John Hathorn Hall

Who is John Hathorn Hall?

Sir John Hathorn Hall, GCMG, DSO, OBE, MC, was a British colonial administrator.

During military service in World War I, he was awarded the Military Cross as well as the Belgian Croix de Guerre. He worked in the Ministry of Finance of the Egyptian Civil Service in 1919–1920. Subsequently he served in the Middle East Department of the Colonial Office until 1933, when he was appointed Chief Secretary to the Government of Palestine.

His later service included the following posts:

British Resident in Zanzibar, October 1937 – 1940

Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Aden, 24 October 1940 – 1 January 1945

Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Uganda, 1 January 1945 – 17 January 1952

After leaving the colonial service, Sir John became a director of several companies, including the P&O and British India steamship lines, and the Midland Bank. A portrait of Sir John by Walter Bird is now part of the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.