| Sir Geoffry Northcote | |
|---|---|
| 20th Governor of Hong Kong | |
| In office 28 October 1937 – 10 September 1941 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Andrew Caldecott |
| Succeeded by | Sir Mark Aitchison Young |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 92 February 1881 London, England |
| Died | 10 July 1948 (aged 67) |
| Spouse(s) | Edith Juliet Mary Adams |
| Alma mater | Balliol College, Oxford |
| Profession | colonial administrator |
Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote, KCMG (羅富國;9 February 1881 – 10 July 1948) was a British colonial administrator.
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Northcote was born in London, 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.
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.
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.
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.
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by Alexander Ransford Slater |
Governor of the Gold Coast, acting 1932 |
Succeeded by Sir Shenton Thomas |
| Preceded by Sir Shenton Thomas |
Governor of the Gold Coast, acting 1934 |
Succeeded by Sir Arnold Wienholt Hodgson |
| Preceded by Sir Edward Brandis Denham |
Governor of British Guiana 1935–1937 |
Succeeded by Sir Wilfrid Edward Francis Jackson |
| Preceded by Sir Andrew Caldecott |
Governor of Hong Kong 1937–1941 |
Succeeded by Sir Mark Aitchison Young |
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