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Robert Porter Bingham CMG (3 January 1903 – 1982) was a colonial administrator in British Malaya. He served as the last Resident Commissioner of Penang from 1950 to 1957.

Early life and education

Bingham was born on 3 January 1903, the son of R.W. Bingham of Dungannon, County Tyrone. He was educated at Royal School, Dungannon and Trinity College, Dublin.

Career

In 1926, Bingham entered the Malay Civil Service as a cadet. After studying Chinese in China, in 1928 he was appointed Protector of Chinese, serving in various parts of Malaya until 1941. In 1931, he served briefly as District Officer, Christmas Island. From 1942 to 1945 he was interned in Singapore as a POW.

In 1946, he was appointed Commissioner of Labour in Singapore, and had to deal with serious labour unrest and strikes, while he also encouraged the formation of non-Communist trade unions.

From 1950-51, he was Secretary for Chinese Affairs for the Federation of Malaya, and became a member of the Federal Council. In 1950, he was appointed acting Resident Commissioner of Penang, Federation of Malaya, becoming Resident Commissioner the following year, and remained in office until the post was abolished in 1957.

His last public function took place at a ceremony in Penang on 31 August 1957 attended by 25,000 people when he received the Union Jack after it had been lowered from the flagstaff of Fort Cornwallis, and handed over the constitutional instrument marking the end of 171 years of British rule.

Personal life

Bingham married Elizabeth Walker in 1936 and they had one son.

Honours

Bingham was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1956 Birthday Honours.

References

1. ^ Who's who : an annual biographical dictionary with which is incorporated "men and women of the time.". Internet Archive. London : A. & C. Black. 1981. ISBN 978-0-7136-2030-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
2. Settlements, Straits (1927). Blue Book for the Year ... U.S. Government Printing Office.
3. "Social and Personal". The Straits Times. 17 January 1931. p. 10.
4. "Untitled". The Straits Times. 20 October 1928. p. 10.
5. "Appointments in Singapore". The Straits Budget. 5 December 1946. p. 13.
6. "General Strike in Singapore. (Hansard, 5 February 1946)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
7. Sengupta, Nilanjana (2016-06-29). Singapore, My Country: Biography Of M Bala Subramanion. World Scientific. p. 102. ISBN 978-981-314-131-5.
8. "New Bid to Settle Municipal Strike". The Straits Times. 26 January 1947. p. 1.
9. "Federal Executive and Legislative Councillors". Indian Daily Mail. 19 April 1951. p. 4.
10. "New Resident Commissioner". The Straits Times. 28 January 1950. p. 4.
11. "Kudos For Bingham As He Ends 7-Year Stint". Singapore Standard. 18 July 1957. p. 2.
12. "Bingham Receives Flag". Sunday Standard. 1 September 1957. p. 8.
13. "Page 3103 | Supplement 40787, 25 May 1956 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-14.

• 1903 births
• 1982 deaths
• Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
• Administrators in British Malaya
• Administrators in British Penang
• Malayan Civil Service officers
• Colonial Administrative Service officers
• Alumni of Trinity College Dublin