Shenton Thomas

Sir Shenton Thomas GCMG GCStJ
Governor of Straits Settlements
In office 1934–1942
Preceded by	Sir Cecil Clementi
Succeeded by	Position Abolished
Governor of the Gold Coast
In office 1932–1934
Preceded by	Geoffrey Northcote acting
Succeeded by	Geoffrey Northcote acting
Governor of Nyasaland
In office 1929–1932
Preceded by	Sir Hubert Winthrop Young
Succeeded by	Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston
Personal details
Born	October 10, 1879 Southwark, London, United Kingdom
Died	January 15, 1962 (aged 82) London, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Spouse(s)	Lucy Marguerite (Daisy) Montgomery
Children	Mary Bridget Thomas

St Jude's Church, Kensington, London, where Thomas married in 1912

Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas GCMG GCStJ (October 10, 1879 – January 15, 1962) commonly known as Sir Shenton Thomas, was the last Governor of the Straits Settlements. He served from 1934 to 1942, during which time the Second World War broke out, and again from September 1945 to April 1946, when the Straits Settlements was dissolved.

Life

Queens' College, Cambridge football team 1900-1901, including Sir Shenton Thomas (second from right, middle row), Charles Tate Regan and Samuel Day.

Shenton Thomas was born on 10 October 1879, in Southwark, London to The Rev Thomas William Thomas and his wife Charlotte Susanna (Susie) née Whitelegge.^[1][2][3] He was educated at St. John's School, Leatherhead^[4] and Queens' College, Cambridge.^[5] He taught at Aysgarth School in Yorkshire prior to entering the Colonial Service. Before he went to Malaya as the colonial administrator, Thomas was the Governor of Nyasaland from 1929 to 1932. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) in 1930.

Thomas was a prisoner-of-war during the Japanese occupation of Singapore (15 February 1942 - 15 August 1945) having decided to stay in Singapore during the war. He was imprisoned in Cell 24 of Changi Prison along with Ernest Tipson. Thomas established the King George V Park in Malaya (later renamed the National Park of Malaysia). Today, Shenton Way, located in Singapore's business district, is named after him. After the war, Thomas remained as the 11th British High Commissioner in Malaya (9 November 1934 - 1 April 1946), until the Malayan Union was established and succeeded the British administration in the Straits Settlements (except for Singapore, which was created a separate colony), Federated Malay States and Unfederated Malay States, where the post of Governor-General of the Malayan Union was created.

Thomas died on 15 January 1962, at his home in London. He was 82.

Family

He married Lucy Marguerite (Daisy) Montgomery (1884-1978) daughter of James Montgomery ^[6]on 11 April 1912 at St Jude's Church, Kensington, London,^[3] with issue:

• Mary Bridget Thomas (1914 - 1998), born in Nairobi, Kenya, who married 1st Lt-Col Jack Leslie Harry Lotinga and married 2nd in 1965 Nicholas Eliot, 9th Earl of St Germans.

In popular culture

Wallas Eaton portrayed Shenton Thomas in the Australian drama serial, Tanamera – Lion of Singapore.

Legacy

Shenton Way, a major road in Singapore's central business district, was named after him.

References

1. 1881 UK Census: Aged 1 of St John Villas, Park Lane, Heigham, Norfolk - RG11/1951 f.9 p.11 - Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas born Southwark
2. 1901 UK Census: Aged 21 of The Vicarage, St Barnabas Road, Cambridge - RG13/1530 f.32 p.14 - Thomas Shenton W. Thomas born London
3. GRO Register of Marriages: JUN 1912 1a 348 KENSINGTON - Thomas S. W. Thomas = Lucy M. Montgomery
4. 1891 UK Census: Pupil, aged 10, of St John's School, Leatherhead Surrey - RG12/549 f.98 p.8 - Thomas Shenton Thomas born St Bride's London
5. "Thomas, Thomas Shenton Whitelegge (THMS898TS)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
6. "Lucy Marguerite (née Montgomery), Lady Thomas". National Portrait Gallery.

External links

• Singapore Infopedia entry