Born in 1924 in Holyhead, Anglesey, Hywel George’s geography studies at Aberystwyth University were cut short by his RAF service in the Second World War. George’s career began in 1948 as the district officer for the British Colonial Service in Jessleton, the capital of the new British protectorate in North Borneo (now Sabah).
Returning to the UK for a short time to study at Pembroke College Cambridge, George met his wife Edith. They married and returned to Borneo together. George was soon promoted to resident, moving to the remote and mountainous Ranau region where he quickly gained wide-ranging experience and a working knowledge of the Malay language. His significant service in Sabah was recognised with the award of an OBE in the 1963 New Year Honours.
Having helped ease tensions in Sabah during the transition to a regional government within the Federation of Malaya, George moved to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, an archipelago in the southeast Windward Islands of the Caribbean. Appointed British Administrator on 04 Jan 1967, George again served through a time of change. He was further recognised for his work with the award of CMG in the 1968 New Year Honours list. When Saint Vincent was granted ‘associate statehood’ by the United Kingdom on 27 Oct 1969, George became the first Governor. Although Saint Vincent now had complete control over its internal affairs, full independence in law was not gained until 27 Oct 1979.
As Governor of Saint Vincent, George had responsibility for all areas of island life and ceremonial duties to perform. After a year as Governor, at the end of 1970, he and his family moved from Saint Vincent to Cambridge where George was appointed Bursar and Fellow of the newly formed Churchill College.
Hywel George officially retired as Bursar of the college in 1991 and died aged 99 years in March 2024.