Gerald Creasy

Sir Gerald Hallen Creasy GCMG OBE (1 November 1897 – 9 June 1983) was a British colonial administrator. He served as governor of the Gold Coast and Malta.

The "Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident" that led to the 1948 Accra Riots occurred while Creasy was governor in the Gold Coast.[1]

Gold Coast

Creasy was appointed governor on 12 January 1948. He succeeded Sir Alan Burns.[2] He is however most remembered in Ghana for the "Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident" on 28 February 1948, about six weeks into his job. Three unarmed former World War II veterans were killed and 60 wounded that day while demonstrating about end of service benefits.[3][4] The protests had followed the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) boycotts in Accra.[5] This played into the hands of the local political leadership, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).

Led by the Big Six, they sent a cable on the same day to the Secretary of State in London:[3]

unless Colonial Government is changed and a new Government of the people and their Chiefs installed at the centre immediately, the conduct of masses now completely out of control with strikes threatened in Police quarters, and rank and file Police indifferent to orders of Officers, will continue and result in worse violent and irresponsible acts by uncontrolled people.

They also blamed "Crazy Creasy" for all the unrests.[6] The Riot Act was read the next day, 1 March 1948 and the Big Six were arrested and detained. The Watson commission of enquiry chaired by Mr. Aiken Watson, was set up to look into the riots.[5] He was replaced in an acting capacity by Sir Robert Scott as governor of the Gold Coast on 15 February 1949.[2]

Malta

Creasy succeeded Sir Francis Campbell Ross Douglas as Governor of Malta on 16 September 1949. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Laycock on 3 August 1954.[7]

See also

References
  1. Opoku-Agyemang, Lovelace. "Ghana: 58 Years After the February 28th 1948 Crossroads Incident". AllAfrica. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  2. "Rulers-Ghana". B. Schemmel. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  3. "Ghana is 50, UGCC is 60, too". News:Editorials. The Statesman. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  4. "KWAME NKRUMAH: THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE". GuyanaUnderSiege.com. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  5. Kosi Dedey (8 March 2007). "The "Big Six", Myth or Reality?". Feature article. Ghana Home Page. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  6. Allan D. Ohene (March 2002). "Ghana before Independence". Ghana General Info-History. Lion's Den Ltd. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  7. "Rulers-Malta". B. Schemmel. Retrieved 29 July 2011.


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