Royal Commonwealth Society : Portrait of Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, circa 1920

Royal Commonwealth Society

<p>Half length signed studio portrait of Sir Gordon Guggisberg measuring 173 x 235 mm. Guggisberg (1869-1930) was born in Canada and after an English education was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1889. After service in Singapore and at Woolwich he was employed under the Colonial Office in 1902 on a survey of the Gold Coast. In 1905 he was appointed Director of Surveys. In 1910 he became Director of Surveys, Southern Nigeria and in 1913 Surveyor-General of Nigeria. After war service, during which he was awarded the D.S.O., Guggisberg was appointed Governor of the Gold Coast in 1919. He remained in this post until 1927 and was instrumental during this period in the founding of Achimota College. He was Governor of British Guiana 1928-29 but was compelled to retire through ill health.</p>