Macalum Street

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Macalum Street or Lebuh Macalum - named after Colonel Sir Henry McCallum, Colonial Engineer of the Straits Settlements (1884-1889). The Chinese called it go-tiau-lor(5th street)

Col Sir HE McCallum(1852-1919) was in Penang from 1880-1884, as Deputy Colonial Engineer in Penang. He was also the President of Penang Municipal Council(as reported in Straits Times Weekly Issue, 2 August 1883, Page 10).

Col Sir HE McCallum(1852-1919)

Col Sir HE McCallum, the full name is Colonel Sir Henry Edward McCallum,, RE, GCMG

Born in Cornwall, Oct 28, 1852, his father being a Major in the RMLI. He entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in 1869, passing first out of 152 cadets in 1871 into the Royal Engineers. A few years afterwards he went to Singapore, where he acted as Private Secretary, to the Governor for a couple of years, taking part in the Perak Expedition of 1875-6 (medal with clasp). Then he became Superintendent of Admiralty Works at Hong Kong, Singapore, and Woolwich, returning to the East in 1880 as Deputy Colonial Engineer at Penang, afterwards becoming Colonial Engineer and Surveyor-General for the Straits Settlements, with a seat on the Executive and Legislative Councils. In 1897 Sir Henry went to Lagos as Governor and Commander-in-Chief, and in the following year was dispatched on a mission to the Hinterland on account of French aggression in that region (medal and clasp). From 1898 to 1901 he was Governor of England's oldest colony, Newfoundland, and in the latter year he returned to Africa as Governor of Natal, receiving the QSA with 4 clasps in connection with his services during the War. A man who enters the public service, and especially one who has held high office for a number of years under one political party, must be well aware of the treatment to which he may be liable at the moment he finds himself drawn into the vortex of party strife. Whether he be soldier, administrator, or diplomatist, a change of Government may make him a useful scapegoat, and in the case of the trial and condemnation of the native murderers of two Natal policemen in March, 1906, no one wondered, though all sympathised, when Sir Henry McCallum was practically held responsible by Sir H Campbell Bannerman's Government for the deplorable interference of the Colonial Office, which led to the immediate resignation of the Natal Ministry. The Natal Governor, however, tactfully succeeded in inducing the Premier of the Colony to temporarily remain in office, and when the Colonial Secretary, "climbed down" (at Sir H McCallum's expense), Mr Smythe withdrew his resignation. (See Lord Elgin.) Sir Henry is understood to be about to retire from his post. Sir Henry was knighted in 1898 for his services in connection with the construction of the fortifications of Singapore. He became GCMG in 1904, having previously been appointed ADC to the Sovereign. He has been twice married; first to the daughter, of Admiral Johnson, and afterwards, in 1897, to Maud ( Dolly), a daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Fitzmaurice Creighton, of the RMU. Princess Christian was sponsor for Lady McCallum's daughter, born in 1905.
http://www.angloboerwar.com/people/surname_m.htm

Henry McCallum, the actual name is Colonel Sir Henry Edward McCallum (October 28, 1852 – November 24, 1919). He was born at Yeovil, Somersetshire, England and died in England.

Henry A. McCallum was born in 1810 in St. Mary Church, Devon. He married Eleanor M. Brutton. Eleanor M. Brutton [Parents] was born 1 calculated 1831 in Stonehouse, Devon. She married Henry A. McCallum. 1861 census for Hampshire, Portsea, Landport, Dist 43 shows Eleanor with her husband and two children. Living with them is her mother, Eleanor, now widowed. They had the following children, both are boys:
(i) Henry E. McCallum was born 1853 in Yeovil, Somerset.
(ii) John W. McCallum was born 1855 in Yeovil, Somerset.

He was first tutored privately and then attended the Royal Military College in Woolwich. McCallum attended the Royal Military College in Woolwich and began his colonial service career in 1874. He was governor of Lagos before coming to Newfoundland in 1899. McCallum succeeded controversial governor Sir Herbert Murray in Newfoundland and set to work refusing Prime Minister Robert Bond's request to dissolve the House of Assembly, with an election scheduled for the fall. Friction continued between McCallum and the Bond government and he was recalled in 1901.The friction between McCallum and Prime Minister Robert Bond resulted in his recall in 1901. McCallum then became governor of Natal in 1901 and then governor of Ceylon in 1907.
McCallum retired from colonial service in 1913 and returned to England.
Sir Henry McCallum, then a Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers, supervised the preparation work for Fort Siloso. Sir Henry McCallum was also the President of the Singapore Cricket Club (1893-1895).

