Sir Arthur Shuldham Redfern, KCVO,

CMG CMG may refer to: Companies * Capitol Music Group, a music label * China Media Group, the predominant state radio and television broadcaster in the PRC * China Media Group Co., Ltd., publicly listed Chinese holding company in the media sector * ...

(13 June 1895 – 18 February 1985) was a British colonial administrator in the Sudan, and then

Secretary to the Governor General of Canada The Secretary to the Governor General () is the administrative head of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG)—the government department that supports the work of the Governor General of Canada—and is based at Rideau Hall in ...

from 1935 to 1945.

Biography

The elder son of Dr J. J. Redfern, Shuldham Redfern was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of ...

and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

, he served in the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

, then the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

, reaching the rank of Major. Joining the

Sudan Political Service Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ( ar, السودان الإنجليزي المصري ') was a condominium of the United Kingdom and Egypt in the Sudans region of northern Africa between 1899 and 1956, corresponding mostly to the territory of present-day ...

in 1920, Redfern successively served as Assistant District Commissioner in the Provinces of Khartoum, Darfur, and Blue Nile. He was Deputy Governor of Blue Nile Province from 1927, Assistant Civil Secretary (Personnel) in Khartoum from 1929, Commissioner, Port Sudan from 1932, and Governor of Kassala Province from 1934 to 1935. In 1935, he was seconded to the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown-i ...

and appointed

, effective upon the assumption of office by

Lord Tweedsmuir John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career, ...

. He retired in 1945. From 1947 to 1951 he served in the Commonwealth Division of the

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh la ...

. In retirement, he was Deputy Chairman of the Sudan Government British Pensioners Association from 1957 to 1977 and the first President of the

English Chamber Orchestra The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internation ...

and Music Society from 1982.

Honours

Redfern was appointed an Officer of the

Order of the Nile The Order of the Nile (''Kiladat El Nil'') was established in 1915 and was one of the Kingdom of Egypt's principal orders until the monarchy was abolished in 1953. It was then reconstituted as the Republic of Egypt's highest state honor. Sultana ...

in 1925. He was knighted a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1939 and appointed

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in hono ...

in 1945. He was also a Commander of the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

Family

Redfern married Ruth Marion Grimshaw in 1925; they had a son. Lady Redfern died in 1972.

References

* "Sir Shuldham Redfern", ''The Times'', 21 February 1985. {{DEFAULTSORT:Redfern, Shuldham 1895 births 1985 deaths Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George People educated at Winchester College Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Sudan Political Service officers British expatriates in Sudan British expatriates in Canada Canadian civil servants