Cecil Clementi
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Sir Cecil Clementi (Chinese Translated Name 金文泰) (1875 - 1947) was a British colonial administrator, who became Governor of Hong Kong.
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[edit] Early life and education
Clementi was born in Cawnpore, India on 1 September, 1875. His father was the Colonel Montagu Clementi, Judge-Advocate-General in India.
Clementi attended St Paul's School and Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1895, he won the Hertford Scholarship (an honorable mention), and 1st class mods a year later. He subsequently won the Ireland and Craven Scholarship (an honorable mention) in 1896, and a Boden Sanskrit Scholar in 1897.
He became proxime accessit (runner-up in examination) of the Gaisford Greek Prose prize in 1897, 2nd class lit. hum. and attained his B.A. in 1898. Clementi was also proxime accessit of the Chancellor's Latin Essay prize in 1899, and attained his MA in 1901.
[edit] Governor of Hong Kong
Before becoming governor, Clementi came to Hong Kong in 1900 and worked on land registration in the New Territories.
He appointed Shouson Chow, a prominent Chinese merchant, as the first unofficial member of the Executive Council.
[edit] Governorship of the Straits Settlements
After his tenure as Governor of Hong Kong ended, Clementi went on to serve as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements, which included Singapore, and High Commissioner for the Malay States, from February 1930 to November of 1934. This was his last post in the Colonial Services.
6 years later, in 1940, Clementi became the Master of the Mercers' Company.
[edit] Personal life
Clementi married Marie Penelope Rose in 1912. The couple had one son, Cresswell, and three daughters.
Clementi died in High Wycombe, England on 5 April, 1947.
[edit] Honours
- C.M.G., 1916
- K.C.M.G., 1926
- G.C.M.G., 1931
- K.St.J., 1926
- Fellow, Royal Geographic Society (F.R.G.S.)
- Member, Royal Asiatic Society (M.R.A.S.)
- Honorary Fellow, Magdalen College, Oxford, 1938
- Receipient, Cuthbert Peek award of the Royal Geographical Society, 1912
- Honours LL.D. degree, Hong Kong University, 1925
[edit] Publications
Clementi published several books:
- Cantonese Love Songs
- Pervigilium Veneris
- Summary of Geographical Observations taken during a journey from Kashgar to Kowloon (1907-8)
- The Chinese in British Guiana
- Elements in Analysis of Thought
- A Constitutional History of British Guiana
[edit] Place Names
Clementi has had several places named after him, such as Clementi Secondary School, Clementi Road, and the Clementi Equestrian Trail (formerly Sir Cecil's Ride) (金督馳馬徑) in Hong Kong and the town of Clementi in Singapore
[edit] See also
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Claud Severn, Acting Administrator | 17th Governor of Hong Kong 1st November 1925 - 1st February 1930 | Succeeded by: Sir Wilfrid Southorn, Acting Administrator |
| Preceded by: Sir Hugh Charles Clifford | Governor of Straits Settlements 1930 - 1934 | Succeeded by: Sir Shenton Whitelegge Thomas |
