Alan Burns (governor)

Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell Burns GCMG (b. 9 November 1887 – 29 September 1980) was a British colonial administrator and governor.

Burns was born in Basseterre and had seven siblings. His father James Patrick Burns who was married to Agnes Zulma Delisle was treasurer of St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla and died in 1896. In 1901 Burns matriculated to St. Edmund's College in Old Hall Green. His mother died in Hertfordshire in 1914. In the same year he married Kathleen Fitzpatrick Hardtman with two daughters named Barbara and Benedicta. Both of his daughters have living descendants in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Burns had several posts at the Colonial Service. He served on the Leeward Islands from 1905 to 1912 and afterwards in Nigeria until 1924. In 1927 he became a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and served as Colonial Secretary of the Bahamas until 1929. From 1929 to 1934 he was Deputy Chief Secretary to Government of Nigeria. Afterwards he was posted to British Honduras, where he was governor from 2 November 1934 until 24 February 1939. During this period he was made Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1936. In 1942 he became knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. From 1942 until December 18, 1943 he served as governor of Nigeria. After a short time as Assistant Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies he was governor of the Gold Coast from 29 June 1942 until 2 August 1947. He was made Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1946 and after retiring he served as Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom on the UN Trusteeship Council until 1956. Burns died at Westminster Hospital in London.

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