Arthur Christopher Watson

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Arthur Christopher Watson

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| honorific_suffix = CMG

| image = Arthur Christopher Watson.jpeg

| caption =

| monarch = Elizabeth II

| office = 5th Governor of Montserrat

| term_start = 1985

| term_end = 1987

| predecessor = David Dale

| successor = Christopher Turner

| office1 = 8th British High Commissioner to Brunei

| term_start1 = October 1978

| term_end1 = 31 December 1983

| predecessor1 = James Davidson

| successor1 = Francis Cornish

| office2 = 2nd Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands

| term_start2 = 1975

| term_end2 = 1978

| predecessor2 = Alexander Mitchell

| successor2 = John Strong

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1927|01|02}}

| birth_place = Republic of China

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2001|05|07|1927|01|02}}

| occupation = Politician
Diplomat

| allegiance = {{Flag|United Kingdom}}

| branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}}

| serviceyears = 1945–1948

| spouse = {{marriage|Mary Candler|1956}}

| children = 1 step daughter, 1 step son and 1 daughter

| alma_mater = University of London (BA)

| unit = Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

| rank = Sub-lieutenant

}}

Arthur Christopher Watson (2 January 1927 – 7 May 2001) was a British colonial administrator and politician who served as Governor of Montserrat, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British High Commissioner to Brunei.

Biography

Watson was born in China, and educated at Norwich School from 1940 to 1945, Selwyn College in 1945, St. Catherine's College from 1948 to 1950, and London University from 1950 to 1951. Earning his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1950 and Master of Arts (MA) in 1953.{{Cite book |last=Relations |first=Great Britain Office of Commonwealth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jOqLi_6ER8IC&dq=Arthur+Christopher+Watson+1945&pg=PA539 |title=The Commonwealth Relations Office Year Book |date=1964 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |pages=539 |language=en}} Then he had a short career in the Royal Navy from 1945 to 1948, becoming a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). He began work with Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service (HMOCS) Uganda from 1951 to 1963, becoming a District Officer at the same time in 1953. He retired as the Principal Assistant Secretary in 1961, Secretary in the Office of the Governor from March to October 1962, retired form HMOCS in 1963, and later First Secretary at the Commonwealth Relations Office on 4 June 1963, Consular in Karachi from 1964 to 1967, and the First Secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) In November 1967.{{Cite book |last=Office |first=Great Britain Diplomatic Service Administration |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SivwAAAAMAAJ&dq=Arthur+Christopher+Watson&pg=PA379 |title=The Diplomatic Service List |date=1970 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |pages=379 |language=en}}

He served as Commissioner of Anguilla from 1971 to 1974. He was then the Governor of the Turks and Caicos from May 1975 until July 1978.{{cite news|url=http://tcimall.tc/turks-and-caicos-government-offices/ |title=Turks and Caicos Government Offices|newspaper=Turks and Caicos Information - Tci Mall|access-date=17 May 2021}} He then served as Governor of Montserrat from 1985 until 1987.{{Cite book |last=Fergus |first=Howard A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5RVsAAAAMAAJ&q=Arthur+Christopher+Watson+CMG |title=Montserrat in the Twentieth Century: Trials and Triumphs |date=2000 |publisher=University of the West Indies, School of Continuing Studies |isbn=978-976-8018-08-3 |pages=239 |language=en}} Watson was also the last British High Commissioner to Brunei before independence, serving from October 1978 until independence on 1 January 1984.{{cite web|url=https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/brunei/bruneiadmin.htm |title=Brunei Administrators|website=British Empire|access-date=17 May 2021}}{{Cite book |last=Banks |first=Arthur S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HakUV3wuoG4C&q=Arthur+Christopher+Watson+Brunei |title=Political handbook of the world |date=1980 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |isbn=978-0-07-003626-0 |pages=87 |language=en}}

Honours

50x50px Order of St Michael and St George Companion (CMG)

References

{{Succession box|title=Governor of Montserrat|before=David Kenneth Hay Dale|after=Christopher J. Turner|years=1985 – 1987}}

{{Succession box|title=Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands|before=Alexander Graham Mitchell|after=John Clifford Strong|years=1975 – 1978}}

{{Succession box|title=British High Commissioner to Brunei|before=James Davidson|after=Francis Cornish|years=October 1978 – 31 December 1983}}

Category:1927 births

Category:2001 deaths

Category:People educated at Norwich School

Category:Alumni of St Catharine's College, Cambridge

Category:Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge

Category:Alumni of the University of London

Category:British civil servants

Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George

Category:Governors of Montserrat

Category:Governors of the Turks and Caicos Islands

Category:High commissioners of the United Kingdom to Brunei

Category:British expatriates in China