Roland Braddell

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. 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. "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.