Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston
Encyclopedia
Lt.Col. Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston (3 January 1870 - 18 September 1960) was a British
army officer who fought in the Anglo-Ashanti wars. Later he became a colonial administrator in the British West Indies
.
He attended Corrig School, Monkstown, County Dublin in Ireland and St Edward's School, Oxford.
Davidson-Houston was assigned to the British South Africa Company
Police, and was Assistant Commissioner in Mashonaland
(1890–1892).
He was Assistant Inspector of Gold Coast Hausas (1894) and Captain of the West African Frontier Service, Kwahu
(1894–1895).
He served in the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War (1895–1896), and in subsequent operations in the Gold Coast (1897–1898), and was Acting resident Ashanti (1899–1900).
He served in the Ashanti Campaign (1900) and the Second Boer War
(1901–1902).
He was Commissioner Ashanti (1902) and Acting Chief Commissioner of Ashanti (1903–1905).
in the British West Indies
.
During the First World War he was D.A.Q.M.G. Central Force (1915), Eastern Command (1916), Headquarters 1st Army, B.E.F. (1917) and Deputy Controller of Labour, France (1918).
He was Administrator of Saint Lucia
, British West Indies (1918–1927).
During this period he was several times acting Governor of the Windward Islands
.
Davidson-Houston was Chief Secretary, Nyasaland (1927–1930), and was twice Acting Governor, Nyasaland.
Davidson-Houston married Annie Hunt, oldest daughter of E. Langley Hunt of County Limerick, and they had two sons.
He retired in 1930.
He died on 18 September 1960, aged ninety.
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
army officer who fought in the Anglo-Ashanti wars. Later he became a colonial administrator in the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
.
Background
Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston was born on 3 January 1870, the second son of Reverend B.C. Davidson-Houston of County Cork and Dublin.He attended Corrig School, Monkstown, County Dublin in Ireland and St Edward's School, Oxford.
Military career
In 1887 Davidson-Houston became a 2nd Lieutentant with the 5th Royal Dublin Fusilliers. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1889, Captain in 1892, Major in 1902 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1906.Davidson-Houston was assigned to the British South Africa Company
British South Africa Company
The British South Africa Company was established by Cecil Rhodes through the amalgamation of the Central Search Association and the Exploring Company Ltd., receiving a royal charter in 1889...
Police, and was Assistant Commissioner in Mashonaland
Mashonaland
Mashonaland is a region in northern Zimbabwe. It is the home of the Shona people.Currently, Mashonaland is divided into three provinces, with a total population of about 3 million:* Mashonaland West* Mashonaland Central* Mashonaland East...
(1890–1892).
He was Assistant Inspector of Gold Coast Hausas (1894) and Captain of the West African Frontier Service, Kwahu
Kwahu
Kwahu is a region in south-central Ghana, on the west shore of Lake Volta. There are two common spellings, Kwawu and Kwahu. The "w" spelling is the official spelling from the African Studies Centre, University of Ghana, and more resembles the pronunciation...
(1894–1895).
He served in the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War (1895–1896), and in subsequent operations in the Gold Coast (1897–1898), and was Acting resident Ashanti (1899–1900).
He served in the Ashanti Campaign (1900) and the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
(1901–1902).
He was Commissioner Ashanti (1902) and Acting Chief Commissioner of Ashanti (1903–1905).
Colonial administrator
In 1906, Davidson-Houston was appointed Commissioner of MontserratMontserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
in the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
.
During the First World War he was D.A.Q.M.G. Central Force (1915), Eastern Command (1916), Headquarters 1st Army, B.E.F. (1917) and Deputy Controller of Labour, France (1918).
He was Administrator of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
, British West Indies (1918–1927).
During this period he was several times acting Governor of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
.
Davidson-Houston was Chief Secretary, Nyasaland (1927–1930), and was twice Acting Governor, Nyasaland.
Davidson-Houston married Annie Hunt, oldest daughter of E. Langley Hunt of County Limerick, and they had two sons.
He retired in 1930.
He died on 18 September 1960, aged ninety.