Sir Kenneth O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Sir Kenneth Kennedy O'Connor KBE
MC
QC
(21 December 1896 – 13 January 1985) had a long and distinguished career in the Colonial Service.
O'Connor was born in Ranchi
, Jharkhand
, British India. He was the second child of the Revd. William O'Connor and Emma (née Kennedy).
He was educated at Saint Columba's College, Dublin where he was a chorister and cricketer. From here he won a choral scholarship to Worcester College, Oxford but was unable to take it up due to the First World War. In 1915, he joined the Indian Army as an officer in the 14th (KGO) Ferozepore Sikhs. He was awarded the Military Cross
"for distinguished and meritorious services" at the Battle of Sharqat
, during the campaign in Mesopotamia
against the Turks. Sir Kenneth later wrote a short account of the Battle of Sharqat
. After the war he left the Indian Army with the rank of Captain, though he was later made an Honorary Colonel.
O'Connor then joined the Foreign & Political Department of the Government of India, serving as the British District Commissioner in Charsadda
, a district of Northern India
(now Pakistan
) adjoining the Khyber Pass
. In 1922, he resigned and returned to England, where he was called to the London Bar in 1924 by Gray's Inn
. After a short time practising at the London Bar, he became a partner in the firm of Drew & Napier
in Singapore
. In Singapore, he met and married Margaret Helen Wise, eldest daughter of the rubber planter Percy Furlong Wise, scion of the noble, Devonshire dynasty.
As Chairman of the Straits Settlements Association, O'Connor played a key role in planning the civilian evacuation of the island in the event of a Japanese invasion
. He, himself, escaped at the last minute in a small, open sailing boat with the wrong sails and a children's atlas for navigation. With three others, he made it to Sumatra. He later wrote a short account of this adventure, entitled 'Four Men in a Boat'. He had already evacuated his young family (Anthony, born 1933 and Hugh, born 1940) to Australia, where he went to join them.
In 1943, having joined the Colonial Legal Service, he was appointed Attorney General
, Nyasaland, now Malawi
. After the war he returned to Singapore to reconstruct the legal practice of Drew & Napier. In 1946, he was appointed Attorney General
, Malaya
and in 1948, Attorney General
, Kenya
.
In 1951, O'Connor was appointed Chief Justice
, Jamaica
in which position he served until 1954. In 1954, he was recalled to Kenya
as Chief Justice
. At this time, the Mau Mau Uprising
was at its peak. O'Connor was the senior presiding judge in many Mau Mau trials, the most notable being that of Dedan Kimathi
, whom O'Connor sentenced to death in 1957. O'Connor finished his distinguished legal career as President of the Court of Appeal for Eastern Africa from 1957-1962, with jurisdiction over Kenya
, Uganda
and Tanganyika
. With Independence, Sir Kenneth and Lady O'Connor retired to their house, Buckland Court, in Surrey, England in 1962.
Sir Kenneth died on January 13, 1985, aged 88.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(21 December 1896 – 13 January 1985) had a long and distinguished career in the Colonial Service.
O'Connor was born in Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
, Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, British India. He was the second child of the Revd. William O'Connor and Emma (née Kennedy).
He was educated at Saint Columba's College, Dublin where he was a chorister and cricketer. From here he won a choral scholarship to Worcester College, Oxford but was unable to take it up due to the First World War. In 1915, he joined the Indian Army as an officer in the 14th (KGO) Ferozepore Sikhs. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
"for distinguished and meritorious services" at the Battle of Sharqat
Battle of Sharqat
The Battle of Sharqat was between the British and the Ottoman Empire in the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I, which became the final conflict that ended as a result of the signing of armistice....
, during the campaign in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
against the Turks. Sir Kenneth later wrote a short account of the Battle of Sharqat
Battle of Sharqat
The Battle of Sharqat was between the British and the Ottoman Empire in the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I, which became the final conflict that ended as a result of the signing of armistice....
. After the war he left the Indian Army with the rank of Captain, though he was later made an Honorary Colonel.
O'Connor then joined the Foreign & Political Department of the Government of India, serving as the British District Commissioner in Charsadda
Charsadda
Charsadda is a town and headquarters of Charsadda District, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°8'43N 71°43'51E with an altitude of 276 metres and lies 29 kilometres from the provincial capital - Peshawar....
, a district of Northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(now Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) adjoining the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
. In 1922, he resigned and returned to England, where he was called to the London Bar in 1924 by Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. After a short time practising at the London Bar, he became a partner in the firm of Drew & Napier
Drew & Napier
Drew & Napier LLC is one of Singapore's leading law firms, with over 250 lawyers and fee-earners.The practice is active in dispute resolution, and also in Corporate Insolvency & Restructuring, Intellectual Property , Competition & Antitrust, Telecommunications, Media & Technology and Tax, with...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In Singapore, he met and married Margaret Helen Wise, eldest daughter of the rubber planter Percy Furlong Wise, scion of the noble, Devonshire dynasty.
As Chairman of the Straits Settlements Association, O'Connor played a key role in planning the civilian evacuation of the island in the event of a Japanese invasion
Japanese Occupation of Singapore
The Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australian, British, Indian and Malayan garrison in the Battle of Singapore...
. He, himself, escaped at the last minute in a small, open sailing boat with the wrong sails and a children's atlas for navigation. With three others, he made it to Sumatra. He later wrote a short account of this adventure, entitled 'Four Men in a Boat'. He had already evacuated his young family (Anthony, born 1933 and Hugh, born 1940) to Australia, where he went to join them.
In 1943, having joined the Colonial Legal Service, he was appointed Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, Nyasaland, now Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. After the war he returned to Singapore to reconstruct the legal practice of Drew & Napier. In 1946, he was appointed Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, Malaya
Malayan Union
The Malayan Union was a federation of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government so as to simplify administration. The Malayan Union later became the independent...
and in 1948, Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
In 1951, O'Connor was appointed Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in which position he served until 1954. In 1954, he was recalled to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
as Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
. At this time, the Mau Mau Uprising
Mau Mau Uprising
The Mau Mau Uprising was a military conflict that took place in Kenya between 1952 and 1960...
was at its peak. O'Connor was the senior presiding judge in many Mau Mau trials, the most notable being that of Dedan Kimathi
Dedan Kimathi
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri , was a Kenyan rebel leader who fought against the British colonial government in Kenya in the 1950s. He was convicted and executed in 1957 for murder and terrorism....
, whom O'Connor sentenced to death in 1957. O'Connor finished his distinguished legal career as President of the Court of Appeal for Eastern Africa from 1957-1962, with jurisdiction over Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
. With Independence, Sir Kenneth and Lady O'Connor retired to their house, Buckland Court, in Surrey, England in 1962.
Sir Kenneth died on January 13, 1985, aged 88.