- Robert Brown Black
Infobox_Governor
name=Sir Robert Brown Black
width=180px
height=220px
caption=
order=23rd
office=Governor of Hong Kong
term_start=23 January 1958
term_end=14 April 1964
lieutenant=
predecessor=SirAlexander Grantham
successor=SirDavid Clive Crosbie Trench
birth_date=birth date|1906|6|3
birth_place=
death_date=death date and age|1999|10|29|1906|6|3
death_place=
party=
profession=colonial administrator
spouse=
religion=
footnotes=Sir Robert Brown Black GCMG, OBE (Chinese: 柏立基, 1906 - 29 October 1999) was a British colonial governor. He was Governor of
Hong Kong from 23 January 1958 to 1 April 1964, having beenColonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1952 - 1955. He served as Governor ofSingapore from 1955 to 1957.Family
Robert and his wife have two daughters, Barbara and Kathryn. [cite book|title=Hong Kong, Report for the Year 1963|publisher=Hong Kong Government Press|date=1964]
Colonial Administration Career
Sir Robert Brown Black served in the administration of Britain's colonies for more than 30 years. During
World War II , he spent several years in a Japanese prison camp inMalaysia .After the war ended, he returned to the colonial service and served in
North Borneo andHong Kong before moving on toSingapore as Governor (1955-57). Subsequently, he becameGovernor of Hong Kong from 1958 to 1964.During his governorship, Hong Kong became increasingly prosperous, despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of refugees were illegally crossing the border from mainland China every year. Although this influx placed an enormous burden on the colonial authorities, Black repeatedly appealed to the British Government for help in housing the refugees. In this, he was largely successful.
During Black's administration, Hong Kong also experienced severe drought, with water available for only 3-4 hours per day, creating a certain amount of hardship.
Post-Governorship
Black was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1962. He died on 29 October 1999.
Places Named After Him
Robert Black College , a graduate college of theUniversity of Hong Kong .Robert Black Health Center inSan Po Kong ,Hong Kong , as well as the former Black Teacher's College were named after him.Sir Robert Black College of Education , now merged into theHong Kong Institute of Education .Note
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.