Papers of Sir Alexander Waddell

Reports, photocopies of signal books and diaries, and a printed pamphlet on the coastwatchers of Choiseul in the Solomon Islands during World War Two, 1942-1944.

Sir Alexander (Nicol Anton) Waddell (1913-1999) entered the Colonial Administrative Service in 1937 as a cadet, rising to the rank of Acting Resident Commissioner, British Solomon Islands, 1945. During World War Two his posts included a period on naval service as a coastwatcher, 1942-1944. He joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1946, holding the posts of Principal Assistant Secretary and Acting Deputy Chief Secretary, 1947-1952. He was Colonial Secretary, Gambia, 1952-1956. He served in Sierra Leone as Colonial Secretary, 1956-1958 and Deputy Governor, 1958-1960. From 1960 to 1963 he was Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Sarawak. He was United Kingdom Commissioner, British Phosphate Commissioners, 1965-1977, and a member of the Panel of Independent Inspectors, Department of the Environment, 1979-1985. In 1949 he married Jean Margot Lesbia Masters.

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Collection level description created by Paul Davidson, Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House.

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Speeches, papers and reports on the financial position, rural development, the Foochow Chinese, economic aspects and development plan of Sarawak, as Governor of Sarawak, 1950-1963 (ref. MSS. Pac. s. 105).