John Rankine (colonial administrator) explained

Honorific-Prefix:Sir
John Dalzell Rankine
Order1:Acting
Office1:Governor of Fiji
Monarch1:George VI
Term Start1:12 January 1944
Term End1:4 May 1944
Predecessor1:Sir Philip Mitchell
Successor1:Sir John Nicoll (acting)
Order2:Acting
Office2:Governor of Fiji
Monarch2:George VI
Term Start2:23 October 1944
Term End2:1 January 1945
Predecessor2:Sir John Nicoll (acting)
Successor2:Sir Alexander Grantham
Order3:9th
Office3:Resident of Zanzibar
Monarch3:Elizabeth II
1Blankname3:Sultan of Zanzibar
1Namedata3:Khalifa bin Harub
Term Start3:1952
Term End3:1954
Predecessor3:Vincent Glenday
Successor3:Henry Steven Potter
Order4:1st
Office4:Governor of Western Nigeria
Monarch4:Elizabeth II
Premier4:Obafemi Awolowo
Samuel Akintola
Term Start4:1 October 1954
Term End4:July 1960
Predecessor4:None (new office)
Successor4:Sir Adesoji Aderemi
Birth Date:8 June 1907
Birthname:John Dalzell Rankine
Nationality:British
Spouse:Janet Grace Austin, Lady Rankine
(1939–1976, her death)
Children:1 daughter
Alma Mater:Exeter College, Oxford
Occupation:Colonial administrator

Sir John Dalzell Rankine (8 June 1907 – 19 February 1987) was a British colonial administrator.

Early life and career

Rankine studied at Christ's College, in Christchurch, New Zealand, and went on to graduate from Exeter College, Oxford, in 1930. After starting out as a cadet in Uganda in 1931, he became Assistant Secretary to the East African Governor's Conference in 1939 and First Assistant Secretary in 1942.

Senior administrative positions

Rankine served as Assistant Colonial Secretary of Fiji from 1942 to 1945; during this period he twice acted as Governor in an interim capacity. He subsequently became Colonial Secretary of Barbados from 1945 to 1947, then Chief Secretary of Kenya from 1947 to 1951. During this time he also presided over Kenya's Development and Reconstruction Authority.[1]

Rankine served as Resident of Zanzibar from 1952 to 1954, an office his father, Richard Rankine, had previously held from 1929 to 1937. Officially, the office of Resident in the British Protectorate was equivalent to that of an Ambassador. In reality, it made him a colonial governor in all but name, as the Resident was ex officio vizier to the Sultan of Zanzibar and held all effective power.[2] He went on to become Governor of Western Nigeria from 1954 to 1960, when Nigeria became independent.

Rankine was honoured with the CMG in the 1947 Birthday Honours, KCMG in 1954, Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, 1st Class in 1954, KCVO in 1956, and KStJ in 1958.[3]

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jacoby-Lopez. M.. Sir John Dalzell Rankine. 19 August 2015.
  2. Book: Bakari. Mohammed Ali. The Democratisation Process in Zanzibar: A Retarded Transition. Internet Archive. 2001. 48. British resident of Zanzibar.. GIGA-Hamburg. 19 August 2015.
  3. Web site: Papers of Sir John Dalzell Rankine. Bodleian Library, University of Oxford. 19 August 2015.