Captain Henry Birch-Reynardson, Official Secretary to the Governor-General of South Africa, 1927–1933: A British Official in an ‘Independent’ Dominion

References

• 1926 . Such crises occurred in New South Wales and Canada in, and in South Africa in 1939 when Sir Patrick Duncan had to decide whether to grant General Hertzog a dissolution of Parliament or to appoint General Smuts as Prime Minister. A later crisis occurred in 1975 in Australia when the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed his Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam
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• Birch-Reynardson Diaries [Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library, University of London]
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• 1926 . Hertzog Versameling [National Archives, Pretoria], 64, Athlone to Hertzog, 29 Mar., p. 68
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• 1937 . Governor-General (GG) [National Archives, Pretoria], 14/1362. Secretary to the Governor-General, memorandum, Bodenstein, 8 Dec., pp 4–5
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• Morris , J. 1978 . Farewell the Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat 308 – 11 . London
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• 1924 . GG. 19/788. Governor-General's personal staff, 21 Jan.: GG 8/1. personal stall, 1923–30 Clifford was the youngest son of William, Baron Clifford of Chudleigh;Alexander came from a family of courtiers;Bingham was the Earl of Lucan's heir;Hawkins married the daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch
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• 1923 . GG, 19/801, Prime Minister to Minister of Defence, 8 Nov.;19/803, Government Gazette, 8 Feb. 1924. Despite being a nephew of General Beyers who had been killed during the 1914 Rebellion, Beyers became one of Athlone's ‘staunchest and most loyal friends’: see Alice, Countess of Athlone, For my Grandchildren: Some Reminiscences (London, 1966), 173
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• 1926 . GG, 8/1, telegram, Thomas, St James's Palace to Governor-General, 20 Dec.
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• 1926 . GG, 8/1, Hargreaves to Fielden, 23 Apr.
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• 1999 . Quoted in The Spectator, 23 Jan., p. 14
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• Nicolson , H. 1911 . King George V: His Life and Reign 64 London Birch-Reynardson was the longest serving South African Official Secretary between the wars and he stayed in South Africa for only six years. By contrast, the monarch's Secretaries were often in royal service their whole working life. Sir Arthur Bigge (created Lord Stamfordham in joined the service of the Duke of York as private secretary in 1901 after having been in Queen Victoria's household since 1880. He became the King's secretary when York ascended the throne as George V in 1910, remaining in this position until his death in 1931: (1952, No Governor-General's secretary could achieve the experience and influence resulting from a lifetime of service
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• 1971 . Dictionary of National Biography, 1951–1960 918 – 9 . Oxford (H. Stanley, pp.;1961–1970 (Oxford, 1981), B. Clifford, pp. 220–1;personal communication from W. Birch-Reynardson, 16 May 2001. Although he did not continue in the Colonial service, Ulick Alexander (1924–1926) became Comptroller of the Household to Prince George, then Keeper of the Privy Purse successively to King Edward VIII, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II: see Who Was Who, 1971–1980 (London, 1981), Alexander, p. 12
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• Nicolson . King George V 64
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• 1923 . GG 19/771, Governor-General to Secretary of State, 5 Dec.
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• Dawson , R. M. 1965 . The Development of Dominion Status. 1900–1936 331 London
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• Clifford , B. 1964 . Proconsul: Being Incidents in the Life and Career of the Honourable Sir Bede Clifford London (15, 36, 41, 83;Dictionary of National Biography. 1961–1970, Clifford, pp. 220–1
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• 1926 . GG 8/1, Thomas to Athlone, private, 11 Dec., p. 3
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• Townend , P. 1963 . Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage 691 – 2 . London (De Mauley, pp.
