James Harford

Sir James Dundas Harford KBE CMG (7 January 1899 – 26 November 1993) was a British diplomat who served as Governor of Saint Helena from 1954 to 1958.

A direct descendant of John Scandrett Harford of Blaise Castle, he was educated at Repton School and Balliol College, Oxford. Between school and university he enlisted as a Second Lieutenant in 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment and saw action in France between 1917 and 1918. After a period as a schoolmaster at Eton College from 1922 to 1926, Harford joined the Colonial Administration Service and was posted to Nigeria (1926–1934).

He was subsequently appointed:
* Administrator of Antigua and Federal Secretary of the Leeward Islands (1936–1940);
* Administrator of Saint Kitts and Nevis (1940–1946);
* Acting Governor of the Leeward Islands (various periods between 1937 and 1946);
* Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (1943);
* To serve in the Colonial Office (1946–1947);
* Colonial Secretary of Mauritius (1948–1953);
* Acting Governor of Mauritius (1948 and 1950);
* Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Saint Helena (1954–1958);
* Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1956).

[http://www.education.gov.sh/lwmhome.htm Harford Middle School] in Saint Helena is named in his honour.

He was married twice:
# (14 March 1932) to Countess Thelma Alberta Louisa Evelyne Metaxà (died 22 October 1934), sister of 9th Count Metaxà, and only daughter of Count Andrea Francis Albert Cochrane Metaxà RNR; 1 son.
# (20 February 1937) to Lilias Madeline (died 9 December 2006), eldest daughter of Major Archibald Campbell AEC; 2 daughters.

References

* cite book
last =
first =
authorlink =
editor =
title = Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage: Privy Council and Order of Precedence
edition = 96th (Coronation honours) Edition
year = 1938
publisher = Shaw Publishing in conjunction with Burke's Peerage
location = London
pages = pp. 2689–2690
chapter = Metaxà

* cite book
editor = Peter Townend (Ed.)
title = Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry
edition = 18th Edition
year = 1965
publisher = Burke's Peerage
location = London
pages = Vol. I, pp. 367–370
chapter = Harford of Horton

* cite book
editor = Peter Townend (Ed.)
title = Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry
edition = 18th Edition
year = 1972
publisher = Burke's Peerage
location = London
pages = Vol. III, pp. 140–141
chapter = Campbell, formerly of Auchendarroch and Inverawe

* cite book
editor = John Jones and Catherine Willbery (Edd.)
title = The Balliol College Register (1940–1990)
edition = 6th Edition
year = 1993
publisher = printed for private circulation
location =
pages =
chapter =

External links

* [http://www.education.gov.sh/lwmhome.htm Harford Middle School]