User:Viclipse/Wilfred Lawson Blythe

Wilfred Lawson Blythe (9 November 1896 – 1975) was the Colonial Secretary of Singapore from 1950 to 1953.

Career

Blythe was educated at the Universities of Liverpool and Grenoble.

Malaya

Following military service in the Great War from 1915 to 1919, he joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1921. From 1922 to 1924, Blythe learnt Chinese in Canton, China. He spent a decade in various parts of Malaya as protector of the Chinese, from 1926 to 1936. He was twice the Deputy President of the Municipality of Penang from 1936 to 1937 and 1939 to 1940. Blythe was again involved with the Chinese population as a Deputy Controller of Labour (Chinese), from 1940 to 1942.

Blythe fought with the British Army in 1942 during the Battle of Malaya. When Malaya capitulated, he was interned from 1942 to 1945.

Malaya and Singapore

Following the return to British rule in 1946, he was made the Secretary for Chinese Affairs in the Federation of Malaya. Blythe was transferred to the Crown Colony of Singapore in 1948, where he was the President of the Municipal Commission until 1950. Blythe's final posting in Singapore was the position of Colonial Secretary of Singapore, in 1950. He served as acting Governor on the retirement of Franklin Gimson in March 1952, until the arrival of John Nicoll a month later. He retired in 1953, after 34 years in the Malayan colonial service.

Personal life

Blythe married Muriel Gertrude née Woodward in 1925. He died in 1975, at the age of 79.