John Hope Smith

John Hope Smith (died 15 March 1831) was an English Colonial Head of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) as Governor of the Committee of Merchants of the Gold Coast from 19 January 1817 until 27 March 1822.

"Respectably born and educated", John Hope Smith, aged fourteen, was placed by his father as a writer at Cape Coast Castle.[1] He was appointed to be Governor in Chief of the Gold Coast aged 30. During his reign at Cape Coast Castle, the biggest fort in Fante territory, two missions of the Company of Merchants trading to Africa to Asante have been dispatched. He thought the castle could be a protective force against Ashanti, while the two diplomats sent, Thomas Edward Bowdich 1817 and Joseph Dupuis 1821 thought otherwise. [2] Disagreements with Charles MacCarthy led to his resignation. A cold caught in Paris led to his early death aged forty-four.[1]

John Hope Smith was married to an African woman from the Fante tribe. Her name was Fannie Smith. The Asante of Africa believed that they were receiving hostility from the British because Fannie was manipulating her husband against the Asante. This goes to show that African wives could have advantages as political advocates. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 'John Hope Smith, Esq.', New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 33, No. 125 (May 1831), pp. 233-234
  2. ↑ Ward, W.E.F. (1966). Introduction in: Journal of a Residence in Ashanti. Frank Cass&Co Ltd. pp. 9–55.
  3. ↑ Ray, Carina E. (2015). Crossing the Color Line: Race, Sex, and the Contested Politics of Colonialism in Ghana. Ohio University Press. p. 38.
Government offices
Preceded by
Joseph Dawson		 Governor of the Committee of Merchants of the Gold Coast
1817–1822 		Succeeded by
Charles MacCarthy
as Governor of the Gold Coast


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