William George Maxwell
Encyclopedia
Sir William George Maxwell KBE, CMG
was born in 1871 in Singapore
and died in 1959. He was the eldest son of William Edward Maxwell and Lilias Grant Mackay. Sir George was a British naturalist and colonial administrator in British Malaya
and Straits Settlements
. His father W.E. Maxwell was a famous colonial officer in British Malaya, who held the post as British High Commissioners in Malaya and Governor of Straits Settlements.
, Negeri Sembilan
, and Perak
. In 1904, he was transferred to the Civil Service of Straits Settlements
and was Acting Commissioner of the Court of Requests
in Singapore
.
He was posted as the District Officer of Dinding, Perak
, Solicitor General (1906). On 9 July 1909 the Bangkok Agreement, which was ratified by the British and Siamese, made Kedah
part of the British Empire
and he was then appointed British Adviser to Kedah (1909–1915) and (1918–1919). He was also the British Resident of Perak (1919–1921) and Chief Secretary of Federated Malay States
(1921–1926).
was also named after him.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
was born in 1871 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...
and died in 1959. He was the eldest son of William Edward Maxwell and Lilias Grant Mackay. Sir George was a British naturalist and colonial administrator in British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
. His father W.E. Maxwell was a famous colonial officer in British Malaya, who held the post as British High Commissioners in Malaya and Governor of Straits Settlements.
Career
Sir George entered the service of the Perak Government as a junior officer in 1891. He then progressed to Assistant District Magistrate and Registrar of Courts in Kinta Valley (Perak). He was also the Assistant Secretary to the Government of Perak, Acting Collector of Land Revenue in Larut, Registrar of Titles and Warden of Mines in Northern Perak and Acting Senior Magistrate for SelangorSelangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
, Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
, and Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
. In 1904, he was transferred to the Civil Service of Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
and was Acting Commissioner of the Court of Requests
Court of Requests
The Court of Requests was a minor equity court in England and Wales. Created at an unknown date, it first became a formal tribunal with some Privy Council elements under Henry VII, hearing cases from the poor and the servants of the King. It quickly became popular due to the low cost of bringing a...
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...
.
He was posted as the District Officer of Dinding, Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
, Solicitor General (1906). On 9 July 1909 the Bangkok Agreement, which was ratified by the British and Siamese, made Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
part of the British Empire
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...
and he was then appointed British Adviser to Kedah (1909–1915) and (1918–1919). He was also the British Resident of Perak (1919–1921) and Chief Secretary of Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
(1921–1926).
Contributions and Honours
On 29 November 1929 he opened the Sultan Idris Training College in Perak and making it the highest institution of learning exclusively for the Malays at that time. In order to remember his contributions in education SMK Maxwell (Maxwell School) in Kuala Lumpur was named after him. He was knighted with KBE in 1924 and carried the title "Sir". In order to remember his contributions in Perak, Maxwell Hill in TaipingTaiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...
was also named after him.