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• 1924 . 306 – 15 . See H. Birch-Reynardson, ‘South Africa’, Journal of the United Services Institution (499–509. The articles contained no more than a brief survey of British rule in South Africa Their interpretation of British policy in South Africa, particularly in connection with the South African War, reflects very conventional views, approving imperial policies but not tactics. His view of the causes of the War was that it was not ‘a war of oppression, or of capitalism, or of imperialism;but simply a war of irritation, unintentional but persistent’ (p. 505). His view of the Union's future position as the powerhouse of development in Africa and of its strategic importance to the Empire (pp. 508–9) were in perfect accord with Amery's own imperialist outlook while his argument that South Africa's ties to the Empire had been reduced to ties ‘of common interest, sentiment, sympathy—weak as gossamer, or strong as steel’ (p. 509) would have received the approval of South Africa
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• 1926 . GG. 8/1, Thomas to Athlone, telegram, 20 Dec.;Athlone to Thomas, telegram. 21 Dec 1926
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• Who Was Who, 1971–1980, Birch-Reynardson, p. 663;The Times, Obituary, 17 Feb. 1972;Debrell's Peerage, Baronetage. Knightage and Companionage (London, 1943), entries for Baron de Mauley, p. 311 and Birch-Reynardson, p. 1702. His children were Cynthia (b. 1918), Rosamund (b. 1920), William (b. 1923) and Richard (b. 1926)
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• 1926 . GG8/1, RH Dundas, Christ Church, Oxford, copy of confidential testimonial, 9 Dec.
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• 1972 . Ibid., The Times, Obituary, 17 Feb.
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• Perham , M. 1974 . African Apprenticeship: An Autobiographical Journey in Southern Africa. 1929 173 New York
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• 2001 . Personal communication from W Birch-Reynardson, 16 May;Cape Argus, 27 June. 3 July 1933;The Times. Obituary, 17 Feb. 1972
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• 1926 . GG8/1. Athlone to Thomas, telegram, 21 Dec.
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• 1930 . Thomas Papers [Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone], U1625/031/5, Athlone to Thomas, private and personal, 10 Sep. He received neither. On Athlone's departure from South Africa the High Commissionership was divorced from the Governor-Generalship which meant that the position of Imperial Secretary was no longer as important politically as it had been when the Imperial Secretary had to carry the brunt of the High Commissioner's work. The CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George) was not granted as the Dominion Office felt that the South African government would not have approved of an honour being given to a member of the Governor-General's staff: see GG, 34/1314, Clarendon to Wigram, 27 Aug. 1932 Athlone's successor Clarendon also believed Birch-Reynardson thoroughly deserved the CMG and again recommended the honour in 1932. This time it was granted: GG, 34/1314, Clarendon to Wigram, 27 Aug. 1932
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• 1927 . GG 19/972, Athlone to Amery, Confidential, 11 Mar.
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• 1930 . See below, p 91. Athlone's reliance on Clifford continued until the end of his Governor-Generalship—on leaving South Africa he entrusted a personal letter to Hertzog to Clifford rather than to his Official Secretary. See RA GV [Royal Archives, King George V Archive, with appreciation for the gracious permission of Her Majesty the Queen for the use of this and other material from the Royal Archives], FF3/ATH, Clifford to Athlone, 11 Dec.
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• 1929 . Birch Reynardson Diaries, 2, 27 Apr., p. 109. See also I, 26 Apr. 1927, p. 27;1, 5 May 1927, p. 36. As an older man he was less critical of what he saw as Athlone's shortcomings and in 19S4 he edited his diaries to soften his comments and delete those which reflected badly on the Governor-General
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• 1927 . Ibid., 1, Sep., p. 67
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• 1929 . Ibid., 2. 26 Jan., pp 12–13
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• 1928 . Ibid., second half of passim; 3 and 4, passim.
