Archibald Weigall

Sir William Ernest George Archibald Weigall, 1st Baronet ( born December 8, 1874 in London, England; † June 3, 1952 in Ascot ) was a conservative English politician and governor of the Australian state of South Australia.

Life

After studying at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester Weigall was an estate manager. Later he joined the army and served in the Second Boer War, for which he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal and promoted to Major. In 1910 he married Grace Emily, Baroness of Echardstein, the only daughter of a furniture entrepreneur and heir to a fortune of over two million pounds. From 1911 to 1920 Weigall was a member of the Conservative party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons.

In 1919 he was offered the governorship of South Australia. Weigall accepted and came in the spring of 1920 in Adelaide. Contrary to previous assurances given by the Colonial Office, he realized that he had to pay his employees, so that he has a salary of only 300 pounds remained after deducting all costs. Weigall was also upset that have been moved within the government funds without first seeking the advice of Parliament from one to another department. Even the ministers were spending money without waiting for the authorization of Parliament. In 1921, he referred to the Office of the Governor as an anachronism, and the division of power between the Commonwealth and the former colonies as chaotic. Already in December 1921 Weigall resigned for personal and financial reasons. He left Australia with his wife in April 1921.

Later Weigall involved in Australian food companies and became a director of the investment group of Clarence Hatry. In the 1929 stock market crash, he lost his entire fortune and was dependent on the result of the inheritance of his wife.

In the 1930s, he became chairman of the Royal Empire Society and the Royal Veterinary College and King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1938 he was appointed a baronet. After his wife died in 1950, Weigall died on 3 June 1952 in Ascot. He left a daughter.

Trivia

The British actor Jake Weber is a great-grandson of Weigall.

Awards

• Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (1920 )