Sir Roland St. John Braddell (20 December 1880 – 15 November 1966) was a historian and colonial adviser in British Malaya. He was considered "one of Malaya's foremost legal authorities".[1]

Early life

Roland St. John Braddell was born in Singapore in 1880. His father, Thomas de Multon Lee Braddell, had served as Attorney-General of Singapore, as had his father before him.[2]: 1–2 

He was educated at King's School, Canterbury,[3] and then Worcester College, Oxford.[4][2]: 2  He was called to the bar in 1905.[3]

Writing career

Braddell wrote several books on the history of Malaya,[5]: 78  as well as a two-volume legal work called Laws of the Straits Settlements and a book titled Gaming Laws. Alongside this, he published several essays concerning the legal status of the Federated Malay States from a series of lectures he had given to the Singapore Rotary Club. He worked as an editor on One Hundred Years of Singapore with Walter Makepeace and Gilbert Brooke.[2]: 6–7  Alongside editing the book, he contributed several chapters to it.[6]

In 1934, he published The Lights of Singapore, an anecdotal work on life in the region.[2]: 7 

Educational career

Braddell served as Chairman for the Council of the University of Malaya in Singapore from 1949.[3] He was later knighted for his work in this position, and also granted the degree of Honorary Doctor of Letters.[2]: 7 

Following his retirement from the university in 1951, he returned to Kuala Lumpur.[2]: 7–8  In 1953, alongside R. G. D. Allen, Braddell was appointed to "submit a scheme of courses and organisation for consideration by Senate and Council" at the University of Malaya. In March 1955, they published the Braddell-Allen Report and recommended the creation of two new departments for Social Sciences and Law. Braddell proposed a four-year programme with various elements to it, and consulted with legal experts like the Bar Committee of Singapore over what to include. He also suggested that a Professor of Law be hired by the university to develop a curriculumm, and Lionel Astor Sheridan was hired soon after.[7]: 240–1 

He was a Life Fellow of The Asiatic Society since 1934, and served as President of its Malayan branch for several years.[3]

Colonial career

Braddell served as Municipal Commissioner in Singapore for several years during World War I, and later became a member of the Housing Commission and the Executive Council.[3]

From 1932 to 1940, he was a Constitutional Advisor and member of the Executive Council to the Sultan of Johore. Following World War II, he advised the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the monarchies of Malaysia.[3][2]: 8 

Personal life

Braddell died on 15 November 1966.[2]: 1 

References

  1. ^ "Motion Critical of Sultan". The Guardian. 17 December 1955. p. 7. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Ramani, R. (1968). "IN MEMORIAM: Dato Sir Roland St. John Braddell (20.12.1880 - 15.11.1966)". Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 41 (1 (213)). ISSN 0126-7353. JSTOR 41491930. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "OBITUARY". Journal of the Royal Society of Arts. 115 (5126): 126. 1967. ISSN 0035-9114. JSTOR 41369841. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  4. ^ "University Intelligence". The Guardian. 27 June 1904. p. 5. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  5. ^ Wheatley, Paul (1955). "Belated Comments on Sir Roland Braddell's Studies of Ancient Times in the Malay Peninsula". Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 28 (1 (169)): 78–98. ISSN 2304-7550. JSTOR 41503170. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  6. ^ "The Tale of Singapore". The Times. 22 February 1921. p. 13. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  7. ^ Li-ann, Thio; YL Tan, Kevin (2017). "Teaching Constitutional and Administrative Law at Nus: Mission, Materials and Methods 1957-2017". Singapore Journal of Legal Studies: 239–257. ISSN 0218-2173. JSTOR 44986454. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
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