohn Hanbury-WilliamsMajor-General Sir John Hanbury-Williams GCVO, KCB, CMG. John Hanbury-Williams was the youngest son of Ferdinand Hanbury-Williams, of Coldbrook Park, Monmouthshire. After attending Wellington College, he went on to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and in 1878 he was commissioned into the 43rd...
- Main S. O. Walrond
- Sir Fabian WareFabian WareMajor General Sir Fabian Arthur Goulstone Ware KCVO, KBE, CB, CMG was the founder of the Imperial War Graves Commission, now the Commonwealth War Graves Commission-Early life:...
- William Flavelle Monypenny
Many of these men continued to associate formally after their South African service through their founding of The Round Table Journal
The Round Table Journal
The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs is a policy matters journal relating to the Commonwealth of Nations.-History:...
, which was established to promote Imperial Federation
Imperial Federation
Imperial Federation was a late-19th early-20th century proposal to create a federated union in place of the existing British Empire.-Motivators:...
. Patrick Duncan's obituary in the journal's September 1943 edition, may best describe their ethos:
Duncan became the doyen of the band of brothers, Milner's young men, who were nicknamed ... The Kindergarten, then in the first flush of youthful enthusiasm. It is a fast aging and dwindling band now; but it has played a part in the Union of South Africa colonies, and it is responsible for the foundation and conduct of The Round Table. For forty years and more, so far as the vicissitudes of life have allowed, it has kept together; and always, while looking up to Lord Milner and to his successor in South Africa, the late Lord Selborne, as its political Chief, has revered Patrick Duncan as the Captain of the band.