CAREER OF SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20634, 14 August 1941, Page 5

CAREER OF SERVICE

LORD WILLINGDON DEAD NOTED ADMINISTRATOR (Reed. Aug. 14, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 12. The' death is announced of the Marquess of Willingdon, aged 75. The Marquess of Willingdon, who represented the British Government at the New Zealand Centennial celebrations, was one of the most able and popular administrators who represented Britain in India. Born in 1866 and educated at Eton and Cambridge, Lord Willingdon made his first acquaintance with overseas administration as aide-de-camp to Earl Brassey, his father-in-law, who was Governor of Victoria from 1897 to 1900. He took a prominent place in the House of Commons, until in 1910 he was raised to the peerage. Work in India In 1913 he was appointed Governor of Bombay, and three years later he became Governor of Madras, a position he continued to fill until 1924. It was his difficult task to supervise the introduction of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms, and at the end of his term he was made a viscount. Lord Willingdon was appointed Governor-General of Canada in 1926 in succession to Lord Byng, and both he and Lady Willingdon soon made themselves exceedingly popular in the Dominion. Following his terms there he was created an earl, and in 1931 he returned as Viceroy to India, where he was confronted with the economic depression and the civil disobedience campaign. His influence in promoting friendly relations between Britain and India was very great, and no fewer than 37 Indian rulers attended the farewell banquet accorded him at the close of his term in 1936. On his return to England, Lord Willingdon was created a marquess, and was made Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. He became chairman of the English-speaking Union in 1936.