Timeline

1852 – born on 28th Oct 1852, at Yeoveil, Somersetshire, England

1869- He entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in 1869

Royal Engineers
The combination of the competitive selection process for commissions into the Royal Engineers, which demanded high pass marks in tests at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and the excellence of the training provided by the Royal Engineer Establishment (later the Royal School of Military Engineering) produced men of high calibre who were capable of contributing to Victorian and Edwardian society in a capacity far beyond the scope of their military roles.

1871 - passing first out of 152 cadets in 1871 into the Royal Engineers.
1874- Begin colonial civil service
1875 - 1877: Private Secretary to Governor-general Sir William Jervois, of Strait Settlement (Penang, Malacca and Singapore) at Singapore from 8 May 1875 to 3 April 3, 1877.
1877 - 1878: Superintendent, Admiralty Harbour Works, Hong Kong
1878 - 1879: Singapore
1878- Sir Henry was knighted in 1898 for his services in connection with the construction of the fortifications of Singapore.

1879 - 1880: Woolwich, McCallum attended the Royal Military College in Woolwich

1880 - 1884: Deputy Colonial Engineer, Penang

Singapore Recreation Club

The club began as the Straits Cricket Club in 1881 with a group of young Eurasians cricketers who frequently played matches on the Padang. It was said they were troops from the Royal Engineers while the founder was their colonel. The club was officially established on 23 June 1883 as the Singapore Recreation Club and played its first cricket match against the Royal Artillery on 1 September that same year. J. R. MacFarlane was the first President, B. E. D' Aranjo was Secretary and C. V. Norris was Treasurer, while its first patrons were W. H. Read, Henry McCallum and John Anderson
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1041_2010-05-07.html

1883-1886 - . Captain McCallum, R.E.(afterwards Sir H. E. McCallum, G.C.M.G., Governor of Ceylon) was appointed as Chairman of Municipal Council Singapore for three years, from 1883 to 1886.

1884 - 1889: Colonial Engineer, Straits Settlements at Singapore, designed the National Museum. Noted Singapore is the capital of Strait Settlement

1889-1897 : Surveyor General of Strait Settlement , Singapore; with a seat on the Executive and Legislative Councils.

1895- this was the year S.S. Hassan of the CMCC(Colombo Malay Cricket Club) was the first Ceylonese to find a place in the All Ceylon side, which was at that time exclusively dominated by the Europeans, to play against the Straits Settlements and which team included Major Henry McCallum who later came to Ceylon as the Governor.
(Note: Malay Cricket Club (now the Colombo Malay Cricket Club) found in 1872, as the oldest Ceylonese Cricket Club. Around 1100 Malay troops of the Dutch Colonial Army were absorbed into the Rifle Regiment formed by the British in 1827. The Rifle Regiment comprised. Malay soldiers (from Java) but had British Officers. Malay Cricket Club was found by the Javanese Malay soldiers from Rifle Regiment source: http://colombomalaycc.com/ )

In 1895, McCallum Street, Singapore , then a new street, was declared a public street.
THE Penang Supreme Court complex, which underwent renovation and expansion recently, was built in Palladian style and opened in 1903. Designed by a team of Public Works Department staff under the leadership of John Henry McCallum, the Surveyor-General of the Straits Settlements, the court complex replaced old court houses dating back to the early 19th century.

