| Honorific-Prefix: | His Excellency Sir |
| Shenton Thomas | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | GCMG KStJ OBE |
| Order: | 21st Governor of the Straits Settlements |
| Term Start1: | 12 September 1945 |
| Term End1: | 31 March 1946 |
| Predecessor1: | Vacant |
| Successor1: | Position abolished |
| Term Start2: | 9 November 1934 |
| Term End2: | 15 February 1942 |
| Predecessor2: | Sir Cecil Clementi |
| Successor2: | Vacant |
| Order3: | Governor of the Gold Coast |
| Term Start3: | 30 November 1932 |
| Term End3: | 13 May 1934 |
| Monarch3: | George V |
| Predecessor3: | Geoffry Northcote (acting) |
| Successor3: | Geoffry Northcote (acting) |
| Office4: | Governor of Nyasaland |
| Term Start4: | 7 November 1929 |
| Term End4: | 22 November 1932 |
| Predecessor4: | Sir Hubert Winthrop Young |
| Successor4: | Wilfred Bennett Davidson-Houston |
| Birth Name: | Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas |
| Birth Date: | 10 October 1879 |
| Birth Place: | Southwark, London, United Kingdom |
| Death Place: | London, United Kingdom |
| Nationality: | British |
| Children: | Mary Bridget Thomas (daughter) |
| Occupation: | Colonial administrator |
Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas (10 October 1879 – 15 January 1962) was a British colonial administrator most notable for his role as Governor of the Straits Settlements in Singapore.
He served from 9 November 1934 to 15 February 1942, during which time the Second World War broke out, and again from 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946, when the Straits Settlements was dissolved and Singapore became a crown colony.
He was a prisoner-of-war (POW) during the Japanese occupation of Singapore, having decided to stay in Singapore during the war.
Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas was born on 10 October 1879, in Southwark, London to The Rev Thomas William Thomas and his wife Charlotte Susanna (Whitelegge) Thomas.[1] [2] [3]
He was educated at St. John's School, Leatherhead[4] and Queens' College, Cambridge.
Thomas taught at Aysgarth School in Yorkshire prior to entering the Colonial Service.
In 1909, Thomas was appointed as Assistant District Commissioner, East Africa Protectorate (Nairobi, Kenya).[5] [6] In 1919, he was appointed Assistant Chief Secretary, Uganda and in 1920 as Chairman of the Uganda Development Commission.[5] [6]
In 1921, he was appointed Principal Assistant Secretary, Nigeria and in 1923, was appointed Deputy Chief Secretary, Nigeria.[5] [6] In 1927, he was appointed Colonial Secretary, Gold Coast Colony (Ghana) before he was appointed Governor of Nyasaland in 1929. In 1932 he was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Gold Coast Colony (Ghana).[5] [6]
In 1934, he was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Straits Settlements and High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States.[5] [6]
Thomas was a prisoner-of-war (POW) 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 missionary Ernest Tipson.
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 as a distinct crown colony), Federated Malay States and Unfederated Malay States, where the post of Governor-General of the Malayan Union was created. Shenton Way, a road in Singapore, was named after him.
He married Lucy Marguerite (Daisy) Montgomery (1884-1978) daughter of James Montgomery[7] on 11 April 1912 at St Jude's Church, Kensington, London.[3]
Thomas died on 15 January 1962, at his home in London. He was 82.
Thomas is widely associated in his role as governor with the loss of Singapore and his civilian administration's apparent failures to properly assess the growing Japanese threat and make appropriate defences.[8] Singapore's capture by the Japanese, in conjunction with other events at the time such as the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse, severely undermined British prestige and contributed to the eventual end of colonialism in the region.
During the 1950s, Shenton Way, a road in Singapore's central business district, was named after him as recognition of his decision to remain and become a prisoner of war (POW) at Changi Prison when the Japanese occupied Singapore.[9]