Theodore Pike Explained

Honorific-Prefix:	Sir
Theodore Pike
Honorific-Suffix:	KCMG
Office1:	Governor of British Somaliland
Term Start1:	1954
Term End1:	1959
Predecessor1:	Sir Gerald Reece
Successor1:	Sir Douglas Hall
Birth Date:	2 August 1904
Birth Place:	Thurles, Ireland
Death Place:	Guildford, England
Citizenship:	British

Sir Theodore Ouseley Pike KCMG (2 August 1904  - 27 December 1987) was an Irish colonial administrator and a rugby union international.

Early life

Pike was born in Thurles in County Tipperary in 1904. In 1904, Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Rugby internationalIn his youth, Pike was a keen sportsman: he played rugby union, usually as prop. He was good enough to play to international standard and represented Ireland, by then a divided nation politically but still fielding an All-Ireland rugby team, for two seasons.^[1] In 1927 and in 1928, Pike took part in 7 matches in the Five Nations Championship, playing against France and all the other Home Nations. In addition, Pike played for Britain in a test against Australia.

Career

Pike made his career in colonial administration, rising to become Governor and Commander-in-Chief of British Somaliland, now a part of Somalia, from 1954 to 1959. In 1956, he was knighted, as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, to become Sir Theodore Pike.

Later life

Sir Theodore retired to Guildford in Surrey and died in 1987.

Notes and References

1. http://www.espnscrum.com/ireland/rugby/player/3413.html Theodore Pike player profile