1935 Presidential Tour - Mr/Mrs Baker and New Governor of North Borneo

In January 1934, Douglas James Jardine arrived in North Borneo to begin his tenure as Governor. 

Saturday, 23rd February

His Excellency and Mrs. Jardine entertained at dinner-party at Government Cottage in honour of the President. The guests included:

• The Honourable Mr. C. D. Martyn and Mrs. Martyn
• The Honourable Mr. Goh Kim Swee
• Mr. E. Bateson
• Mr. and Mrs. J. Beatty
• Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Fenton
• Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Baker
• Mr. P. W. Bidmead
• The Rev. S. M. Collier

 The snippet mentions a dinner party "in honour of the President."

• The President: This refers to Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm, who served as the President of the British North Borneo Chartered Company from 1926 to 1946.
• Context: Sir Neill Malcolm made a high-profile tour of the territory in early 1935. Governor Douglas James Jardine and his wife (Mrs. Jardine) hosted this event at Government Cottage (likely a secondary residence or a hill station retreat, as the main palace was the Istana in Sandakan).

This dinner was part of the 1935 Presidential Tour. Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm, the President of the Chartered Company, was visiting to assess the colony’s recovery after the Great Depression.

Guest Name	Profile / Role in 1935
The Hon. Mr. C. D. Martyn	Cecil Desmond Martyn; a senior official and member of the Legislative Council. He served as Resident of various districts including the West Coast.
The Hon. Mr. Goh Kim Swee	A highly influential Chinese leader and member of the Legislative Council. He was a prominent merchant and philanthropist in Sandakan.
Mr. E. Bateson	Edward Bateson; served as a senior officer in the Treasury or Judicial departments during this period.
Mr. & Mrs. J. Beatty	John Beatty; likely the Commissioner of Lands or a high-ranking judicial official.
The Rev. S. M. Collier	Rev. S.M. Collier was the Chaplain for the Anglican Church in North Borneo (Sandakan) during the mid-1930s.
Mr. P. W. Bidmead	A government officer often associated with the Public Works Department or Post & Telegraphs.
Mr. & Mrs. E. R. Baker	E.R. Baker was an official within the Chartered Company’s administrative service, often stationed in Sandakan or Jesselton.

This specific dinner on Saturday, 23rd February 1935, marked a high point in Douglas James Jardine's governorship. He was using the President's visit to showcase his new policies of "Indirect Rule"—showing that British officials, local Chinese leaders (Goh Kim Swee), and religious leaders (Rev. Collier) were working in harmony.

Social Function: In the colonial hierarchy of Sandakan, the Cottage was a venue for high-level social gatherings, such as the dinner party hosted by Governor Jardine for Sir Neill Malcolm in February 1935.

Sir Douglas James Jardine (1888–1946) was a respected British colonial administrator best known for his tenure as Governor and Commander‑in‑Chief of North Borneo from 1934 to 1937. Throughout his service, he was remembered for his disciplined leadership style, his drive to modernize local governance, and his genuine concern for the wellbeing of indigenous communities.

Career Highlights

Jardine’s career took him across several major territories of the British Empire, where he built a reputation as a firm yet reform‑minded administrator.

Period	Position	Location
1910–1916	Assistant Secretary	Cyprus
1916–1921	Secretary to the Administration	British Somaliland
1921–1927	Senior Assistant Secretary	Nigeria
1927–1934	Chief Secretary (Acting Governor)	Tanganyika (Tanzania)
1934–1937	Governor of North Borneo	Sandakan (Capital)
1937–1941	Governor	Sierra Leone
1941–1943	Governor	Leeward Islands

Full Name: Sir Douglas James Jardine, KCMG, OBE

Born: 13 October 1888

Education: Westminster School; Trinity College, Cambridge (Classics)

Died: 11 December 1946

Photo credit: D. J. Jardine

Sandakan Lighthouse Project: A 25-Mile Beacon for Safer Navigation in North Borneo Waters

The Sentinel of Sandakan: My Proudest Achievement

By Ernest Reginald Baker

When I first arrived in North Borneo in 1914 to serve as an Assistant Engineer in the P.W.D. under Mr. Budden, I knew I was joining a government that was building a nation from the ground up. My days were spent designing wharves, jetties, and overseeing the layout of the town’s very infrastructure. But of all the structures I helped bring to life, none commanded as much respect as the one that watched over the sea.

