The District Officer (abbreviated to D.O.), was a commissioned officer of one of the colonial governments of the British Empire, from the mid-1930s also a member of the Colonial Service of the United Kingdom, who was responsible for a District of one of the overseas territories of the Empire.
A Nigerian sculpture showing a District Officer on "tour" of his district
The district officer was an administrator and often also a magistrate and was the link between the professional and technical services of the colonial government and the people of his district. He was at the heart of colonial administration throughout most of the British Empire, although not in British India, where the same functions were carried out by members of the Indian Civil Service, nor in the self-governing Dominions.[1][2]
District Officers wore uniforms, according to the climate, but their formal tunic with gold braid was usually reserved for ceremonial occasions.
Until the 1930s, each overseas possession had its own administrative service, and prospective District Officers needed to apply to one or more of them. Once in post, an officer wishing to transfer to another colony or British protectorate had to make a new application to its government. However, in the 1930s a unified Colonial Service was created, with a number of sub-services, and each of its officers was a member of the civil service of a particular territory and also of one of the sub-services of the Colonial Service managed by the Colonial Office, based in Whitehall.[1]
Career progressionedit
Before being appointed, a candidate was first a District Officer Cadet, undergoing a rigorous training, and was then promoted to Assistant District Officer, usually after two years of successful probation and after passing examinations.[3] On being appointed as a District Officer, he took on the administration of a District, usually in the territory of the Empire where he was.[1]
Because of the number of districts, many District Officers remained in the same role until leaving the Colonial Service. If they were promoted, they became first District Commissioners, then Provincial Commissioners. Some rose to the pinnacle of being colonial Governors, although men were also appointed as Governors whose previous careers had been in other services. In particular, the Governors of Hong Kong, Gibraltar, Malta, and Bermuda were almost invariably senior British Army or Royal Navy officers.[1]
Tunku Abdul Rahman (1903–1990), a District Officer of Kedah, later Prime Minister of Malaya and of Malaysia
Jerome Udoji (1912–2010), a District Officer in Nigeria, becoming the first African to be appointed in the Colonial Service, later Nigerian Minister of Finance
The Scarlet Spear (a film of 1954 about a District Officer in Africa)
Pacific Destiny (a film of 1956 about a District Officer Cadet in Oceania)
Referencesedit
^ abcdAnthony Kirk-Greene, On Crown Service: A History of HM Colonial and Overseas Civil Services, 1837-1997 (London: I. B. Tauris & Co., 1999)
^Anthony Kirk-Greene, Symbol of Authority: The British District Officer in Africa (London: I. B. Tauris & Co.), Outline at ibtauris.com, accessed 27 July 2016
^E. K. Lumley, Forgotten Mandate: A British District Officer in Tanganyika (C. Hurst & Co, 1976), p. 10
Further readingedit
John Morley, Colonial Postscript: The Diary of a District Officer 1935–56 (London: Radcliffe Press, 1992)
Anthony Kirk-Greene, The District Officer in the African Colonial Novel at britishempire.co.uk
January 19, 2024
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The District Officer abbreviated to D O was a commissioned officer of one of the colonial governments of the British Empire from the mid 1930s also a member of the Colonial Service of the United Kingdom who was responsible for a District of one of the overseas territories of the Empire A Nigerian sculpture showing aDistrict Officer on tour of his district Contents 1 Role 2 Career progression 3 Notable District Officers 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksRole editThe district officer was an administrator and often also a magistrate and was the link between the professional and technical services of the colonial government and the people of his district He was at the heart of colonial administration throughout most of the British Empire although not in British India where the same functions were carried out by members of the Indian Civil Service nor in the self governing Dominions 1 2 District Officers wore uniforms according to the climate but their formal tunic with gold braid was usually reserved for ceremonial occasions Until the 1930s each overseas possession had its own administrative service and prospective District Officers needed