ASSISTANT RESIDENTS

For about 18 years in from 1886 – 1904 Perim had a professional administrator, albeit a junior one whose first posting it probably was on transfer to the Indian Civil Staff (ICS). The Assistant Resident Perim was usually the junior of however many Assistants there were in Aden.

Whilst there an Assistant was encouraged to work towards language qualifications in either Somali or Arabic; those choosing the former might expect future employment in Somaliland, which was administered by Aden until 1904. Arabic would be the more important for those whose careers would continue in Aden; Abud, Davies, J W B Merewether and Hancock are some of those in this latter category.

Soon after the arrival of the Coal Company in 1883 and the contentious attitude adopted by its management it was realised that an Outpost Commander who changed every two months was not providing the continuity that was required; in addition a more senior and experienced officer was needed. Major Hunter, the 1st Assistant in Aden, appreciated that to get a suitable volunteer a financial inducement would have to be offered.

This resulted in Captain Snell being offered the command of the detachment for at least a year without leave; the inducement was that he would receive two allowances to supplement his pay:

Civil Staff pay of 150 Rupees a month plus Staff pay as a Wing officer of a further 100 Rupees a month – the latter normally being paid to an officer commanding 400 not 50 men. Due to the length of tour and the isolation it was considered very desirable for a married officer to be accompanied by his wife.

A sum of 3,000 Rupees was allocated to bring the OC’s quarters up to standard, principally to construct a verandah on the southeast side and put venetian shutters on windows facing northwest. Snell accepted and took his family with him. Note that although he was in receipt of Civil Staff pay he had not transferred to the ICS and was only ‘ex-officio assistant resident’.

It had taken seven months to select Snell (and agree his inducements) and in the meantime the previous three Outpost Commanders were appointed Assistant Resident Perim, but only ex-officio. The first of these, Lieutenant Peyton, assumed this appointment half way through his tour as OC Outpost.

A major and important difference in responsibilities was that once a fully-fledged ICS officer was appointed Assistant he could no longer be the detachment commander as he was no longer part of the Army. Due to lack of suitable quarters for a British officer, future detachment commanders would be an Indian officer from the unit providing the detachment.

This photograph of the Perim lighthouse was taken in 1917. It clearly shows the first floor apartment that was used as living quarters by successive officers commanding the detachment and by the Assistant Resident Perim from 1886 for at least the next 20 years. In 1886 a verandah was added on the southeast side – the end of which can be seen at the right-hand end of the apartment.

[Photograph reproduced by kind permission of the Imperial War Museum from negative Q13098. Not to be copied without permission of IWM]