Arthur Aldrich
Arthur Aldrich | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 November 1840 Orford, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 28 October 1908 (aged 67) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Railway executive and diplomat |
| Known for | Secretary to Japanese Government Railways ; Japanese Consul in New Zealand |
Arthur Stanhope Aldrich (14 November 1840 – 28 October 1908)[1] was an Englishman who became Chief Accountant and later, Secretary to the Japanese Government Railways, acting for over 20 years as General Adviser and Manager to the Railway Department. For his work he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun.[2] He later became an honorary consul to Japan in New Zealand.
Biography
[edit]Arthur Stanhope Aldrich was born on 14 November 1840[3][4] at Orford, Suffolk, the son of Reverend William Wogan Aldrich and Dorothy (née Rope).[5] Aldrich entered the Railway Clearing House, London in 1859, then entered the service of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway as audit accountant until January 1872. He was then recruited to work in Japan under the o-yatoi gaikokujin system as the Meiji Government strove to modernise the country. From 1870 almost 300 foreigners, mostly British, were hired to develop the Japanese railway system.[6] Aldrich was appointed Chief Accountant to the Japan Government Railways in 1872, became Secretary in 1875, and from February 1877 was Secretary and general manager and advisor of the Railway Department of Public Works of Japan.[7] Aldrich was the first Englishman presented with the Japanese Government's Order of the Rising Sun.[8] He also received the Order of the Sacred Treasure (Second Class).[9]
Aldrich retired with a pension in the 1890s and settled in Bunnythorpe, New Zealand. He was appointed as New Zealand's first Japanese Consul in April 1898,[10] a post he held until his death when Thomas Young was appointed to replace him.[11] Aldrich died at Paraparaumu on 28 October 1908,[8] and was buried at Otaki.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Cemeteries database search". Kapiti Coast District Council. Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ The Cyclopedia of New Zealand. Wellington: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand Ltd. 1897. p. 1213.
- ^ "Arthur Stanhope Aldrich". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "ATL: Unpublished Collections". tiaki.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ "Arthur Aldridge, England and Wales census, 1851". FamilySearch. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Aoki, Eiichi (March 1994). "Dawn of Japanese railways" (PDF). Japanese Railway & Transport Review: 28–30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2010 – via Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
- ^ Institution of Civil Engineers UK, Civil Engineer Records, 1820–1930 [record for Arthur Stanhope Aldrich dated 23 October 1883] via Ancestry.co.uk. Accessed 14 February 2021
- ^ a b "Obituary : Mr A S Aldrich". The Dominion. 30 October 1908. p. 8. Retrieved 14 February 2021 – via Paperspast.
- ^ "The London Gazette" (PDF). The Gazette. 21 May 1897. p. 2853. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "[untitled article]". Evening Post. 11 April 1898. p. 5. Retrieved 14 February 2021 – via Paperspast.
- ^ "Personal". Colonist. 11 June 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 14 February 2021 – via Paperspast.
