Wikipedia

Wilfred Lawson Blythe

Wilfred Lawson Blythe CMG (9 November 1896 – 6 November 1975)[1] was a British colonial administrator who served as the second Colonial Secretary of Singapore from 30 June 1950 to 30 July 1953.

Wilfred Lawson Blythe
CMG
Portrait of Blythe by H. A. Freeth
2nd Colonial Secretary of Singapore
In office
30 June 1950 – 30 July 1953
MonarchsGeorge VI
Elizabeth II
GovernorSir Franklin Gimson
Sir John Nicoll
Preceded bySir Patrick McKerron
Succeeded byWilliam Allmond Codrington Goode
Governor of Singapore
(Acting)
In office
20 March 1952 – 21 April 1952
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded bySir Franklin Gimson
Succeeded bySir John Nicoll
Personal details
Born9 November 1896
Died6 November 1975(1975-11-06) (aged 78)
Spouse
Muriel Gertrude Woodward[1]
​
​
(m. 1925; died 1969)​
ProfessionColonial administrator

Blythe joined Malayan Civil Service as a cadet in 1921[2][3][4] and Chinese Protectorate before rising to the high position of Colonial Secretary of Singapore and retired on 30 July 1953.[5]

Education

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Blythe completed his education at the Birkenhead Institute and Liverpool University.[6][7] In 1922, Blythe went to Canton to study Cantonese and has also passed his examinations in Cantonese, Hokkien and Malay.[6]

Career

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Blythe joined Malayan Civil Service as a cadet[2][3][4] and was attached to Chinese Secretariat[6][7] at Seremban and then at Kuala Lumpur in 1921.

Between 1922 and before the start of Japan occupation in the Malaya and Singapore, Blythe was appointed as Assistant Protector or Protector of Chinese in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johore, Negri Sembilan and Singapore in several instants.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

While as the assistant Protector of Chinese, Blythe was involved in the bomb incident of D. Richards (Protector of Chinese) in Kuala Lumpur Police Station on 22 January 1925. Both Blythe and the attacker (Wong San, a Chinese woman)[18] had minor injuries while Mr Richards was badly injured.[19][20] Wong San was later sentence to a 10-year imprisonment.[18]

Blythe was briefly appointed as the Acting Private Secretary to Sir George Maxwell, Chief Secretary of Federated Malay States (1921–1926), in 1925.[21][22]

In 1929, Blythe was also the Registrar of Societies and First Magistrate.[7][23][24] and the Controller of Labour in 1930.[25]

In 1932, Blythe was transferred to Singapore and appointed as Assistant Registrar of Societies [26] and Assistant Secretary of Chinese Affairs, Straits Settlement for brief period of time.[7][12][27][28]

During his tenure in Penang between 1933 and 1934, Blythe was the Municipal Commissioner of George town (Penang).[29] Blythe was asked upon to intervened and acted as arbitrator when the tailors in Penang called for a strike which was later settled.[30][31]

Between 1935 and 1936, Blythe was the Deputy President of the Municipal Commissioners in George Town (Penang).[7][32][33][34]

Between 1937 and 1947, Blythe was the Assistant Secretary of Chinese Affairs, Malaya.[6][35][36][37]

In 1939, Blythe was also appointed to act as Commissioner of Trade and Customs and Superintendent, Chandu Monpoly (Johore).[38] and the following year as Deputy Controller of Labour (Chinese), S.S. and F.M.S.[7][39]

In April 1948, Blythe was the Deputy President of the Municipal Commissioners of Singapore[34][7] and the following year as the President of the Singapore Municipal Commission.[40]

In 1950, Blythe was appointed the Colonial Secretary.[7][41][42][43] During his tenure as Colonial Secretary, Blythe was occasionally sworn in as Officer Administrating the Government when Sir Franklin Gimson (Governor of Singapore) was away.[44] In 1952, Blythe was again appointed as Officer Administrating the Government as Sir Franklin Gimson retired on 20 March and the new governor Sir John Nicoll will only to arrive on 21 April.[45]

In 1953, Blythe finally step down and retires from the post of Colonial Secretary of Singapore on 30 July after servicing 32 years in the Malayan Civil Service.[5][46]

Post-retirement

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Blythe returned to the Malaya in 1955 to write[47] and give talks in 1957[48][49] on the Chinese secret societies of Malaya. He released a book "Impact of Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya : A Historical Study" in 1969.

