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Name: SPIRE, Frederick CMG

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Birth Date: 1 Dec 1863 Cheltenham, Glos.

Death Date: 5.7.1951 Cheltenham

First Date: 1893

Profession: He entered the Uganda Protectorate Admin. Service in 1893 and was probably the first man to make the journey round Lake Victoria by water

Area: Uganda, Mumias

Married: 1. In Rugby 1897 Sarah Partridge d. 9.4.1898 after childbirth 2. In Jinja Apr 1916 Helen R. Jervoise b. 16 Dec 1877

Children: James Frederick Partridge (b. Mombasa Hosp 31.3.1898-10.1898)

Book Reference: Gillett, Hobley, Moyse, Matson, Debrett, EAHB 1905, North, EA Diary 1903, Drumkey, EAHB 1906, UJ, EAHB 1904, EAHB 1907, Leader14

General Information:

Hobley - 1892 - received orders at Entebbe to return to Mumias to relieve Spire.
Moyse - 1912 - PC Eastern Province
Matson - Gilkison was sent to Mumias in Sept. 1894 to reassert the Company's taxation and trading rights in Kavirondo. Was rebuffed by Spire. After Gilkison's discomfited return to Fort Smith in November and Muxworthy's death from blackwater in Kabras in the same month, no traders were reported in E. Uganda until the arrival of Peter West at Mumias on 20 March 1895.
Debrett - appointed Acting Collector, Bunyoro, 1900, Collector Bari 1902, Acting Sub.-Commr. Nile Province 1906, Acting Provincial Commr. E. Province, Uganda 1909, and Provincial Commr. Uganda Protectorate 1911; was Officer-in-Charge, Gen. Stores, Entebbe 1895-1900, and Mumia's Station 1898; retired 1918; is a Member of Winchcombe Rural Dist. Council                                        
EAHB 1905 - Collector, Gondokoro. Entered Uganda Protectorate Service, Dec. 1893, made a journey round Lake Victoria by water; in charge of Kavirondo District July 1894 to Feb. 1895; general stores, March 1895 to Feb. 1898; in charge of Mumias Station and organised transport of Indian troops from Eldama Ravine to Mumia's; resumed charge of General Stores, May 1898; Collector, April 1st 1902.
North - arr. in EA as civilian servant of Col. H. Colvile; arr. Uganda 16/11/1893; Appt. UP 17/12/1893; 4th Class Asst. Mumia's Aug. Dec 1894; In charge of Kavirondo Feb 1895; Appt. Chief Cashier & Bookkeeper 1/4/1896; in charge Mumia's before C. Hobley; son b. 31/3/1898, Mombasa, wife d. soon after; Asst. Transport Officer 1/4/1898; Working transport between Nandi and Mumia's Aug 1898; Appt. 2nd Asst., Acting Collector Unyoro April 1900; Transport Officer at Entebbe March 1901; transferred from Masaka to be Collector Gondokoro, Nile Province 13/8/1902; Gondokoro Dec 1903, Oct 1904; 1906 Nairobi
Uganda Journal - Vol 25, p.99 - a remarkable character in the service of the Uganda Protectorate in its very early days after taking over from the old Imperial British East Africa Company. Just who was Frederick Spire and why was he held in such high esteem by the Basoga? Spire was a batman to Colonel Colville [sic], a military officer serving the BEA Company at the time of handing over Uganda to the Foreign Office. Spire had circumnavigated Lake Victoria whilst acting as a transport officer in 1893, and was responsible for organising transport between Eldama Ravine and the troops in Busoga. He entered the Uganda Protectorate service in December 1893. That Spire was a man of remarkable character there can be no doubt, and it is obvious that he was a man of high ideals and always had the courage of his convictions. He was an early riser and took a great and sometimes embarrassing interest in the appearance of any station under his control.
Woe betide whoever was in charge of the station labour if he were slack! His honesty of purpose and mind and inspiration that he gave to all was appreciated by his juniors, and particularly those who had newly entered the Civil Service. In his earlier career there were times when conflict arose between  him as a civilain officer and the military officers operating in the same district. That they might have to accept orders from a former batman was obviously a bitter pill to swallow and disputes between them were frequent. This came to a head in 1900 when the Commissioner of Uganda, Sir Harry Johnston, wrote a letter to the Marquess of Salisbury, the Foreign Secretary, angrily protesting about Spire's appointment as a Collector in Bunyoro being disallowed on the grounds that Spire might find himself obliged to issue orders to military officers who were his social superiors. He cited the case of James Martin, an illiterate Maltese with an immense force of character who had graduated from caravan leading to the charge of a district in the Eastern Province. He could see no reason why objections were raised to Spire's advancement in the service of the Uganda Protectorate after 6 years' work in the country, the climate of which he was able to bear, and the languages of which he had done more to acquire than most Europeans. He was promoted a Sessions Judge in the Nile Province in 1906, and 1909 was promoted Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Province and took up residence in Jinja. ……….. [more]
During his period in the Eastern Province a very deep respect for Spire was established and his judgement in various matters concerning the Basoga people was held in very high esteem. He acquired a very sound knowledge of the land titles of the Basoga and problems which are today as unsettled and no nearer a solution as they were in his day ……… [more] To commemorate the deep respect they had for him these chiefs gathered together and decided to erect a memorial on a small hill lying to the east of the now "new Kamuli Road" and the Mpumudde African Housing Estate ………… The memorial takes the form of a cairn of laterite stones and a cement wall with a marble slab inscribed in Luganda, of which the following is a translation:- "This heap of stones is to commemorate Mr F. Spire, CMG, the Provincial Commissioner of our country, Busoga, who helped us from 1909 to 1918, as recorded by us in his memento book Daudi Gabula, Ludiko Nanyimba, Gidioni Ngobi, Yusufu Luba, Ezekieri Zibondo, Nuwa Manya, Gidioni Tabingwa Obara, Musitwa Wakoli, Ngongo Tgage (Igaga)."
It is not often that the indigenous people of an area are willing to Commemorate the services of a foreigner as has now been done in the case of the remarkable Frederick Spire. With the ending of British protection in this country it is worthy to note that these old chiefs still remember him and desire above all else that this memorial should remain to his memory. The records show that Spire's first wife died of fever in Mombasa Hospital in February 1895. He later married a Miss Jervoise who still survives. Spire died in Cheltenham, England, in July 1951, at the age of 87 years, and was one of the last of the 19th century East African trailblazers. For his valuable and inspiring service to Uganda he was awarded the CMG in 1917.
Hobley - 1892 - At Mumias we found Mr Spire in charge of the temporary post ...…
1939 England and Wales Register living with wife in Cheltenham

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