John Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington

John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington GCMG GBE DSO PC (31 October 1866 – 6 December 1936), born John Poynder Dickson and known as Sir John Poynder Dickson(-Poynder) from 1884 to 1910, was a British politician. He was Governor of New Zealand between 1910 and 1912.

Early life

The son of Rear Admiral John Bourmaster Dickson, he was born on the Isle of Wight and educated at Twyford School, Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1884 he succeeded his uncle as sixth baronet, and on succeeding to his maternal uncle's property he assumed by royal licence the additional surname of Poynder in 1888.^[1][2]

Member of Parliament

He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1890. Elected Conservative Member of Parliament for the Chippenham Division of Wiltshire in 1892, he joined the Liberals in 1905.^[2] He was a member of London County Council from 1898 to 1904.

Military career

Dickson-Pynder was originally commissioned into the volunteer battalion of the Royal Scots, but transferred to the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry where he was promoted to Captain on 7 December 1898. He volunteered for service in the Second Boer War, and was commissioned a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Imperial Yeomanry on 7 February 1900,^[3] later serving on the Staff as aide-de-camp to Lord Methuen, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in November 1900.^[4] Following his resignation from the Imperial Yeomanry, he was on 5 February 1901 granted the rank of honorary Lieutenant of the Army.^[5] The following year, he was promoted to Major in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry on 31 May 1902.^[6]

Governor of New Zealand

Lord Islington arriving in Wellington in a ceremonial open carriage with a police mounted escort and a crowd of spectators.

In 1910 Dickson was appointed Governor of New Zealand, a post he held for two years, and on 27 April that same year, was created Baron Islington, of Islington in the County of London.^[7][8] He was the last Governor of New Zealand to hold the title before it changed to being Governor General during the office of his successor.^[9] He was made a KCMG and Privy Counsellor in 1911, and in 1912 was appointed President of the Royal Commission on the Public Services of India, on which he served with Lord Ronaldshay, Herbert Fisher, Mr Justice Abdur Rahim, and others.^[10]

Later career

Two years later he became Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, and in 1915 he became Under-Secretary of State for India. He also chaired the Imperial Institute for eight years, and was in charge of the National Savings Committee from 1920 until 1926, when he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE), having become Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) thirteen years before.

Death

Lord Islington died on 6 December 1936 aged 70 at Hyde Park Gardens, London, and was buried at Hilmarton, Wiltshire, his barony and baronetcy becoming extinct at his death.

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord Islington

Governors and Governors-General of New Zealand William Hobson* Robert FitzRoy* George Grey* Thomas Gore Browne* George Bowen* Sir James Fergusson, Bt* The Marquess of Normanby* Hercules Robinson* Arthur Hamilton-Gordon* William Jervois* The Earl of Onslow* The Earl of Glasgow* The Earl of Ranfurly* The Lord Plunket* The Lord Islington* The Earl of Liverpool* The Viscount Jellicoe Sir Charles Fergusson, Bt The Viscount Bledisloe The Viscount Galway Sir Cyril Newall The Lord Freyberg The Lord Norrie The Viscount Cobham Bernard Fergusson Arthur Porritt Denis Blundell Keith Holyoake David Beattie Paul Reeves Catherine Tizard Michael Hardie Boys Silvia Cartwright Anand Satyanand Jerry Mateparae * Held office of Governor of New Zealand.