Personal life

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Blythe married with Muriel Gertrude Woodward in 1925 and had a daughter (born on 10 July 1927).[50][51]

Both Mr and Mrs Blythe were active tennis players as they attended tennis tournament organised by the Civil Service Club and State Club.[52][53]

Blythe died on 6 November 1975.[1]

Awards and honours

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Blythe was awarded Companion of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) for his services to Malaya in 1953 New Year Honours.[3][54]

Publications

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  • Wilfred Blythe (1 April 1969). Impact of Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya : A Historical Study. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. p. 580. ISBN 9780192149749.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Blythe, Wilfred Lawson, (9 Nov. 1896–6 Nov. 1975)". ukwhoswho. 1 December 2007.
  2. ^ a b "F.M.S. Appointments". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 7 June 1921. p. 6.
  3. ^ a b c "Mr. Blythe gets C.M.G. for his services to Malaya". The Straits Times. 19 July 1953. p. 3.
  4. ^ a b "No. 13685". The Edinburgh Gazette. 8 March 1921. p. 354.
  5. ^ a b "Assumes Office". The Singapore Free Press. 30 July 1953. p. 1.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Mr. W. L. Blythe". Malaya Tribune. 18 January 1937. p. 19.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Blythe Is New Colonial Secretary". The Straits Times. 11 March 1950. p. 1.
  8. ^ "Extraordinary Attack". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly). 28 January 1925. p. 52.
  9. ^ "F.M.S. Gazette Appointments". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 19 May 1926. p. 2.
  10. ^ "F.M.S. Service". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 10 March 1927. p. 6.
  11. ^ "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 11 February 1928. p. 8.
  12. ^ a b "Appointments". Malaya Tribune. 11 February 1928. p. 7.
  13. ^ "Mr. W. L. Blythe". The Straits Times. 5 January 1937. p. 13.
  14. ^ "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 27 May 1931. p. 10.
  15. ^ "Government Gazette". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 30 September 1933. p. 15.
  16. ^ "Untitled". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 19 June 1935. p. 3.
  17. ^ "Untitled". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 27 August 1938. p. 2.
  18. ^ a b "Sentence In Bomb Case". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 25 March 1925. p. 16.
  19. ^ "Bomb Mystery". The Straits Times. 26 January 1925. p. 9.
  20. ^ "The Bomb Outrage". The Straits Times. 27 January 1925. p. 10.
  21. ^ "Wednesday, January 21, 1925". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly). 28 January 1925. p. 53.
  22. ^ "F.M.S. Government Appointments". The Straits Times. 11 March 1925. p. 12.
  23. ^ "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 8 February 1929. p. 8.
  24. ^ "Untitled". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly). 13 February 1929. p. 1.
  25. ^ "Johore Welcomes High Commissioner". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 26 February 1930. p. 3.
  26. ^ "Over 3,000 Communists In Singapore". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 14 June 1933. p. 7.
  27. ^ "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 21 January 1933. p. 10.
  28. ^ "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 23 January 1933. p. 10.
  29. ^ "The Gazette". The Straits Times. 3 October 1933. p. 10.
  30. ^ "Tailors' Strike". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 13 April 1934. p. 9.
  31. ^ "Tailor's Dispute Settled". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 19 April 1934. p. 6.
  32. ^ "Untitled". The Straits Times. 15 February 1936. p. 12.
  33. ^ "Personalities". Morning Tribune. 19 February 1936. p. 8.
  34. ^ a b "Mr. L. Blythe For Colony". The Straits Times. 1 April 1948. p. 7.
  35. ^ "S.S. Appointments". The Straits Times. 10 February 1937. p. 4.
  36. ^ "Secretary for Chinese Affairs". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 7 April 1939. p. 15.
  37. ^ "M.C.S. Officers Promoted". The Singapore Free Press. 2 May 1947. p. 5.
  38. ^ "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 17 November 1939. p. 3.
  39. ^ "Untitled". Malaya Tribune. 21 August 1940. p. 3.
  40. ^ "They'll Meet For Last Time". The Singapore Free Press. 5 April 1949. p. 5.
  41. ^ "Mr. Blythe Back For New Post". The Straits Times. 30 June 1950. p. 7.
  42. ^ "Mr. Blythe Takes Over". The Straits Times. 5 July 1950. p. 7.
  43. ^ "Confirmed". The Straits Times. 3 November 1950. p. 7.
  44. ^ "Mr. W.L. Blythe Sworn In". The Straits Times. 17 October 1950. p. 1.
  45. ^ "Gimson Leaving In March". The Straits Times. 2 February 1952. p. 7.
  46. ^ "His work spans thirty years of growth". The Straits Times. 4 August 1953. p. 6.
  47. ^ "Staying to write book". The Straits Times. 7 February 1957. p. 7.
  48. ^ "Blythe's talk". The Straits Times. 21 January 1957. p. 4.
  49. ^ "Triad Societies are Wooing Politicians". The Straits Times. 24 January 1957. p. 4.
  50. ^ "Domestic Occurrences". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 12 August 1927. p. 8.
  51. ^ "Births". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (Weekly). 17 August 1927. p. 97.
  52. ^ "Johore Tennis Tournament". The Straits Times. 22 January 1930. p. 13.
  53. ^ "Sport In The Negri". The Straits Times. 11 June 1931. p. 13.
  54. ^ "No. 39732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1952. p. 5.
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Patrick McKerron
J D M Smith (Acting)
 Colonial Secretary of Singapore
1950 – 1953 		Succeeded by
Preceded byas Governor of Singapore Acting Governor of Singapore
1952 		Succeeded byas Governor of Singapore
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