Sir George Cunningham (23 March 1888 – 8 December 1963) was a civil servant in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

and later

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

who served as the

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of the

North-West Frontier Province The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ) was a province of British India from 1901 to 1947, of the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, and of the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 1970 to 2010. It was established on 9 November ...

(NWFP) thrice, twice during the

British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...

and once after the creation of Pakistan. He tacitly witnessed his government launch an invasion of Kashmir from the frontier tribal areas adjoining the NWFP, and then oversaw it under directions from Governor-General

Muhammad Ali Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah (born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 187611 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pa ...

. In his early years Cunningham was a notable Rugby player, serving as the captain of the Scottish national team at

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

Civil service career

Cunningham joined the

Indian Civil Service The Indian Civil Service (ICS), officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the higher civil service of the British Empire in India during British Raj, British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947. Its members ruled over more than 3 ...

in 1911 and was awarded an

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1921, KCIE in 1935, and

GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) Appoint ...

in 1945. Cunningham served as the governor of the

three times, twice during the

and once after the creation of the

Dominion of Pakistan The Dominion of Pakistan, officially Pakistan, was an independent federal dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations, which existed from 14 August 1947 to Pakistan Day, 23 March 1956. It was created by the passing of the Indian Independence ...

. After his second term ending in 1946, Cunningham returned to Britain. However, he was invited by the colonial government in July 1947 to return and resume the office at the request of Pakistan's incoming governor-general

. He is said to have agreed reluctantly, taking office on 15 August 1947. The North-West Frontier Province was at that time governed by a ministry belonging to the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

. Jinnah amended the operative constitution, the 1935 Government of India Act, in order to be able to dismiss the ministry. Cunningham was unsure of the constitutionality of the measure, but he went along with Jinnah's wishes. An

All-India Muslim League The All-India Muslim League (AIML) was a political party founded in 1906 in Dhaka, British India with the goal of securing Muslims, Muslim interests in South Asia. Although initially espousing a united India with interfaith unity, the Muslim L ...

ministry headed by

Abdul Qayyum Khan Kashmiri Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan Kashmiri () (16 July 1901 – 23 October 1981) was a major figure in British Indian and later Pakistani politics, in particular in the North-West Frontier Province, where he served as the Chief Minister from 23 August 194 ...

was appointed on 23 August. In the subsequent months, the

Pakistani tribal invasion of Kashmir Khurshid Anwar was an activist of All-India Muslim League, heading its private militia, the Muslim League National Guards. Described as a "shadowy figure" and "complete adventurer", he is generally addressed as a "Major" in Pakistani sources. H ...

was carried out under the nose of Cunningham, orchestrated by the provincial premier Abdul Qayyum Khan along with the

Muslim League National Guard Muslim League National Guards, or Muslim National Guards, was the name of a quasi-paramilitary organization associated All-India Muslim League that took part in the Pakistan Movement. The organisation was active in the violence that led up to ...

commander Khurshid Anwar. Cunningham thought it was going to be disastrous and tried to stop it. But he fell in line after the accession of Kashmir to India, when Jinnah ordered his governors to enter into "the full spirit of the struggle". Cunningham regretted that the Pakistan government was permitting this and was evidently demoralised. His diary entry states, "I could have found half a dozen excellent grounds for resigning in the last two weeks or so, but I feel that we may be able to get the thing gradually under control again and that one must try to see it through."

Rugby player

Amateur career

Cunningham came to note as a rugby player when he played for

Oxford University RFC The Oxford University Rugby Football Club (Oxford University RFC or OURFC) is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham. History Men's team ...

while he was a student. He was selected for the 1907

Varsity Match A varsity match in Britain and Ireland is a fixture, especially of a sporting event or team, between university teams, usually the highest-level team, or varsity team, in that sport. The University Match in cricket between Oxford University an ...

against Cambridge, winning the first of three sporting caps. Cunningham played at half-back, partnering Rupert Williamson, and the agility and quick thinking of both players allowed the good scrummaging play by Oxford to release the backs. Oxford won, scoring five tries to nil. Although out of favour with the Scottish team at the end of the 1908 Home Nations, Cunningham was back in the Oxford University team in the 1908 Varsity Match. He was partnered again with Williamson, who was also made an international in 1908, after being selected for

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. Cunningham and Williamson had another excellent game, and Cunningham set up Oxford's only try after he drew out the defence to allow Martin to score. At the end of the 1909 Home Nations, Cunningham played in his final Varsity Game for Oxford. In the build-up to the match, Oxford was in good form, losing just three matches, and it was noted that Cunningham was absent from the side in each of these loses. The Varsity Game was an extremely heavy win for Oxford, and was known as " Poulton's Match", after Ronald Poulton who scored five of Oxfords' nine tries.

Provincial career

Cunningham was selected for the

Anglo-Scots Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British pe ...

District side in

1906 Events January–February * January 12 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia forces the shah Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar to grant a constitution, ...

. An emphatic victory over the South of Scotland District led Cunningham to be capped for the Cities District side against a Rest of Scotland Provinces side in early 1907.

International career

The next year Cunningham was selected for the Scottish national team, and played in the

1908 Home Nations Championship The 1908 Home Nations Championship was the 26th series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 18 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Although not officially par ...

whilst still a student at Oxford. His first cap was an away game to

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

. Partnered with

Louis Greig Group Captain Sir Louis Leisler Greig, Order of the British Empire, KBE Royal Victorian Order, CVO (17 November 1880 – 1 March 1953) was a Scottish people, Scottish naval surgeon, rugby union, rugby player, courtier and a friend of King Georg ...

in his favoured half-back position, Cunningham ended on the losing side after a narrow 6-5 win by the Welsh. The Scottish selectors kept faith with Cunningham and Greig for the next game of the campaign, against

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, but both men were dropped for the final game of the tournament after a second loss. The next season Cunningham was back in the Scotland team and played in the first game of the

1909 Home Nations Championship The 1909 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-seventh series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 16 January and 20 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Although not offic ...

, again facing Wales. Cunningham scored his first international points in the game against Wales, with a penalty goal. This score was the only points for Scotland that game, and they lost 3-5. Cunningham missed the next game to Ireland, but was back in the team for the final game of the Championship, his first

Calcutta Cup The Calcutta Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the rugby match between teams of England and Scotland played annually in the Six Nations Championship. Like the match itself (England–Scotland), the Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy con ...

encounter with England. Cunningham was given the Scotland captaincy for the England match, and he spearheaded the Scotland team to a convincing win.Griffiths (1987), pg 2:16. During the England game, Cunningham converted three of the four Scottish tries. Cunningham retained the captaincy of Scotland for the 1910 Championship, which was now known as the Five Nations Championship with the inclusion of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Cunningham led the team in a win over France, but then was unavailable against Wales. When he returned for the Ireland game, he led his country for the third time and his third win as captain. His winning streak was broken by his final captaincy match, the final game of the 1910 campaign, against England. Cunningham played just one more match for Scotland, now playing club rugby for London Scottish, a loss to England in

1911 Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia. * January 3 ** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 m ...

. No longer captain, Cunningham was moved to centre, and despite one final conversion for his team, he never represented his country again.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, George 1888 births 1963 deaths British expatriates in Pakistan Cities District players Governors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Indian Civil Service (British India) officers Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire London Scottish F.C. players Officers of the Order of the British Empire Oxford University RFC players People educated at Fettes College People from Broughty Ferry Rectors of the University of St Andrews Rugby union fly-halves Rugby union players from Dundee Scotland international rugby union players Scottish Exiles (rugby union) players Scottish rugby union players People of the 1947 Kashmir conflict