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Sir Arnold Hodson | |
|---|---|
 Arnold Hodson with theAsantehene, Prempeh II, in 1935. | |
| Governor of the Falkland Islands | |
| In office 1926–1930 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Preceded by | John Middleton |
| Succeeded by | James O'Grady |
| Governor of Sierra Leone | |
| In office 1931–1934 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Preceded by | Joseph Aloysius Byrne |
| Succeeded by | Henry Monck-Mason Moore |
| Governor of the Gold Coast | |
| In office 1934–1941 | |
| Monarchs | George V Edward VIII George VI |
| Preceded by | Shenton Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Alan Burns |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 February 1881 |
| Died | 26 May 1944 (1944-05-27) (aged 63) |
Sir Arnold Wienholt HodsonKCMG (12 February 1881 – 26 May 1944)[1] was a Britishcolonial administrator who was Governor in turn of theFalkland Islands,Sierra Leone and theGold Coast.
Hodson was born inBovey Tracey,Devonshire, in 1881, the eldest son of Algernon Hodson and Sarah Wienholt. He was educated atFelsted.Hodson was inCentral Queensland 1900 to 1902 and was part of the Queensland Contingent forSouth Africa in 1902. He served in theTransvaal from 1902 to 1904. From 1904 until 1912 he was in theBechuanaland Protectorate Police Force. His duties as a policeman and magistrate took him into the most remote parts of the territory, one of his missions being theDamaraland frontier at the time of theHerero and Nama Wars inGerman South-West Africa. He was also much involved in trying to reconcile conflicts between tribal chiefs. His several political missions cover a most important period of the history ofBotswana.
One of his journeys, in 1906, was made in the company of SirRalph Williams, Resident Commissioner, and was fromSerowe toLivingstone and theVictoria Falls viaLake Ngami. Four years later Hodson organised a hunting trip for British High CommissionerSelborne, fromPandamatenga to Selous' old camp on the Mabebe Flats and on to theChobe.Hodson then went on toSomaliland (1912–14). He served as Consul in SouthernAbbysinia from 1914 to 1923, then as Consul in South WestAbbysinia from 1923 to 1926.
Hodson was Governor of theFalkland Islands (1926–30). During his tenure, a mountain - Mount Hodson (56°42'S, 27°13'W), the summit ofVisokoi Island in theSouth Sandwich Islands - was named after him.
The most notable achievement of Hodson's reign as governor of the Falkland Islands was the development of radio communications within and beyond the islands.[2] Working with theBBC, he connected the islands to the imperial broadcasting network. He also established a radio station in the islands. When he later moved to Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast, he continued work on his visions of establishing effective communication lines between various parts of the British Empire.
From 1930 to 1934 he was Governor ofSierra Leone, where he was known as the "Sunshine Governor" and was responsible for the creation of theSierra Leone Broadcasting Service, which launched on 7 May 1934. He encouraged African participation in government and had Sierra Leone "natives" trained to do jobs that had previously been reserved for bureaucrats who were imported into the colony from Britain. That same year he was knighted.Finally, he was Governor of theGold Coast (nowGhana) 1934-41, and was the impetus behind the introduction of theGold Coast Broadcasting System (now Ghana Broadcasting Corporation).[3]
Hodson married Elizabeth Charlotte Sarah Hay, daughter of Major Malcolm Vivian Hay, in 1928. They had two daughters, Rosemary and Elizabeth. He died on 26 May 1944[4] inNew York City, aged 63.[1]
Arnold Hodson was the author of a number of books, including:
Hodson also wrote a play calledThe Downfall of Zachariah Fee, or "The Troubles of Santa Claus".[5]
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