Alexander Swettenham

{{Infobox governor

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Sir Alexander Swettenham

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCMG}}

| image = James Alexander Swettenham.jpg

| office = Governor of Jamaica

| term_start = 30 September 1904

| term_end = 1907

| monarch = Edward VII

| predecessor = Augustus Hemming

| successor = Sydney Haldane Olivier

| order1 = 41st

| office1 = Governor of British Guiana

| term_start1 = 3 July 1901{{London Gazette|issue=27330|page=4470|date=5 July 1901}}

| term_end1 = 26 September 1904

| monarch1 = Edward VII

| predecessor1 = Walter Joseph Sendall

| successor1 = Frederick Mitchell Hodgson

| office2 = Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements

| term_start2 = 7 December 1899

| term_end2 = 5 November 1901

| monarch2 = Queen Victoria
Edward VII

| predecessor2 = Sir Charles Mitchell

| successor2 = Sir Frank Swettenham

| order3 = 7th Colonial Secretary, Straits Settlements

| term_start3 = 11 February 1895

| term_end3 = 7 December 1899

| monarch3 = Queen Victoria

| governor3 = Charles Mitchell

| predecessor3 = William Edward Maxwell

| successor3 = Walter Egerton {{small|(acting)}}
Sir Charles Walter Sneyd Kynnersley {{small|(acting)}}

| order4 = 20th

| office4 = Accountant General and Controller of Revenue

| term_start4 = 31 July 1891

| term_end4 = 10 June 1895

| predecessor4 = George Thomas Michael O'Brien

| successor4 = William Thomas Taylor

| birth_date = 1846

| birth_place = Belper, Derbyshire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1933|4|19|1846|df=y}}

| death_place = La Colline, Switzerland

| restingplace = Vevey, Switzerland

| birthname = James Alexander Swettenham

| nationality = British

| father = James Oldham Swettenham

| spouse = {{marriage|Mary Emily née Copeland|1905}}

| alma_mater = Clare College, Cambridge

| occupation = Colonial administrator

}}

Sir James Alexander Swettenham {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCMG}} (1846 – 19 April 1933) was a British colonial administrator who was Governor of British Guiana (1901–1904) and Governor of Jamaica (1904–1907).{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of Singapore|first= Justin|last=Corfield|page=257}}

Early life

Alexander was born the son of James Oldham Swettenham, an attorney-at-law, near Belper, Derbyshire and educated at Clare College, Cambridge.

Family

Alexander’s younger brother, Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, was also a colonial administrator.

Alexander married Mary Emily Copeland,{{cite news|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/easterndaily19051004.2.25.20|title=Sir Alexander Swettenham's Marriage|work=Eastern Daily Mail and Straits Morning Advertiser|date=4 October 1905|page=3}} a descendant of the Staffordshire Wedgwood family. They had no children.

Career

Alexander joined the Ceylon Civil Service in 1868 and worked there until 1883, before being appointed Receiver-General for Cyprus in 1884, returning to Ceylon in 1891 where he was appointed the 20th Accountant General and Controller of Revenue in Sri Lanka. His appointment commenced on 31 July 1891, succeeding G. T. M. O'Brien, and he held the office until 10 June 1895, when he was succeeded by J. A. Taylor.{{cite web|title=Former Auditor Generals|url=http://www.auditorgeneral.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=56&lang=en|publisher=auditorgeneral.gov.lk|access-date=13 December 2013}} Alexander moved to Singapore on 11 February 1895{{London Gazette|issue=10649|page=185|date=15 February 1895|city=e}} and served as the Colonial Secretary until 1899, becoming acting Governor that year, when Sir Charles Mitchell died in office, until handing over to his brother Frank in November 1901.

From 1901 to 1904 he served as Governor of British Guiana before moving to Jamaica to become Governor there. In 1907 there was a severe earthquake on the island and he was responsible for dealing with its aftermath. When a corps of American marines arrived under Rear-Admiral Charles H. Davis Jr to offer assistance he asked them to leave as he had matters under control. The Americans took offence and caused a diplomatic spat referred to as the Kingston Incident, as a result of which Swettenham was obliged to resign his position.{{cite web|url=http://thehistorybucket.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-other-ladies-swettenham.html|title=Wives in the Shadow (2) – the other Ladies Swettenham|date=24 April 2014 |access-date=2 July 2017}}

Death

Alexander died in a clinic in La Colline, Switzerland and was buried in Vevey.

Honour

Alexander was awarded CMG in 1892{{London Gazette|issue=26291|page=3139|date=25 May 1892}} and was knighted KCMG in 1898.{{London Gazette|issue=26969|page=3229|date=21 May 1898}}