John Gutch (colonial administrator)

Sir John Gutch, KCMG, OBE (12 July 1905^[1] – 11 February 1988) was a British colonial administrator.

Sir John Gutch KCMG, OBE
18th High Commissioner for the Western Pacific
In office 1955 – 4 March 1961
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Sir Robert Stanley
Succeeded by	Sir David Trench
2nd Governor of the Solomon Islands
In office 1955 – 4 March 1961
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Sir Robert Stanley
Succeeded by	Sir David Trench
Personal details
Born	(1905-07-12)12 July 1905
Died	11 February 1988(1988-02-11) (aged 82)

His career in the Colonial Service began in 1928, with his appointment as an Assistant District Commissioner in the Gold Coast (now Ghana). In 1934, he was promoted to Assistant Colonial Secretary. He was posted to the Mandate of Palestine in 1936, eventually becoming Principal Commissioner. He was one of the survivors of the King David Hotel bombing in Jerusalem on 22 July 1946. He was posted by the Foreign Office to Cyrenaica in 1948. He became Chief Secretary of British Guiana in 1950.^[2] From September 1955 to January 1961, he was Governor of the Solomon Islands and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. In this role he oversaw not only the Solomon Islands but also the New Hebrides and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.^[3] During his term, the Solomon Islands took their first steps towards self-government, with the establishment of the first Legislative Council.^[4]

Gutch was awarded the OBE and a knighthood in 1957.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. "The Near and Middle East Who's who". 1947.
2. "John Gutch". Palestine: Information with Provenance (PIWP database). Retrieved 31 August 2015.
3. "Gutch, John". Solomon Islands Historical Encyclopaedia 1893-1978. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
4. "Self rule starting in Solomon Islands". Virgin Islands Daily News. 29 November 1960. Retrieved 31 August 2015.