1897 - 1899: Governor of Lagos now part of Nigeria

1897- Furthermore, the rate of wages paid to the African workers during the colonial period in Nigeria was criminally low and oppressive. The Governor of Lagos in 1897, Henry McCallum fought to even reduce the generally low wages of African workers and also to re-arrange the working conditions by prolonging the working hours. This was what according to Dr. Osoba led to the first workers strike in Nigeria in 1897 a strike in which about 300 workers participated. Osoba also went further, that McCallum wrote to his Gold coast counterpart that "what is distressing me and it is a subject we can well work together is the high price of labour when taken into consideration what we get from it when we know the condition of life here, a uniform sum of one shilling, three pence per diem including subsistence is down right absurd Nine pence would be high for the ordinary Nigger. Lord Luggard, a commissioner for Northern Nigeria in 1901 as quoted by Osoba in the same paper said that "it is an economic disadvantage to any country if the wage rate for unskilled labour is unduly high, for it arrest development" Not only did Lord Luggard after making this statement drastically cut wages, he also threatened a further cut. This treat was carried out by his successor.
(source: http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/08/24/20010824bus07.html)

1898 - 1901: Governor of Newfoundland(now part of Canada)

Governor Henry E. McCallum (1898-1901) was the first governor to express an interest in the sealers themselves; this was probably a result of the publicity surrounding the Greenland disaster, which coincided with his arrival. He invited the sealers and the captain to meet with him in the local ice rink before the start of the 1899 seasons where he pointed out that the over-crowding that had been a problem would be relieved somewhat by the legislation 1898 which limited the number of men a steamer could carry. He visited every vessels and examine the men's sleeping quarters and their food. He show a keen interest in their welfare(The ice hunters: a history of Newfoundland sealing to 1914, by Shannon Ryan Pg 363).

The Straits Times, 18 January 1901, Page 2 reported that Sir Henry MCCallum has been appointed as Governor of Natal.

1901- on 12-4-1901, before departure to Natal, a banquet attended by friends from Strait Settlement, including Sir Hugh Low, and Sir Cicil Clementi Smith( ref: The Straits Times, 12 April 1901, Page 2)
The Straits Times, 12 April 1901, Page 2 reported that Sir Henry McCallum urged that the leading crown colonies should be given greater freedom and a free hand in Municipal mater

1901 - 1907: Governor of Natal(now South Africa)

Mid-1901 – Reject the proposal to confiscate land owned by rebels
1904 - He became GCMG in 1904, having previously been appointed ADC to the Sovereign.

1907 - 1913: Governor of Ceylon(now Sri Langka) on 24th August 1907, taking over from Sir Henry Arthur Blake , Sir M Nathan( Governor of Hong Kong) replaced Sir , Sir Henry McCallum as governor of Natal. http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9920036

1908 - Officers and crew were again treated to the receptions and amusements of all kinds. Although Admiral Sperry , USS Virginia requested that there by no celebration, a brilliant week was arranged. A concert under the direction of Sir Henry Edward McCallum, Governor of Ceylon, and Lady McCallum, was given on December 14th 1908, and on December 15th Sir Allan Perry, chief medical officer of the island, gave a dinner to the medical officers of the fleet. Numerous dances, dinners, "at homes" and a program of sports were also arranged. Entertainment was planned on each ship for the crew and for visitors from Colombo.
http://www.greatwhitefleet.info/GWF_Visits_Ceylon.html

The decision to build a viaduct across Palk Strait and to run a ferry service between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar (in Sri Lanka) was taken at a meeting at Dhanushkodi on November 25, 1908, which was attended by Sir Arthur Lawley, Governor of Madras, Sir Henry McCallum, Governor of Ceylon, and Trevredyn Wynne, President of the Railway Board. On February 24, 1914, the train-cum-ferry service was flagged off, thereby establishing what was known as the ‘Indo-Ceylon connection.’ The Pamban Bridge, one of the oldest sea bridges in the world, the 2.06-km Pamban bridge was unique as it could open up and allow vessels to pass through. The movable span was designed by the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company, Chicago. While passengers were transported from Chennai Egmore to Dhanushkodi in Boat Mail, steamers ferried them from there to Talaimannar.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/12/stories/2007081259650500.htm

1908 - Visit of Sir Henry McCallum, Governor of Ceylon to Jaffna Central College OBA
http://www.jccobacanada.com/history/mileston.htm

