British historian and colonial advisor (1880–1966)
Sir Roland St. John Braddell (20 December 1880 – 15 November 1966) was a historian and colonial adviser in British Malaya. He was considered "one of Malaya's foremost legal authorities".[1]
Braddell wrote several books on the history of Malaya,[5]: 78 as well as a two-volume legal work called Laws of the Straits Settlements and a book titled Gaming Laws. Alongside this, he published several essays concerning the legal status of the Federated Malay States from a series of lectures he had given to the Singapore Rotary Club. He worked as an editor on One Hundred Years of Singapore with Walter Makepeace and Gilbert Brooke.[2]: 6–7 Alongside editing the book, he contributed several chapters to it.[6]
In 1934, he published The Lights of Singapore, an anecdotal work on life in the region.[2]: 7
Braddell served as Chairman for the Council of the University of Malaya in Singapore from 1949.[3] He was later knighted for his work in this position, and also granted the degree of Honorary Doctor of Letters.[2]: 7
Following his retirement from the university in 1951, he returned to Kuala Lumpur.[2]: 7–8 In 1953, alongside R. G. D. Allen, Braddell was appointed to "submit a scheme of courses and organisation for consideration by Senate and Council" at the University of Malaya. In March 1955, they published the Braddell-Allen Report and recommended the creation of two new departments for Social Sciences and Law. Braddell proposed a four-year programme with various elements to it, and consulted with legal experts like the Bar Committee of Singapore over what to include. He also suggested that a Professor of Law be hired by the university to develop a curriculumm, and Lionel Astor Sheridan was hired soon after.[7]: 240–1
He was a Life Fellow of The Asiatic Society since 1934, and served as President of its Malayan branch for several years.[3]
Braddell served as Municipal Commissioner in Singapore for several years during World War I, and later became a member of the Housing Commission and the Executive Council.[3]