to apply to one or more of them Once in post an officer wishing to transfer to another colony or British protectorate had to make a new application to its government However in the 1930s a unified Colonial Service was created with a number of sub services and each of its officers was a member of the civil service of a particular territory and also of one of the sub services of the Colonial Service managed by the Colonial Office based in Whitehall 1 Career progression editBefore being appointed a candidate was first a District Officer Cadet undergoing a rigorous training and was then promoted to Assistant District Officer usually after two years of successful probation and after passing examinations 3 On being appointed as a District Officer he took on the administration of a District usually in the territory of the Empire where he was 1 Because of the number of districts many District Officers remained in the same role until leaving the Colonial Service If they were promoted they became first District Commissioners then Provincial Commissioners Some rose to the pinnacle of being colonial Governors although men were also appointed as Governors whose previous careers had been in other services In particular the Governors of Hong Kong Gibraltar Malta and Bermuda were almost invariably senior British Army or Royal Navy officers 1 Notable District Officers editSir Colin Allan 1921 1993 a New Zealander who was a District Officer in the Solomon Islands and later Governor of the Seychelles Reginald Applin 1869 1957 a District Officer of the North Borneo Chartered Company later a Conservative member of parliament William R Bell 1876 1927 Australian born District Officer of Malaita in the British Solomon Islands Ian Blelloch 1901 1982 a District Officer in Malaya Sir Jack Boles 1925 2013 a District Officer and District Commissioner in North Borneo later Director General of the National Trust Anastasios Christodoulou 1932 2002 a District Officer in Tanganyika later Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities Oscar Cook 1888 1952 a District Officer in North Borneo later a writer Sir Douglas Hall 14th Baronet 1909 2004 a District Officer in Africa later Governor of British Somaliland Edwin Richard Hallifax 1874 1950 a District Officer in Hong Kong later acting Colonial Secretary Mark Herdman 1932 2015 a District Officer in Kenya later Governor of the British Virgin Islands Tom Iremonger 1916 1998 a District Officer in the Western Pacific later a Conservative member of parliament Gwilliam Iwan Jones 1904 1995 a District Officer in Bende Nigeria Sir Donald Luddington 1920 2009 a District Officer in Hong Kong later High Commissioner for the Western Pacific and Governor of the Solomon Islands Sir Foley Newns 1909 1998 a District Officer in Nigeria later Cabinet Secretary Sir James Pollock 1883 1982 a District Officer in Ramallah later District Commissioner for Jerusalem and Northern Ireland Senator Victor Purcell 1896 1965 a District Officer on Christmas Island later an academic Tunku Abdul Rahman 1903 1990 a District Officer of Kedah later Prime Minister of Malaya and of Malaysia Jerome Udoji 1912 2010 a District Officer in Nigeria becoming the first African to be appointed in the Colonial Service later Nigerian Minister of Finance Sir Donald Tsang a District Officer in Hong Kong later the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Harry Graham Willis 1875 1943 a District Officer later Provincial Commissioner in Rhodesia Keith Wookey 1912 1963 a District Officer and later Resident in North BorneoSee also editSanders of the River a film of 1935 about a District Commissioner in Nigeria The Scarlet Spear a film of 1954 about a District Officer in Africa Pacific Destiny a film of 1956 about a District Officer Cadet in Oceania References edit a b c d Anthony Kirk Greene On Crown Service A History of HM Colonial and Overseas Civil Services 1837 1997 London I B Tauris amp Co 1999 Anthony Kirk Greene Symbol of Authority The British District Officer in Africa London I B Tauris amp Co Outline at ibtauris com accessed 27 July 2016 E K Lumley Forgotten Mandate A British District Officer in Tanganyika C Hurst amp Co 1976 p 10Further reading editJohn Morley Colonial Postscript The Diary of a District Officer 1935 56 London Radcliffe Press 1992 Edgar Wallace Sanders of the River 1911 K G Bradley The Diary of a District Officer 1943 Arthur Grimble A Pattern of Islands 1952 External links editColonial records National Archives Anthony Kirk Greene The District Officer in the African Colonial Novel at britishempire co uk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title District officer amp oldid 1178549820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