In the world of maritime engineering, the safety of a harbor is measured by its light. I was personally tasked with the superintendence of the erection of a 25-mile range lighthouse. To a layman, 25 miles is just a number; to a navigator approaching our rugged coast through the dark, it is the difference between a safe arrival and a disaster on the reefs.

This was a 3rd Order lighthouse, a designation that speaks volumes to those of us in the profession. A 3rd Order lens is a magnificent piece of optical engineering—large enough to cast a powerful, focused beam that can pierce the humid tropical haze. Overseeing its "erection" was a feat of precision. It wasn't just about the height of the tower, but about ensuring the delicate mechanism and the heavy glass lenses were perfectly aligned to reach that 25-mile horizon.

Concrete Proof: The 25-Mile Lighthouse

On the final line of his handwritten statement, there is the definitive written proof I have been searching for all this time: "Document Provided by Richard Rose"

"...also the superintendence of erection of a 25 mile range lighthouse 3rd order."

Beyond the tower itself, my work extended to the very water’s edge. I was responsible for the design and construction of the wharves and jetties that these ships would eventually dock at once the lighthouse had guided them home.

In those years, Sandakan was growing into a world-class port. Whether I was surveying for a 30-million-gallon reservoir or building timber bridges with 40-foot spans, the lighthouse remained the crown jewel of my tenure. It wasn't just a project in a ledger; it was a beacon of progress for North Borneo, and I am honored to have been the man who saw it stand tall.

---

Why this "3rd Order" detail is so important?

In 1916, a 3rd Order lens was a high-tier piece of equipment, usually reserved for major coastal points or busy harbor entrances. By Baker mentioning this specifically in his ICE statement, he was telling the Institution that he wasn't just building small markers; he was handling international-standard navigational aids.

The Master of All Trades

When Baker arrived in 1914, Sandakan was a place of immense potential but even greater challenges. Working as an Assistant Engineer under the P.W.D., Baker didn’t just specialize in one field; he built the entire skeleton of the town:

1. The Arteries: He conducted the preliminary surveys for a 400-mile Trunk Road, a Herculean task through the thick Bornean jungle.

2. The Lifeline: He surveyed and oversaw the construction of a 30-million-gallon reservoir, ensuring the people of Sandakan had the water they needed to thrive.

3. The Social Fabric: From the local hospital and asylum buildings to the very sewers beneath the streets, Baker’s signature was on every brick.

The Crown Jewel: The 3rd Order Lighthouse

But perhaps his most enduring achievement was what he called the "25-mile range lighthouse 3rd order".

In the shipping world, the entrance to Sandakan Harbour was notoriously difficult. Baker took on the "superintendence of the erection" of this massive navigational aid. Using a 3rd Order Fresnel lens—a five-foot-tall masterpiece of glass prisms—he created a beam so powerful it could be seen 25 miles out at sea.

This lighthouse didn't just prevent shipwrecks; it opened Sandakan to the world. It turned a remote harbor into a global port where massive steamers could safely dock at the wharves and jetties that Baker himself had designed.

A Heart That Never Left Borneo

Mr. Baker’s connection to Sandakan wasn't just professional; it was deeply personal. After decades of service, he eventually returned to England in 1949. But he couldn't leave his memories behind. He named his home in Sussex "Sandakan," a tribute to the town he helped build and the light he helped shine.

Today, when you look out toward the entrance of the harbor, remember the young engineer who stood there over a century ago. He didn't just build a lighthouse; he built the gateway to our history.

References:

1. The Exact Location: Pulau Berhala

The 3rd Order Dioptric Light required a high elevation to achieve a 25-mile visibility range.

• The Site: It was built on the summit of the sheer sandstone cliffs at the northern end of Berhala Island.

• The Reason: Tanjung Papat is at sea level. A lighthouse at sea level cannot be seen from 25 miles away due to the curvature of the earth. By placing the 3rd Order Lens on the Berhala cliffs (about 600 feet high), the light could reach the horizon as required by the Admiralty.

2. The Role of Tanjung Papat (Tanjung Pappa)

Tanjung Papat is the headland on the mainland, located about 1 to 2 miles south of Berhala.

