| Sir Richard John Trowbridge KCVO |
|
|---|---|
| Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge | |
| 27th Governor of Western Australia | |
| In office 25 November 1980 – 24 November 1983 |
|
| Monarch | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Premier | Sir Charles Court (1980-82) Ray O'Connor (1982-83) Brian Burke (1983) |
| Preceded by | Sir Wallace Kyle |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 January 1920 Hampshire, England |
| Died | 4 May 2003 (aged 83) Portsmouth, England |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | Tom |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1935 – 1975 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Rear Admiral Sir Richard John Trowbridge, KCVO (21 January 1920 – 4 May 2003), was Western Australia's twenty-fifth Governor from 25 November 1980 to 24 November 1983, and the last British-born vice-regal representative in Australia.[1][2]
He was the first officer to rise from boy seaman to captain of the Queen's yacht HMY Britannia.[3]
Richard John Trowbridge was born on 21 January 1920 to a farming family in the county of Hampshire, England.[4] He was educated at Andover Grammar School and was fully expecting to become a farmer until a downturn in agriculture saw him leave school in 1935 at just 15 years of age to join the Royal Navy as a boy seaman. Trowbridge was quickly promoted through the navy ranks, and was commissioned as Sub-lieutenant in 1940, serving throughout the Second World War at sea. At the end of hostilities, he was stationed in Singapore for a number of years where he was promoted to Commander in 1953, and where he met and married Anne Perceval, on 26 February 1955.[3]
From 1956 to 1958 he captained the destroyer HMS Carysfort[5] in the Mediterranean, and following this served as the second-in-command of the cruiser HMS Bermuda from 1958 to 1959. He then returned to the gunnery school at Whale Island in Portsmouth, where he was promoted to captain in 1960. From 1962 to 1964 he was in charge of the Fishery Protection Squadron, and from 1967 to 1969 he commanded the guided missile destroyer HMS Hampshire, which for many years was the flagship of the Western Fleet.[3]
Trowbridge became extra equerry to the Queen in 1970 and he served as Flag Officer from 1970 to 1975.[2]
The Premier Sir Charles Court in 1975 sought to revive the practice of appointment of British-born governors for Western Australia, contrary to the advice of Lord Goronwy-Roberts, British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who supported the newly established custom that Australian State Governors should be Australian-born. An initial compromise was the appointment of Sir Wallace Kyle, retired RAF Air Chief Marshall, who, although totally Anglicised, was Kalgoorlie-born.[6][7]
Following Kyle's term, Trowbridge was appointed Governor of Western Australia on Premier Court's recommendation, for a term from 25 November 1980, to 24 November 1983.[7]
On completion of his term, Trowbridge returned to retirement in the United Kingdom living in Portsmouth. His life was overshadowed by exposure to asbestos which was being removed from Britannia during a long refit which he supervised, almost certainly leading to his death from lung cancer. He died on 4 May 2003, in Portsmouth.[3] .
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle |
Governor of Western Australia 1980–1983 |
Succeeded by Professor Gordon Reid |
|
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