Sir William Peel
Encyclopedia
Sir William Peel was a British
colonial administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong
.
, Northumberland
, England
. He was the son of Rev. W. E. Peel of Boston Spa
in Yorkshire
. He attended Silcoates School
and later Queens' College, Cambridge
.
in the Colonial Service in 1897 and was soon promoted to Acting District Officer of Nibong Tebal
in 1898 and Bukit Mertajam
in 1899 and Province Wellesley until 1901. His next appointment as Acting Second Colonial Secretary took him to Singapore
in 1902 until his return to Penang
in 1905 to serve as Acting Second Magistrate and Coroner. After serving as Acting Auditor in 1908 in Penang, he continued his service in various capacities in the Federated Malay States
such as Acting Secretary to the Resident of Selangor
in 1909 and Acting District Officer Lower Perak in 1910, before returning to Penang as President of the Municipal Commissioners Penang in 1911. He became Acting Resident Councillor of Penang from (26 February - 5 October 1917). Later, he became president of the municipal commissioners of Singapore in 1918. In 1919, he was appointed as joint passage controller of labour for the Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements
in 1920; and chairman of European Unemployment Committee in 1921. In 1922, he became British Adviser for the Government of Kedah
. He became Acting Resident Councillor of Penang from 10 May to 9 July 1925. In 1927, he acted as officer administering the government and High Commissioner for the Malay States, having been promoted to be Chief Secretary to Government in 1926.
. During his tenure, the telephone system in Hong Kong was automated, and the first permanent flight between China
and Hong Kong was established. Also, Peel presided over the construction of a Governor's Retreat in Fanling
, in the New Territories
.
Peel retired in May 1935.
in Penang were named after him. In addition, the Violet Peel Health Centre was named after his wife. The Peel Block of King George V School
is named after him. Jalan Peel (Peel Road) in Kuala Lumpur was named after him too.
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...
colonial administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
.
Early life
Peel was born in HexhamHexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, 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...
. He was the son of Rev. W. E. Peel of Boston Spa
Boston Spa
Boston Spa is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, south of Wetherby, on the banks of the River Wharfe...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. He attended Silcoates School
Silcoates School
Silcoates School is a public school in Wakefield, England. It was founded in 1820 as the Northern Congregational School at Silcoates House, for the board and education of the sons of non-conformist clergy; it was located close to Ossett and Horbury, which both had unusually large nonconformist...
and later Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
.
Early Colonial Services
He became a cadetCadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in the Colonial Service in 1897 and was soon promoted to Acting District Officer of Nibong Tebal
Nibong Tebal
Nibong Tebal 高淵 is a town under parliamentary constituency P047. It is situated in Seberang Perai on the mainland side of Penang, Malaysia, bordered by Parit Buntar in Perak and Bandar Baharu in Kedah....
in 1898 and Bukit Mertajam
Bukit Mertajam
Bukit Mertajam is the capital of Central Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. It is commonly known as BM among its locals. It is located nearby Kulim, Kedah.-About:...
in 1899 and Province Wellesley until 1901. His next appointment as Acting Second Colonial Secretary took him to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in 1902 until his return to Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
in 1905 to serve as Acting Second Magistrate and Coroner. After serving as Acting Auditor in 1908 in Penang, he continued his service in various capacities in the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
such as Acting Secretary to the Resident of Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
in 1909 and Acting District Officer Lower Perak in 1910, before returning to Penang as President of the Municipal Commissioners Penang in 1911. He became Acting Resident Councillor of Penang from (26 February - 5 October 1917). Later, he became president of the municipal commissioners of Singapore in 1918. In 1919, he was appointed as joint passage controller of labour for the Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
in 1920; and chairman of European Unemployment Committee in 1921. In 1922, he became British Adviser for the Government of Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
. He became Acting Resident Councillor of Penang from 10 May to 9 July 1925. In 1927, he acted as officer administering the government and High Commissioner for the Malay States, having been promoted to be Chief Secretary to Government in 1926.
Governor of Hong Kong
On 9 May 1930, Peel was appointed as Governor of Hong KongHong 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...
. During his tenure, the telephone system in Hong Kong was automated, and the first permanent flight between China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Hong Kong was established. Also, Peel presided over the construction of a Governor's Retreat in Fanling
Fanling
Fanling , also known as Fan Ling and Fan Leng, is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the North District...
, in the New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
.
Peel retired in May 1935.
Personal life
Peel married to Violet Mary Drake, daughter of the late W. D. Laing by whom he had two sons.Places named after him
Peel Rise in Hong Kong and Peel AvenuePlace and street names of Penang
The street names of George Town, reflect the multicultural heritage of the city, the capital of a former British settlement of Penang, now part of Malaysia, which has a multiracial, largely Chinese population....
in Penang were named after him. In addition, the Violet Peel Health Centre was named after his wife. The Peel Block of King George V School
King George V School
King George V School , often shortened to "KGV" is a co-educational international secondary independent school of the English Schools Foundation, located in the Ho Man Tin area of Hong Kong. Currently school 1,700 students in the Kowloon peninsula, it is one of the oldest schools in Hong Kong,...
is named after him. Jalan Peel (Peel Road) in Kuala Lumpur was named after him too.