Description
Object description
British civilian schoolchild evacuee from Malaya to Australia, 1942; colonial administrator with Colonial Administration Service in Nigeria, 1954-1959; served with Finance Department and as Secretary to the Treasury in Nyasaland and Malawi, 1960-1970
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Malaya and GB, 1930-1941: family; education. Recollections of period in Malaya and evacuation to Australia, 12/1941-5/1942: return to Malaya, 12/1941; nature of war news, 12/1941; escape from Malacca to Singapore, Malacca, 1/1942; voyage to Australia via Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies; arrival in Perth, Australia; contact with his father in Malacca, Malaya; 1/1942; anticipations of Japanese invasion of Western Australia, 2/1942; financial plight of evacuees from Malaya. Recollections of voyage aboard SS Sarpedon from Australia to GB, 5/1942-9/1942: leaving Perth, Australia, 5/1942; ship's armament; enforced stop at Durban, South Africa.
REEL 2 Continues: dangers of Mozambique Channel, Indian Ocean; problems amongst the crew; conditions for crew and passengers; air cover provided for convoy from Cape Town, South Africa, 9/1942; provision for picking up survivors; convoy's anti-aircraft defences; apprehension of being torpedoed and lifeboat practice; sight of Liverpool, GB, 9/1942. Aspects of period as schoolboy in GB, 1942-1945: resuming education in Exeter; degree of contact with father; hearing of atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, 8/1945; father's condition on return from internment; effect of Second World War on relationship with father. Recollections of period with Colonial Administration Service in Nigeria, 1954-1955: background to joining Colonial Administration Service after National Service with Royal Air Force and education at St Catherine's College, University of Cambridge.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as administrator with Colonial Administration Service in Nigeria, 1954-1955: background to obtaining job with Colonial Administration Service in Nigeria; assurance of life time career; arrival in Nigeria; wife's reaction to allocation of house, 8/1954; introduction of local government and effect on colonial administration; problems of introducing universal suffrage in Efik area; problems with voting procedure.
REEL 4 Continues: counting of ballot papers; how election results were received in Uyo; start of his administration work in Calabar area; dealing with consequences of air crash of West African Airways Corporation Bristol Type 170 Wayfayer, 5/2/1955; contracting polio in Calabar, 3/1955; his evacuation to Lagos.
REEL 5 Continues: situation he and his pregnant wife found themselves in in Lagos; hospitialisation in GB, 1955. Recollections of period as administrator with Public Service Commission in Nigeria, 1956-1958: problems arising from arriving in Nigeria at time of Queen Elizabeth II's visit, 2/1956; joining Public Service Commission; relations between Ibo and Ibibyo peoples; nature of race relations; Nigerians attitude towards Europeans occupying civil service posts; demarcation of work between Public Service Commission and other establishments.
REEL 6 Continues: question of the process towards independence being ad hoc in nature; question of expatriate Nigerian pay differentials; question of why the idea of British troops being sent to Nigeria would not have worked; disillusionment of governor on his retirement; exodus of expatriate civil servants and effect on administration; anti-taxation riots; lack of respect of Nigerian personnel for government property. Recollections of period as district officer in Abak District, Nigeria,1958-1959: role and duties; character of Anang people; measures he took against armed gang; report made against him by Nigerian Assembly members.
REEL 7 Continues: how allegations about him were dealt with and outcome of investigation into accusations; demonstrations against his replacement Ibo district officer; state of his family's health in Abak District; reasons for leaving Nigeria, late 1959. Recollections of period with Finance Department and as Secretary to the Treasury in Nyasaland and Malawi, 1960-1970: attitude of people to Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; difficulties he had with his new European colleagues; British Government's wish to rid itself of colonies, 1960; job he had with Finance Department; his role during constitutional talks; bankrupt condition of newly created state of Malawi, 1964.
REEL 8 Continues: mass exodus of expatriates on Independence, 7/1964; his role in treasury after, 7/1964; cabinet, economic and fiscal crisis after Independence; commitment to new Malawi Government from British Government's Treasury, 1964-1965; introduction of new fiscal system; tight control of government expenditure during 1960s; memories of economist Patrick Minford; memories of Dr Hastings Banda; relations with ministers and subordinates; growth in living standards and agricultural economy; his interest and price policies; negotiations with British Government; his decision to leave, 1970; Dr Hasting Banda's methods of dealing with dissent.
REEL 9 Continues: question of balancing politics with economic benefits; absence of tribalism; role of government in marketing of cash crops; economic success of Malawi from Independence until late 1980s; Dr Hasting Banda's attitude towards South Africa and Southern Rhodesia; cost of moving capital from Zomba to Lilongwe and roles played by South Africa and Southern Rhodesia; later career with British Steel Corporation and European Commission; attitude to having worked in Africa, 1954-1970.