British Consuls In
pp. 30-31 · Read in the full issue
Tahiti.
By Eric Ramsden
THE interesting account of the British Consuls in Tahiti, which appeared in the December issue of the “P.1.M.”, by Mr. W. W. Bolton, M.A., of Papeete, filled in several blanks. How ever, as the writer himself admitted, the list was incomplete.
The British Foreign Office, at the re quest of Consul-General F. G. Gorton (our present official representative in Tahiti) has since supplied a detailed list of Consuls and Vice-Consuls and their periods of service, a copy of which has been made available through the cour tesy of the Mitchell Librarian at Sydney (Miss Ida Leeson, 8.A.). The list, which was despatched from London on Octo ber 25, 1937, is the first to be compiled and, coming from such a source is, nat
urally, of historical importance. It is as follows: Richard Charlton: Appointed Consul for the Sandwich, Society, and Friendly Islands, on September 23, 1824. The dis trict was reduced to exclude Tahiti on February 14, 1837.
Thomas Elley: Appointed honorary Vice-Consul in May, 1826. Resigned De cember, 1827.
George Pritchard: Appointed Consul, February 14, 1837. Transferred in 1844. (This brief biographical note, by the way, makes no mention of the historical im portance of Pritchard’s services in Tahiti.
No other British official there was ever such a controversial figure as Pritchard, who occupied a unique position as con fidential adviser to Pomare IV.).
C. B. Wilson: Appointed Acting-Con sul in the absence of G. Pritchard, June, 1841, to September, 1842. (Wilson was, of course, the son of one of the early missionaries. Herman Melville in “Typhee” has left a most amusing portrait of him.) William Miller: Appointed Consul- General for the Sandwich, Society, and Friendly Islands, and other Islands in the Pacific (resident at Honolulu) with supervision over Tahiti, August 16, 1843, until December, 1855, when his district was reduced to exclude Tahiti. Appoint ed his son George Charles Miller to be Acting- Consul on January 1, 1845. G. C. Miller remained Acting-Consul until April 9, 1850, when he was given the substantive appointment. He retired on pension on February 10, 1886. (It was Consul Miller who, from the outset, looked with dis favour on the Atimaono cotton growing project, under the direction of William Stewart, from the middle 60’s until the failure of the Tahiti Cotton and Sugar Plantation Co., Ltd., in 1872. Stewart made repeated efforts to have Miller dis missed. Much of the correspondence re lating to that period is now in the Mit chell Library.).
Andrew Gibson; Appointed Acting-Con sul during Miller’s leave from January 20, 1859, to June 25, 1859.
John Brander: Acting-Consul from April 5, 1864, to April 3, 1865, during Miller’s leave. (Brander was one of the leading British commercial men in his day, and married a daughter of Arii- Taimai and Alexander Salmon. He has descendants in Tahiti.) George Miller: Appointed honorary Vice-Consul on August 18, 1884. Acted as Consul from February 10, 1886, to June 9, 1886.
Captain C. A. P. Talbot: Appointed Consul November 24, 1885. Transferred October 1, 1889.
Albert G. S. Hawes: Appointed Consul, October 1, 1889, and transferred July 1, 1894.
Arthur J. Brander: Appointed honor ary Vice-Consul, December 17, 1800.
Acted as Consul from May 16, 1891, to November 1, 1891, and from June 11, 1894, to January 4, 1895. Resigned March 19, 1897. (After residing abroad for many years, Mr. Brander has now returned to Tahiti, where he acts as secretary for the Papeete Tourist Bureau. He is a son of John Brander, mentioned above.) Robert T. Simons: Appointed Consul, September 27, 1894, Transferred August 19, 1908.
John Hart: Appointed honorary Vice- Consul, March 19, 1897. Acted as Con sul from May 22, 1898, to December 29, 1898. He died on January 25, 1900.
John Augustus Phillips: Appointed hon orary Vice-Consul, December 17, 1900.
Acted as Consul from January 24, 1901, to April 2, 1901, and from August 23, 1903, to June 23, 1904. Resigned on Janu ary 6, 1906.
A. J. Du Temple: Appointed honorary Vice-Consul March 26, 1906. Acted as Consul in 1905-6-7-8. The Vice-Consul ate was abolished on July 14, 1910.
Arthur L. S. Rowley: Appointed Con sul, December 11, 1908. Transferred on January 8, 1912.
Herbert Arthur Richards: Appointed Consul on January 8, 1912. Transferred July 19, 1916.
Godfrey Arthur Fisher: Appointed Con sul, February 18, 1920. Employed in For eign Office from July, 1921.
Isaac Ernest Walker: Appointed hon orary Vice-Consul on September 28, 1922.
Consul in 1926-28. Resigned December 2, 1934.
Dr. W. J. Williams: Acted as Consul from 1916 to 1920, from May 11, 1921, to April 30, 1923, and from June 30, 1923, to March 5, 1928. Appointed Consul July 1, 1928, and resigned October 4, 1935.
Samuel Russell: Appointed honorary Vice-Consul on January 15, 1935. Acted as Consul that year, and died on Decem ber 28, 1936.
F. G. Gorton: Appointed honorary Consul with the rank of Consul-General March 2, 1936, and still in office.