Old Parliament Building, Ceylon
The Old Parliament Building, is the building that houses the Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka. Situated in the Colombo fort facing the sea, it is in close proximity to the President's House, Colombo. The building houses the island's legislature for 53 till the New Parliament Complex was opened at Sri Jayawardenepura in 1983. It is next to the General Treasury Building. The neo-Baroque-style building was build in during the British colonial era to house the Legislative Council of Ceylon. It was built on an idea of Sir Henry McCallum, which lead to a proposal made by a committee to construct the new building for the Secretariat, Council Chamber and Government offices on reclaimed land at the northern end of Galle Face' were accepted by the Government in 1920. The chief architect of the Public Works Department, A. Woodson was responsible for the design of the building. The initial estimate of Rs 400,000 for the scheme was later revised by the Public Works Advisory Board to Rs 450,000, taking into account the extra expenses involved.
1911- Old Royal College Building is the main building of the University of Colombo. The iconic symbol of the University of Colombo, it is located on campus center in front of the university sports grounds, and presently houses Department of Mathematics. Originally built in 1911 for the Royal College Colombo before it was transferred to the University College Colombo an year after its formation in 1921. Located behind the building is the King George Hall. The foundation stone for a new building for the Royal College Colombo was laid by the Governor of Ceylon Sir Henry McCallum on May 31, 1911 and the college was transferred form its former location in Sebastian Hill on August 27, 1913.
Governor Henry McCallum (1907-13) wrote to the secretary of state that "any attempt that may be made to represent the people of Ceylon as forming a single entity welded together by common interests to an extent to nullify these differences is in the last degree misleading". Accordingly, it was proposed to add an additional Low Country Sinhalese representative and an elected member for "educated Ceylonese", and to raise the number of officials to 11 to maintain the official majority.(source: http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/CH18Df04.html)

1912 - In 1912 Governor Sir Henry McCallum nominated Ponnambalam Arunachalam(1853-1924) , a Tamil political leader in Ceylon to the Executive Council, as a personal appointment; In 1906 Arunachalam was appointed to the Legislative Council, and on his retirement from the Public Service in 1913, he was knighted in recognition of his distinguished service to the country. For further detail of this man, please visit http://federalidea.com/fi/2009/02/post_127.html)
1912 the elective principle was introduced to the Legislative Council, with only one representative to be elected by all ‘educated’ Ceylonese, Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan won by a substantial majority in what was a largely Sinhalese electorate. He justified this faith in his representative capabilities when he argued passionately on behalf of the Sinhalese imprisoned by the British after the Sinhala-Muslim riots of 1915. Though legend attributes the reaction of the government in Britain to representations made by E W Perera, who traveled to England after the riots, that would have been far too late to save the imprisoned Ceylonese (including D S Senanayake) against whom the British administration in Colombo was threatening the severest penalties of martial law. Rather it was Ramanathan’s spirited attack on the unjustified violence of the British reaction to the riots that roused the attention of the British government, when reported through the telegraph, and which led to a more conciliatory approach and the recall of the then Governor.
By this time the Colebrooke Constitution had been replaced by a Constitution implemented by Governor McCallum, called McCallum Constitution . The Executive Council remained unchanged but, with the franchise having by now been extended in Britain to include all adult males, some concession had to be made to the elective principle in what was seen as one of the more advanced colonies, suitable for experiments because of its small size. So the membership of the Legislative Council was expanded to 21, to include 10 unofficial members, 4 of whom were to be elected – 2 Europeans, 1 Burgher and one Educated Ceylonese. The other 6, 3 Sinhalese, 2 Tamils and a Muslim, were appointed.
Thus the Governor continued to control the vast majority of the Executive Council and indeed the reaction of one of the appointed Sinhalese members to the event of 1915, that the problems were started by nobodies trying to be somebodies, makes clear that the executive power could count on the conservative elements of society to support it, regardless of whom or what they were meant to represent.
(source: http://liberalparty-srilanka.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28:power-sharing-and-representation)
On 1-5-1912, Governor Sir Henry McCallum laid a stone to commemorate the completion of habour work, the extension arms of South West breakwater at Port of Colombo; commenced in 1906 undertake by Engineer from Messrs Coode Son & Matthews(www.shiplink.lk/download.pdf?id=4876)
On July 16th 1912, the corner stone was laid for the new St.Michael’s College by Governor Sir Henry McCallum.