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• 1929 . This was particularly so during the negotiations surrounding the German Trade Treaty which was the first time that the Governor-General was confronted with legislation which was specifically anti-British. Birch-Reynardson advised Athlone that his responsibility was to advise the government on what was best for South Africa: see Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 2, 8 June, pp. 125–7
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• 1928 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 1, 25 Jan., p. 15
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• 1928 . Ibid, 1, 27 Jan., p. 17
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• 1927 . See GG 2 and 23/634, correspondence between EH. Harding and Captain H. Birch-Reynardson, This correspondence ceased in September
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• 1927 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 1, 6–10 Sep., p. 69
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• 1927 . Bodenstein's interpretation was that a question of policy was involved ‘whenever it is sought either (1) to enter into new relations, or (2) to more clearly define, or (3) to change existing relations, whether of a political or economic nature, between the members of the British Empire inter se or between the Union Government and foreign countries’: GG, 19/991, Bodenstein to Birch-Reynardson. 16 Sep
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• 1927 . DO 35/25. Minute by Amery. 10 Feb.;GG, 23/634. Extract from letter addressed by Mr E.J. Harding to Captain H. Birch-Reynardson on 1 Sep 1927
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• 1933 . Ibid., 4, ‘My spies’
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• 1927 . Ibid., 1, 28 Sep., p. 78, 13 Jan. 1928, p. 8; J.H. Hofmeyr Collection [William Cullen Library, University of the Witwatersrand], Ga 24, Hofmeyr to Birch-Reynardson, 4 Oct. 1927. The close friendship with the two men was confirmed by W. Birch-Reynardson, 16 May 2001
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• 1927 . Ibid., 1, 5 May, p. 36
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• 1928 . GG 19/991, Athlone to Hertzog, 12 June
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• 1929 . GG 61a, Notes for conversation with Prime Minister, 4 Mar.
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• 1930 . GG 61b, Notes for conversation with Prime Minister, re Native Representation Bill, 17 Feb
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• 1927 . DO, 35/25, Birch-Reynardson to Harding, 2 June. Clifford shared his view, believing that Bodenstein was ‘continually pouring poison into Hertzog's ear from a seemingly inexhaustable phial’: DO 119/1001, Clifford to Amery, 21 Nov. 1928
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• GG 1,8, Birch-Reynardson to Harding, nd
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• 1928 . GG 19/991, Athlone to Hertzog, 12 June;Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 1, 8 Aug. 1928, p. 126
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• 1928 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 1, 26 Nov., pp. 203–5. The ultimatum was delivered after Birch-Reynardson discovered that negotiations for a trade treaty were being held with the Portuguese Government without the Governor-General being informed. He told Bodenstein that he ‘felt strongly that too much had been left to my initiative and much too little had been volunteered by External Affairs’
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• 1931 . Ibid., 3, 14 July, np
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• 1931 . Ibid, 3, 10 Sep., np, 12 Sep. 1931, np
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• 1928 . Ibid, 1. 20 Oct., p. 167;see also 1, 3 May 1927, p. 29
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• 1928 . Ibid, 1, 9 Jan., p. 5
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• 1929 . Ibid., 2, 8 May, p. 115;1, 24 Nov. 1928, p. 202;2, 2 Apr. 1929, p. 87
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• 1932 . Ibid., 2, 24 Dec;RA GV, AA 70/41, Athlone to The King, 24 Apr. 1929;DO. 35/70, 16, Confidential, Clifford to Harding, 1 Feb. 1929
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• 1930 . Ibid., 2, 21 Mar., p. 30
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• 1930 . Thomas Papers, U1625/031/5, Athlone to Thomas, private and personal, 10 Sep.
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• 1927 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 1, 1–8 Apr., p. 24
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• 1927 . Ibid., 1, 1–8 Apr., p 18
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• 1927 . Ibid., 1, Sep. passim, see esp. 28 Sep., p. 78–80
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• 1927 . GG. 29, Hofmeyr to Birch-Reynardson, 17 Oct.;J.P. Brits, Tietman Roos: Political Prophet or Opportunist? (Pretoria, 1987), 147
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• 1927 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries. 1, 18 Oct., pp. 103–5
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• 1927 . Hertzog Versameling, 28, Athlone to Hertzog, 24 Oct, p. 120
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• 1928 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 1, 24 Feb., p 37, 21 Aug. 1928, p. 139
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• 1928 . Ibid., 1.24 Feb., p. 37
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• 1931 . See comment, ibid., 3, 13 Feb.
