Otho Lewis Hancock

Captain
Otho Lewis Hancock
OBE
Administrator of the British Virgin Islands
In office
1923–1926
Personal details
Born(1893-12-19)19 December 1893[1]
Cornwall, England
Died14 February 1942(1942-02-14) (aged 48)[2]
at sea, near Singapore
NationalityBritish subject
OccupationColonial administrator

Otho Lewis Hancock OBE (19 December 1893 – 14 February 1942)[3] was a British soldier and colonial diplomat. He served as Administrator of the British Virgin Islands from 1923 to 1926.[4]

He and his family were physically present in the original Government House (then known as Cameron Lodge) in Road Town, Tortola when it was physically destroyed by the "Gale of 1924", a catastrophic hurricane.[5] Much of what we know about that hurricane's impact on the Territory come from contemporaneous written records and photographs by his wife, Agnes.[6][7]

He was later appointed as Governor of Singapore prison.[8]

Captain Hancock and his wife were both killed at sea on 14 February 1942 off the coast of Singapore, together with their son (also named Otho, an officer in the RAF[9]). Records indicated that on the last day of fighting before fall of Singapore they were on the vessel, the S.S. Kuala at dock in Pom Pong Island whilst evacuating from Singapore,[10] when it was bombed.[8] Some reports suggest that Hancock left the ship by the gangway but then later returned to try and fight the blaze, and was never seen again.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Otho Lewis Hancock in the UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914–1923
  2. ^ Otho Lewis Hancock in the UK, World War II Civilian Deaths, 1939–1945
  3. ^ "Otho Lewis Hancock and his wife Agnes Lucy both died at sea off Singapore in 1942". Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  4. ^ "LIST OF GOVERNORS". Old Government House Museum. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Cameron Lodge". Old Government House Museum. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  6. ^ Hugh Whistler (13 February 2015). "Deadly 1924 Hurricane". Virgin Islands Property & Yacht. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  7. ^ "The 1924 Hurricane". Old Government House Museum. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "S.S. Kuala". Role of Honour – Britain at War. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Death Record – HANCOCK, Otho Lewis". cornwallhistory.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  10. ^ "S.S. Kuala". Singapore Evacuation 1942. 16 June 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2018.