Ralph Champneys Williams
Encyclopedia
Sir Ralph Champneys Williams CMG
(March 9, 1848 – June 22, 1927) was a colonial governor.
Williams, educated at The King's School, Chester
and Rossall School
joined the colonial service in 1884 and his first post was to Bechuanaland. He then served at Pretoria
, South Africa
, Gibraltar
and Barbados
before returning to Bechuanaland at the height of the Second Boer War
. Williams was governor of the Windward Islands
prior to his appointment as governor of Newfoundland
in 1909.
While governor of Newfoundland
Williams travelled throughout the island and the coast of Labrador
. He was opposed to confederation
with Canada
and desired to maintain Newfoundland's individuality and hold fast Britain
's last tie to North America
. In 1913 he published his memoirs, How I Became a Governor. Two Newfoundland towns were renamed for him: Salmon Cove, Trinity Bay, became Champneys, and Greenspond, White Bay, became Williamsport.
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....
(March 9, 1848 – June 22, 1927) was a colonial governor.
Williams, educated at The King's School, Chester
The King's School, Chester
The King's School, Chester is a British coeducational independent 7-18 school situated just outside the city of Chester. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
and Rossall School
Rossall School
Rossall School is a British, co-educational, independent school, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St. Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College which had been founded the previous year...
joined the colonial service in 1884 and his first post was to Bechuanaland. He then served at Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
before returning to Bechuanaland at the height of 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...
. Williams was governor of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
prior to his appointment as governor of Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
in 1909.
While governor of Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
Williams travelled throughout the island and the coast of Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
. He was opposed to confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
with Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and desired to maintain Newfoundland's individuality and hold fast Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
's last tie to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In 1913 he published his memoirs, How I Became a Governor. Two Newfoundland towns were renamed for him: Salmon Cove, Trinity Bay, became Champneys, and Greenspond, White Bay, became Williamsport.
See also
- Governors of Newfoundland
- Colonial heads of Botswana (Bechuanaland)Colonial heads of Botswana (Bechuanaland)This is a list of the colonial heads of Bechuanaland Protectorate, which gained independence as Botswana in 1966. From 1885 to 1891 the post was known as Deputy Commissioner; from 1891 to 1964 as Resident Commissioner; and from 1964 to independence as The Queen's Commissioner.In the table below,...
- Colonial Heads of the Windward IslandsColonial heads of the Windward IslandsThis is a list of viceroys in the British Windward Islands. The colony of the Windward Islands was created in 1833 and consisted of Grenada, Barbados , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tobago , St. Lucia , and Dominica . The Governor of Barbados was also the Governor of the Windward Islands,...
- List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador