The High Commissioner of Newfoundland to the United Kingdom was the Dominion of Newfoundland's foremost diplomatic representative in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (after 1922, the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

), and was in charge of Newfoundland's

diplomatic mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...

in the United Kingdom. Though Newfoundland was granted

dominion The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire. "Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 192 ...

status in 1907, it was not until November 22, 1918 that its High Commission was established in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

with the appointment of Sir

Edgar Rennie Bowring Sir Edgar Rennie Bowring (17 August 1858 – 23 June 1943) was a Newfoundland businessman and politician. He was born in St. John's, Newfoundland the grandson of Benjamin Bowring and cousin of Charles R. Bowring. Between 1918 and 1922 ...

who took the position at his own expense. The High Commission was abolished in 1934 when Newfoundland's

status was suspended, along with self-government, and direct rule by London was established with the

commission of government The Commission of Government was a non-elected body that governed the Dominion of Newfoundland from 1934 to 1949. Established following the collapse of Newfoundland's economy during the Great Depression, it was dissolved when the dominion beca ...

. Britain did not begin to send High Commissioners to Dominions until after the

Balfour Declaration of 1926 The Balfour Declaration of 1926, issued by the 1926 Imperial Conference of British Empire leaders in London, was named after Arthur Balfour, who was Lord President of the Council. It declared the United Kingdom and the Dominions to be: Th ...

in which it was agreed that

Governors-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

would no longer represent the British government. While Britain began appointing high commissioners to Canada in 1928,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

in 1930, Australia in 1936, and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

in 1939, no High Commissioner was sent to Newfoundland due to the establishment of the

Commission of Government The Commission of Government was a non-elected body that governed the Dominion of Newfoundland from 1934 to 1949. Established following the collapse of Newfoundland's economy during the Great Depression, it was dissolved when the dominion beca ...

in 1934, which made such an appointment redundant.''"What's in a name?" – The curious tale of the office of High Commissioner''
by Lorna Lloyd

Sources

{{reflist Newfoundland

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Newfoundland Canada and the Commonwealth of Nations Diplomats of former countries Dominion of Newfoundland Newfoundland United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations Canada diplomacy-related lists