1913 – retired from colonial service. Ill health compelled Sir Henry Edward Mc Callum to leave Ceylon in 24th January 1913, earlier than expected.(pg 248, History of Ceylon(1933), by L. E. Blaze). Sir Robert Chalmers (1913 - 1916) was appointed Governor .
In 1913 the Colombo alumni association of Jaffna College was inaugurated with Governor General Sir Henry McCallum and Sir Robert Chalmers present as distinguished guests.
The Straits Times, 24 June 1913, Page 2 reported that Sir Henry Edward Mc Callum , who has just retired from the governosship of Ceylon; was given an interview in London to representatives of Rubber World on the future of rubber and the suggestion by him that Ceylon to be the site for Tropical Agricultural College. http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19130624.2.3.aspx

1919 – died in England

Other Legacies

Mc Callum Street , Singapore
McCallum Street is named after Major Sir Henry Edward McCallum (b. 28 October 1852, d. 24 November 1919) who served in Singapore as a colonial engineer in the 1890s and designed the National Museum. In 1895, McCallum Street, then a new street, was declared a public street. Today McCallum Street is lined with commercial units reflecting modern building architecture. The Golden Bridge connects McCallum Street to the UIC building and Shenton House, both located on Shenton Way. Flanking DBS Building on its sides are Shenton Way, Maxwell Link, Maxwell Road and McCallum Street. Built in 1975, this 50-storey building has its main entrance facing Shenton Way. A newer building is the SGX Centre or the Singapore Exchange, and is bordered by Shenton Way, McCallum Street, Boon Tat Link and Boon Tat Street.
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_979_2005-09-02.html

Mc Callum Street, Penang

Macallum city, Canada
McCallum is an isolated community on the southern coast of Newfoundland. It is accessible only by boat or by air, and in appearance and way of life is thought by some to be as close to a pre-1900s community as may be found. McCallum lies in an enclosed harbour and is sheltered between two hills. The community survives primarily on the fishery. Whaling was also a major industry in the late 1800s. It is also about an hour and a half from the nearest road, in a similar community called Hermitage
McCallum takes its name from Sir Henry Edward McCallum, Colonial Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1899 to 1901.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCallum,_Newfoundland_and_Labrador

MacCallum Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
On November 26, 1965, the road McCallum Road was re-named 'D. R. Wijewardene Mawatha' in honour of the pioneer in the newspaper business in Sri Lanka. Earlier, the road had been named after Sir Henry McCallum, governor from 1907–13. The road was selected for the change because the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (ANCL) (referred to as Lake House because of its location on the edge of Beira Lake), which Wijewardene founded, is situated down this road which stretches from the end of one side of Fort to Maradana.

Family
HARRISON-WALLACE *, Henry Steuart MacNaghten(01.07.1883-claimed to be born at sea, no birth certificate found - 24.06.1963 Chelsea, London. * Although named by birth Harrison, he registered the name Harrison-Wallace at Lord Lyon in 1910.
Son of late Hon. James Harrison, Hordley Estate and Custos of St Thomas, Jamaica, and Caroline, daughter of Maj.Gen. R.H. Page.
Married 1st (03.04.1907, Ryde, Isle of Wight) Inez Ysabel Worthington-Wilmer (died 07.07.1918 at childbirth); one son died at birth earlier.
Married 2nd (1923) Constantia Eileen Maud (died 23.09.1944),daughter of Sir Henry McCallum, GCMG; one daughter.
Married 3rd (20.09.1946) Barbara Bertha Mary (11.04.1900-?), widow of Capt. Frank Ashton Belville and daughter of late Maj. Herbert Marmaduke Joseph Stourton.
http://www.unithistories.com/officers/rn_officersh2.html

Related articles/books

1. The Colonial Office and Nigeria, 1898-1914(1985), by John M. Carland, published by Hoover Press
2. The ice hunters: a history of Newfoundland sealing to 1914(1994), by Shannon Ryan, published by Breakwater Books
Related articles
3. McCallum, Sir Henry Edward (1852-1919), Governor, 1899-1901; http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g58.html
4. McCallum Street, http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_979_2005-09-02.html