• The Infrastructure: In 1914, Tanjung Papat had "Leading Lights" or smaller harbor markers. These were used for the second stage of navigation—once a ship had passed Berhala, it used the markers at Tanjung Papat to steer into the inner Sandakan wharf.

• Baker's Scope: As an Assistant Engineer, Baker would have been responsible for both, but the "3rd Order" engineering feat you are highlighting specifically belongs to the Berhala Lighthouse.

3. Why "Tanjung Papat" appears in some records

In many PWD reports, the entire entrance to the bay was sometimes referred to as the "Tanjung Papat entrance." However, if the document mentions "3rd Order" and "25-mile range," it is a scientific certainty that the location is Berhala Island.

Mr Budden and Dr. Hardee

Assistant Engineer in P.W.D under Mr. Budden.
Director of Public Works of B. N. Borneo Government.

Construction of town & country roads, including a preliminary survey of route for Trunk Road some 400 miles long, also a complete survey of initial 2 miles of same. Design of bridges up to 40 ft spans in timber & 30 ft in reinforced concrete & superintendence of work. Laying of town drains, culverts & sewers. Assistance in the design & superintendence of work of hospital buildings asylum buildings store godowns & private residences. Survey of basin & site of a proposed reservoir (30 million galls) & assistance in design & construction of same. Design & construction of wharves & jetties, also the superintendence of erection of a 25 mile range lighthouse 3rd order.

Sources: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/

CREDITS: BNBH Page 147 / Aug 16, 1916

Full Name: Frederick Budden.

Official Status: He was a senior official of the North Borneo Chartered Company. Information contained in the "EXPERIENCE AS AN ASSISTANT" section of the form for Ernest Reginald Baker.

Supervision and Engineers

The form lists the names of the engineers Baker worked under and their professional grades (likely within The Institution of Civil Engineers - Inst.C.E.):

1. J. Watt Sandeman Esq. (Grade: Member)

3. C.H. Sandeman Esq. (Grade: Member)

• Period: 1911 to 1914

4. F. Budden Esq. (Noted with D.P.W.D. - Department of Public Works Department)

• Period: Starting 1914

FYI: Director P.W.D. B.N. Borneo: There is a handwritten note mentioning the Director of Public Works in British North Borneo (now Sabah), indicating Baker’s professional transition to Southeast Asia.

Historical Verification (Frederick Budden):
The Director of the Public Works Department (P.W.D.) in North Borneo in 1914 was a man named Frederick Budden. In official documents of the era (such as the British North Borneo Herald), he is consistently recorded as "F. Budden" or by his full name.

The Honorific "Esq.":
The "Esq." (Esquire) following the name was a highly formal title used in British society for professionals with degrees (such as engineers) and high-ranking officials. It was almost always applied to individuals at the Director level.

Links and Research Sources

To verify this name and his role further, you can consult the following historical archives:

• The British North Borneo Herald: Official government gazette. Digital copies hosted by the National Library Board of Singapore (NewspaperSG).
• The Colonial Office List (1914–1920): Lists all high-ranking colonial officers.
• North Borneo P.W.D. Annual Reports: Details Trunk Road and lighthouse projects.

Digital Source: HathiTrust Digital Library

The HathiTrust Digital Library has digitized original copies of the Colonial Office List (1914–1920), confirming senior personnel in the British North Borneo Chartered Company.

• 1914 Edition: Director of Public Works — F. Budden.

Archive Source: The National Archives (UK)

Original correspondence and service records are held at The National Archives (Kew, London).

• Series CO 874: British North Borneo Chartered Company records.
• Series CO 448: Honours and service details.

---

Dr Hardee.

Our Home! Dr Hardee & the boy in foreground.
I took this at 7 AM. Will be sending collection in album very soon.

Yours, Signed by E.R. Baker

Now, take a look at this piece of paper.

Dr. Hardee was a professional peer and personal acquaintance of E.R. Baker.

• Official Recognition: Listed in the same 1917 newspaper clipping as E.R. Baker.
• Personal Connection: Mentioned directly in Baker’s handwritten postcard.
• Timing: Photo taken at 7 AM, suggesting a close domestic setting.

Sources: News paper credits: https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/

Resignation from the government service

FYI: The analysis and research took a long time