Geoffry Northcote

Infobox_Governor
name=Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote


width=180px
height=220px
caption=
order=20^th
office=Governor of Hong Kong
term_start=28 October 1937
term_end=10 September 1941
lieutenant=
predecessor=Sir Andrew Caldecott
successor=Sir Mark Aitchison Young
birth_date=birth date|1881|2|9
birth_place=London, England
death_date=death date and age|1948|7|10|1881|2|9
death_place=
party=
profession=colonial administrator
alma_mater=Balliol College, Oxford
spouse=Edith Juliet Mary Adams
religion=


footnotes=

Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote, KCMG, (羅富國;9 February 1881 - 10 July 1948), was a British colonial administrator.

Early life, education, and early colonial services career

Northcote was born in LondonFact|date=February 2007, the son of Reverend the Hon. Arthur Francis Northcote, fourth son of Stafford Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh. Henry Northcote, 1st Baron Northcote, was his uncle. He was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton and Balliol College, Oxford. He entered the Colonial Service in 1904 and served in Kenya (formerly East African Protectorate) from 1904 to 1927. He became Chief Secretary of Northern Rhodesia a year later, and served there until 1930. Afterwards, Northcote served as the Chief Secretary of Gold Coast, until 1934 and as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of British Guiana from 1935 to 1937.

Hong Kong governorship

He became Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Hong Kong in 1937. During his tenure, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, and battles broke out throughout Mainland China. In order to safeguard the Colony, Northcote immediately declared Hong Kong a neutral zone. As the war proceeded, Canton (Guangzhou) was occupied by the Japanese, causing a population boom as refugees rushed into Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the Japanese army also started encroaching upon Sham Chun (Shenzhen), leading the Hong Kong government to adopt various measures to cope with the emergency, such as the construction of air-raid shelters and blackout practices.

After taking six-months' leave in the UK, Northcote returned to Hong Kong in March 1941. Poor health forced him to retire that year, and he left when his appointment expired in September 1941.

Personal life

Northcote married Edith Juliet Mary Adams on 27 October, 1910. The couple had three sons: Maxwell Adams Stafford, Arthur Geoffrey Stafford, and Arnyas Henry Stafford. Northcote died in July, 1948, aged 67.

Honours

* C.M.G., 1931
* K.C.M.G., 1935.
* K.St.J.

Places named after him

Northcote Close, a road on Hong Kong Island and Northcote Teachers' College (the premises is now occupied by Bonham Road Government Primary School) were named after him.

ee also

* History of Hong Kong
* Earl of Iddesleigh

References

* Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.