Cecil Clementi Smith

Note: There were two men known as Sir Cecil Clementi, both having been colonial governors in Singapore. Sir Cecil Clementi, who served between 1930 to 1934, was Sir Cecil Clementi Smith's nephew.

Rt Hon Sir Cecil Clementi Smith G.C.M.G. (1840 – February 6, 1916), was a British colonial administrator. He was known for his effective work in quelling Chinese secret societies in the Straits Settlements, such as those in Singapore. He also established the Queen's Scholarships in 1889 to fund bright Singaporean students to further their studies in top British universities.

Son of an Essex rector, he received his education at St Paul's School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.^[1] In 1864 he began his civil service career as a cadet interpreters in Hong Kong, learning much about the Chinese culture and gradually became an accomplished scholar of the Chinese culture. In 1878 he took office as a Colonial Secretary in the Straits Settlements (now Singapore), and understudied with then-Governor Frederick Weld. Only in 1887 he was appointed as Governor of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner till 1893. Having been a popular governor, the local Chinese community petitioned for his continuation as governor when he left Singapore in 1893.

He was Lieutenant Governor of Ceylon, and the Master of the Mercers' Company in 1897.

He was president of the commission of Inquiry on the Trinidad riots in 1903 and was Chief British delegate to International Opium Conference at The Hague in 1909.

He had two children, Beatrice and Lt-Colonel Eustace. Sir Cecil Smith died in Welwyn Garden City, aged 77.

References

• Tate, D. J. M. (1988). A portrait gallery of nineteenth century Singapore. Singapore: Antiques of the Orient.
• Turnbull, C. M. (1989). A History of Singapore: 1819-1988. Singapore: Oxford University Press.
• 'Singapore days of old: A special commemorative history of Singapore'. Singapore Tatler 10th anniversary issue. Hong Kong: Illustrated Magazine.