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• 1928 . Ibid., 1,21 Aug., p. 139
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• Birch-Reynardson , H. 1936 . High Street, Africa 1 Edinburgh and London
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• Ibid., 165, 170
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• Birch-Reynardson . 1928 . Diaries, 1, 2 Nov., p. 176
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• 1930 . Ibid., 2, 18 Mar., p. 25
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• 1929 . Ibid., 2, 26 Feb., p. 39
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• 1928 . Ibid., 1, 4 Nov., p. 180
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• 1929 . Ibid, 2, 4 Nov., p. 180
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• 1930 . Ibid.2, 16 Jan., np. He also, the same month, saw Hertzog himself and suggested to him that he could win over ‘decent native opinion’ by offering concessions
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• 1930 . Ibid., 2, 20 Feb., p. 8
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• Perham . African Apprenticeship 104. He accepted that tear of economic competition was largely responsible tor the Union's native policy but believed that improvements in education and the spread of schools and universities would improve conditions and race relations Perham was impressed with his grasp of African policy, writing that his views were in general agreement with her own: see p. 173
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• Birch-Reynardson . 1932 . Diaries, 3, 4 Feb., np
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• 1930 . Ibid., 2. 29 Sep.–3 Oct., np
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• 1930 . GG, 58, Secret memorandum by Birch-Reynardson, nd [Aug/Sep ]
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• 1930 . GG, 58, Adams to Birch-Reynardson, private, 21 Aug.
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• 1930 . Birch-Reynardson Diaries, 2, 3 Sep. The stipend was reduced by half and, at Athlone's suggestion, was to be reviewed after 12 months: GG, 4/145, Secret and Confidential, Athlone Memorandum
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• Birch-Reynardso . 1930 . n Diaries, 2, 4 Sep., np
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• 1913–33 . GG, 45/145, Secret and Confidential, Athlone Memorandum. The Memorandum recommended the recognition of Solomon's position and the removal of Zululand from the control of the Native Affairs Department to place it directly under the Governor-General-in-Council. For a discussion of the Memorandum, see N. Cope, To Bind the Nation: Solomon kaDinuzulu and Zulu Nationalism. (Pietermaritzburg, 1993), 238–9
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• Birch-Reynardson . 1931 . Diaries. 3, July, np
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• Birch-Reynardson . 1933 . Diaries, 4, 8 Jan., np
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• See pp. 86–87
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• 2001 . Personal communication from W. Birch-Reynardson, 16 May
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• 1972 . The Times, Obituary, 17 Feb.;Who Was Who, 1971–1980, p. 663
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• 2001 . Personal communication from W. Birch-Reynardson, 16 May
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• 1972 . The Times, Obituary, 17 Feb.;see also Margery Perham Collection [Rhodes House, Oxford University], MSS Perham 353/3,28 Birch-Reynardson to Perham, 4 Sep. 1971, 11 Dec. 1971
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• Birch-Reynardson . High Street, Africa 105
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• 1972 . The Times, Obituary, 17 Feb.
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• Perham . African Apprenticeship 173
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Secretary to the Governor-General, memorandum, Hertzog, 5 Nov., p. 5
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• In the process the original position of Private Secretary was also abolished
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Secretary to the Governor-General, memorandum, Bodenstein, 8 Dec. pp 1–2
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Duncan to Hertzog, 19 Nov., p.11
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Secretary to the Governor-General, memorandum, Bodenstein. 8 Dec. pp, 2–3
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Secretary to the Governor-General, memorandum, Hertzog, 5 Nov. p. 5
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Secretary to the Governor-General, memorandum. Hertzog, 5 Nov., p. 6
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• 1937 . GG, 14/1362, Secretary to the Governor-General, letter, Governor-General to Prime Minister, 19 Nov., p. 2
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