Duncan Cumming

Major General Sir Duncan Cumming K.B.E., C.B.E., O.B.E. (10 August 1903 – 10 December 1979), was a twentieth century British colonial administrator. m 1930, Nancy Acheson Houghton (d 1971); one daughter, the author Ann Schlee (born 1934).

Education

Cumming attended Giggleswick School in North Yorkshire and Caius College, Cambridge, where he read history. Whilst at Cambridge he played rugby for England in 1925.

Career

From Cambridge Cumming joined the Sudan Political Service. In 1941 he was sent to Eritrea when it was captured during the second world war, to establish British military administration. He became Chief Administrator of Cyrenaica in 1942. In 1945 he became Chief Civil Affairs Officer, Middle East as a Major-General responsible to the War Office, 1945–48. From 1948 the military administrations were transferred to the Foreign Office under his influence. He became Governor of Kordofan Province, Sudan, 1949 and Deputy Civil Secretary to the Sudan Government, 1950–51.^[1]

During, and after, the war he was responsible for the civil administration of all of the occupied Italian Colonies in the Middle East, of which Eritrea was one.^[2] Subsequently he worked for BOAC as managing director of Associated Companies Ltd, 1955–59 and Adviser on African Affairs, 1959–64.^[3] He was also a biographer of the traveller Mansfield Parkyns.

Cumming was knighted in 1953.^[1] He was the honorary treasurer of the Royal Geographical Society (1971–74) and president (1974–77). He was president of the Society for Libyan Studies (1969–74).^[4] He was a member of the Mount Everest Foundation 1971–77 and the British Institute in Eastern Africa.

References

Presidents of the Royal Geographical Society 19th century Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich George Murray Sir John Barrow, 1st Baronet William Richard Hamilton George Bellas Greenough Roderick Murchison Charles Abbot, 2nd Baron Colchester W. J. Hamilton William Henry Smyth Roderick Murchison Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere Frederick William Beechey Roderick Murchison Bingham Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton Roderick Murchison Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baronet Henry Bartle Frere Sir Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baronet Rutherford Alcock Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook Henry Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne Richard Strachey Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff Sir Clements Robert Markham 20th century George Taubman Goldie Leonard Darwin George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston Douglas Freshfield Thomas Holdich Francis Younghusband Lawrence Dundas, Earl of Ronaldshay David George Hogarth Charles Close William Goodenough Percy Zachariah Cox Henry Balfour Philip Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode George Clark Francis Rodd, 2nd Baron Rennell Harry Lindsay James Wordie James Marshall-Cornwall Roger Nathan, 2nd Baron Nathan Raymond Priestley Dudley Stamp Gilbert Laithwaite Edmund Irving Edward Shackleton, Baron Shackleton Duncan Cumming John Hunt, Baron Hunt Michael Wise Vivian Fuchs George Bishop Roger Chorley, 2nd Baron Chorley Crispin Tickell George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe John Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne 21st century Ronald Urwick Cooke Neil Cossons Gordon Conway Michael Palin Judith Rees