30 Facts About Andrew Caldecott

Andrew Caldecott was born on 26 October 1884 in Boxley, Kent, United Kingdom.

Andrew Caldecott was the eldest child of Rev Andrew Caldecott and Isobel Mary Johnson.

Andrew Caldecott's mother was the daughter of Rev Stenning Johnson.

Andrew Caldecott studied at Uppingham School in Rutland and was awarded scholarships, enabling him to be admitted to Exeter College of the University of Oxford.

Andrew Caldecott achieved outstanding academic results while in college and had been awarded scholarships.

Andrew Caldecott gained a third class in Classical Honour Moderations and subsequently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Classics in 1907.

Andrew Caldecott initially worked in Negeri Sembilan as a Cadet of the Federated Malay States.

Andrew Caldecott served as Acting District Officer of Jelebu from 1909 to 1911.

Andrew Caldecott was re-appointed Acting DO of Kuala Pilah in the following year.

In 1913, Andrew Caldecott was transferred to the Federal Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur and assumed the office of Deputy Controller of Labour.

Andrew Caldecott subsequently held various positions, including Assistant Secretary to the Chief Secretary, 2nd AS to the Federal Secretary and Acting AS to the colonial government.

Andrew Caldecott went on leave from September 1922; he took up the ad hoc appointment as Malayan Commissioner at the British Empire Exhibition held at Wembley Park in the United Kingdom in 1924 and 1925.

Andrew Caldecott was appointed Deputy Controller of Labour and Acting Under-Secretary to the Straits Settlements in July 1927, until 1928, when he was promoted to Secretary for Postal Affairs of the Straits Settlements and FMS as Officer, Class 1A.

Since then, Andrew Caldecott had been assigned to serve in local authorities; he became Acting Resident of Negeri Sembilan in 1929 and Acting Resident of Perak from 1930 to 1931.

Andrew Caldecott was appointed to serve as Resident of Selangor, until March 1932, when he was transferred back to the central government of FMS as Chief Secretary.

Andrew Caldecott served as Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements from May 1933 to February 1934.

On 17 February 1934, Andrew Caldecott worked as Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner of FMS, when Sir Cecil Clementi, the then-Governor of the Straits Settlements retired due to illness.

Andrew Caldecott was re-appointed Colonial Secretary when Sir Shenton Thomas took office on 9 November 1934.

Andrew Caldecott served as the first president of the Football Association of Malaysia.

Andrew Caldecott's tenure was the shortest in Hong Kong colonial history, for he was appointed the second last Governor of Ceylon a little more than a year later to handle the threat to the British administration caused by the overwhelming national liberation movement in Ceylon.

Andrew Caldecott called the promotion of Chinese civil servants to replace the European ones, a policy not realized until the signage of Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984.

Andrew Caldecott's tenure saw the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, with more than 100,000 refugees from the Chinese Mainland flooding into Hong Kong to escape the conflict.

Andrew Caldecott was sent to Ceylon to examine the situation in the island closely and report on issues such as the governing structure, the representation of the minority communities, the franchise etc.

Andrew Caldecott's observations regarding these issues had an important impact on the evolution of the Ceylon constitution.

Andrew Caldecott married Olive Mary Innes, daughter of JR Innes, CMG in 1918.

Andrew Caldecott knew his wife while she served as a civil servant in Malaya.

Olive bore him a son and a daughter, namely John Andrew Caldecott, CBE and Joan Caldecott.

Andrew Caldecott had published many articles with regards to the affairs of Malaya, and had written books about Malayan history in his early years.

Andrew Caldecott composed the melody to the Negeri Sembilan anthem, Berkatlah Yang DiPertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan.

In Singapore, Caldecott Hill, Caldecott Close, Caldecott MRT station and Andrew Road are named after him, and Olive Road is named after his first wife.