Arthur Sleep
British colonial administrator (1894–1959)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arthur Sleep (12 May 1894 – 11 December 1959) was a British colonial administrator who served as British Adviser to Johore from 1948 to 1949.
Arthur Sleep | |
|---|---|
| British Adviser to Johore | |
| In office 1948–1949 | |
| Preceded by | Eric Ernest Falk Pretty |
| Succeeded by | John Falconer |
| Resident Commissioner of Pahang | |
| In office 1946–1947 | |
| Preceded by | John Allen Harvey |
| Succeeded by | Wilfred Charles Steuart Corry |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 May 1894 |
| Died | 11 December 1959 (aged 65) Parkstone, Dorset |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Occupation | Colonial administrator |
Early life and education
Sleep was born on 12 May 1894, the son of John Sleep of Dalton-in-Furness. He was educated at Ulverston Grammar School and University of Manchester where he received his BSc.[1] He served in the First World War in France with the Royal Flying Corps and King's Own Regiment, and rose to the rank of captain.[2]
Career
Sleep joined the Malayan Civil Service in 1920, and served in various posts including in succession: assistant at the Land Office, Kota Bahru (1920); assistant District Officer, Teluk Anson (1925);[3] assistant District Officer, Parit (1925);[4] District Officer, Kuala Selangor (1926); Director of Public Prosecutions, Perak; assistant Secretary to Government of the Federated Malay States (1931); assistant Treasurer, Federated Malay States, and member of the State Council, Selangor (1934).[2][5]
In 1938, Sleep was appointed Deputy Financial Secretary of the Federated Malay States, and in the following year served as Financial Commissioner and Auditor-General of Johore and presented the annual budget to the state council.[6] In 1940, he served as president of the commission established to consider the extension of state hospital facilities to rubber estates.[7] In 1941, he was acting Financial Secretary of the Straits Settlements, and a member of the Legislative Council. In 1942, on the fall of Singapore, he was interned with his wife in Sime Road prison camp.[1][2][5][8]
In 1946, Sleep served as Resident Commissioner of Pahang,[9] and from 1948 to 1949 served as British Adviser to Johore.[1][2][5][10] In his farewell speech on his retirement in 1949, he told the Johore State Council that the Johore government had a special responsibility to ensure the success of the constitutional arrangements of the Federation of Malaya because it was from Johore that the idea for a Federation of Malaya first emerged.[11]
After retiring from the Malay Civil Service, Sleep went to Africa and served as Controller of Finance and Accounts in the British Administration in Eritrea from 1950 to 1952.[2][12]
Personal life and death
Honours
Sleep was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1949 New Year Honours.[5][15]