Wilfred Collet
Encyclopedia
Sir Wilfred Collet KCMG (1856–1929) was a British colonial administrator who was governor of British Honduras
and then of British Guiana
.
His sister Clara Collet
(1860–1948) was a noted social reformer during the early part of the twentieth century.
His family had a tradition of overseas service.
A great-great-great uncle, Joseph Collett
, had been an official in the East India Company
and President of Madras (8 January 1717 – 18 January 1720).
His father, Collet Dobson Collet, was a noted radical reformer.
He studied music at Trinity College, London.
In 1875 he and his sister Clara were frequently in contact with the Karl Marx
family.
Wilfred Collet obtained his degree from University College, London in 1881 and joined the Colonial service.
, Secretary to the High Commissioner, West Pacific (1884–1897), and then District Commissioner, Cyprus
(1897–1905).
In 1905 he was appointed Colonial Secretary, British Honduras.
On 9 May 1913 he was appointed Governor of British Honduras, holding office until January 1918. In 1915 he was knighted.
In British Guiana he donated the playing ground to Berbice High School
, which had been founded in 1916. From then on, games became compulsory at the school.
In February 1922 a three-man delegation from India visited British Guiana, consisting of the Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Assembly, and member of the Servants of India Society and the Director of Agriculture of Bombay. The delegation wanted to discuss a proposal for bringing Indian laborers to British Guiana to work on the sugar plantations.
Sir Wilfred Collet was not favorable to the scheme, but eventually proposed a new plan with much fewer benefits.
The Indians also were not entirely positive since the price of sugar was falling, so wages would fall also.
No decision had been made when Collet retired in 1923, handing over to Sir Graeme Thomson
.
In 1926 Collet was a member of the Polynesian Society.
He was appointed C.M.G. in 1897 and knighted (K.C.M.G.) in 1915.
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
and then of British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
.
His sister Clara Collet
Clara Collet
Clara Collet was pivotal in effecting many reforms which greatly improved working conditions and pay for women during the early part of the twentieth century...
(1860–1948) was a noted social reformer during the early part of the twentieth century.
Background
Wilfred Collet was born in Islington in 1856.His family had a tradition of overseas service.
A great-great-great uncle, Joseph Collett
Joseph Collett
Joseph Collett was a British administrator in service of the British East India Company. He served as the Governor of Bencoolen from 1712 to 1717 and as the President of Madras from 1717 to 1720...
, had been an official in the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and President of Madras (8 January 1717 – 18 January 1720).
His father, Collet Dobson Collet, was a noted radical reformer.
He studied music at Trinity College, London.
In 1875 he and his sister Clara were frequently in contact with the Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
family.
Wilfred Collet obtained his degree from University College, London in 1881 and joined the Colonial service.
Early career
In the British colonial service, Collet held the positions of Assistant Native Commissioner, FijiFiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Secretary to the High Commissioner, West Pacific (1884–1897), and then District Commissioner, 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...
(1897–1905).
In 1905 he was appointed Colonial Secretary, British Honduras.
On 9 May 1913 he was appointed Governor of British Honduras, holding office until January 1918. In 1915 he was knighted.
Governor of British Guiana
Collet was Governor of British Guiana from 15 April 1917 until 4 April 1923, when he retired.In British Guiana he donated the playing ground to Berbice High School
Berbice High School
Berbice High School is a school in New Amsterdam, Guyana.The Boys' school was established on 5 September 1916, on the ground floor of the residence occupied by Rev. J. A. Scrimgeour, BA. Mr. C. A. Pugsley was the school's first Headmaster. Nine pupils were enrolled on the founding day...
, which had been founded in 1916. From then on, games became compulsory at the school.
In February 1922 a three-man delegation from India visited British Guiana, consisting of the Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Assembly, and member of the Servants of India Society and the Director of Agriculture of Bombay. The delegation wanted to discuss a proposal for bringing Indian laborers to British Guiana to work on the sugar plantations.
Sir Wilfred Collet was not favorable to the scheme, but eventually proposed a new plan with much fewer benefits.
The Indians also were not entirely positive since the price of sugar was falling, so wages would fall also.
No decision had been made when Collet retired in 1923, handing over to Sir Graeme Thomson
Graeme Thomson
Sir Graeme Thomson G.C.M.G. K.C.B. was a British Civil Servant in the Admiralty, who served as a colonial civil servant and then governor in several British colonies.-Civil Servant:...
.
In 1926 Collet was a member of the Polynesian Society.
He was appointed C.M.G. in 1897 and knighted (K.C.M.G.) in 1915.