# John Orman Gilbert

Major John Orman Gilbert (21 October 1907 – 16 September 1995) was a British colonial administrator who served as the British resident to Brunei from 1953 to 1958.
Gilbert served as the British resident to Brunei during a period of significant political transition. Initially, he played a key role in overseeing constitutional reforms and managing Brunei's evolving political landscape. He worked closely with the sultan but gradually lost influence as the sultan asserted greater authority, particularly through the State Council. Gilbert faced challenges in balancing British interests with local demands, especially as the Partai Rakyat Brunei (PRB) gained momentum. His tenure was further complicated by labour strikes, political tensions, and the British government's cautious approach to governance. By 1958, his inability to enforce British constitutional plans led to his removal, marking a shift in Brunei's path toward self-governance.

## Early life and education

John Orman Gilbert was born in London on 21 October 1907, the son of Reverend T. H. Gilbert of Chedgrave Manor, Norfolk. He received his education at Felsted and later attended Pembroke College, Oxford.

## Career
### Early career

Gilbert began his career in March 1928 when he joined the Sarawak Civil Service as a cadet. Over his thirty-year tenure in the state, he held several key positions, including acting chairman of the Kuching Municipal Board, acting assistant district officer in Rejang, and district officer in Kuching in 1938. During the Second World War, he served in the British Army from 1942 to 1946, reaching the rank of major. Following the war, in 1948, he transitioned to the Colonial Administrative Service, where he took on various roles, first as deputy chief secretary and later as resident of the Fourth Division of Sarawak.

### British Resident to Brunei

Gilbert was first assigned to Brunei as the British resident in the absence of John Coleraine Hanbury Barcroft in June 1953 and remained there until July 1954. From July to October 1954, D. H. Trumble briefly served in Gilbert's capacity while he was absent. Upon his return, Gilbert addressed the newly appointed "observers" in the State Council on 17 November, explaining their duties. He clarified that their responsibility was to listen to the council's discussions and report back to the District Advisory Councils (DAC). If a topic of interest to the DACs arose, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III could ask the observer to speak, with at least 14 days' notice from the DAC, including a speech summary. Gilbert and the sultan would then decide whether to allow the request. Later, on 16 and 17 December 1954, Gilbert was present when Anthony Abell met with Omar Ali Saifuddien and his ministers, Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam and Pengiran Muda Hashim, at the Istana Darul Hana to discuss the initial draft of the constitution enactment. The draft, which largely maintained British rule over Brunei, was accepted with minor changes before being forwarded to the Colonial Office for further review.
In 1955, Gilbert declined an invitation to the Brunei Malay Teachers Association (PGGMB) Annual General Meeting, instead sending a message that emphasised the teachers' duty of loyalty to the government. This reflected British concerns over the organisation's strong nationalist affiliations and support for Omar Ali Saifuddien's push for internal self-governance. On 20 October 1955, he passed the No. S 66–Chinese Marriages Enactment, The Chinese Marriages (Fees) Regulations. From 18 December 1955 until 11 January 1956, Eric Raymond Bevington served as acting British resident while Gilbert was on leave.

### Endorsement of PRB

At the beginning of 1956, Gilbert and Abell supported the PRB's plan to amend its constitution, shifting its focus from regional freedom to advocating for the unity of Brunei, Sarawak, and North Borneo. Gilbert implicit endorsement of the PRB reflected Brunei's gradual transition of power and constitutional reforms, made possible by the British strategy of supporting organised political groupings. He instructed A. M. Azahari to amend its constitution to limit its activities to Brunei, as the government refused to register the party if it aimed to operate across British Borneo. Although the party's initial pan-Bornean ambitions were shelved, the unification of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei remained a long-term goal. Following the constitutional amendment, the PRB was officially registered as a political party on 15 August 1956, during Gilbert's absence. From June to December 1956, Dennis White served as acting resident during Gilbert's vacation to the United Kingdom. During this period, Gilbert, unfamiliar with Brunei's conditions, considered declaring a state of emergency due to concerns over Azahari's influence, though he was advised against it unless absolutely necessary. Despite various security measures, the government remained concerned about an attempted armed uprising by Azahari's supporters.
In early 1957, Gilbert met with Omar Ali Saifuddien and his advisors to discuss the revised draft of the Brunei constitution, with assistance from a Sarawakian legal counsel. While the sultan generally appeared to approve the British revisions, he did not formally accept them until the State Council had examined them. Like his predecessors, Gilbert faced challenges in upholding British rule in Brunei during the 1950s. He had to navigate a shifting political landscape under Omar Ali Saifuddien, in contrast to previous eras when the resident could rely on the 1905–1906 Supplementary Agreement to exert influence over weaker sultans. With the sultan's growing assertiveness, he had to depend on his goodwill to resolve administrative disputes rather than coercion, highlighting the diminishing influence of the British resident in Brunei's governance.
Under Gilbert, Omar Ali Saifuddien began cultivating his own networks to maintain contact with his subjects, bypassing the formal British administration. This growing independence, combined with the sultan's rising prestige, allowed him to subtly undermine the British resident's authority while maintaining a public facade of cooperation. This situation mirrored the challenges faced by Gilbert's predecessor, Barcroft. Recognising the complexities of relying on the advice clause in the agreement, British officials like Abell sought to adjust the agreement provisions to establish the sultan as a constitutional monarchy, thereby securing British influence while conceding some authority to the sultan. Gilbert also had to contend with the sultan's growing frustration over Brunei's oil interests, particularly as the PRB's rising popularity and media coverage in the Borneo Bulletin threatened the stability of the oil business. Omar Ali Saifuddien was persuaded by the British Malayan Petroleum Company (BMPC) to take a more assertive stance against Gilbert and the PRB, further straining their relationship, which culminated in a challenging confrontation in early 1957 during Ramadan. Gilbert's actions during the negotiations over the proposed new agreement and constitutional enactment also infuriated the sultan.

### Urban relocation and labour conflict

In January 1957, Gilbert made two trips to Seria to assist the Brunei Police Force in diffusing a strike by the BMPC Chinese workers imported from British Hong Kong. The strike was sparked by a conflict between local Malays and the Chinese workers, which resulted in the death of one Chinese worker. Additionally, in a June discussion with the State Council, Gilbert affirmed that Gadong would be exclusively for the Kampong Ayer residents, who were being encouraged to relocate, with plans to carry out similar projects if the relocation was successful. As the PRB gained momentum, Gilbert and Abell met with Omar Ali Saifuddien in early February 1957 to discuss ways to calm Brunei's political situation. Omar Ali Saifuddien agreed to expand the State Council and restructure the DACs to make them more representative, though he refused to reinstate the rejected local government plan. Before the public announcement of these changes in mid-February, Gilbert made a final attempt to gain support for the local government plan by appealing to the Brunei–Muara DAC, stressing that the new State Council could not be constituted without it. In April, after obtaining the sultan's approval, Gilbert sent the revised draft of the Brunei constitution to the Colonial Office, but a week later, the sultan requested even more significant adjustments.
Perhaps Gilbert's positive reception of Walter Raeburn in June 1957 was the catalyst for the schism between him and Omar Ali Saifuddien. Although Abell supported Gilbert's approach, pointing out that his attempts cleared up misunderstandings and enhanced perceptions of the British government, Gilbert's activities might have come across as unduly accommodating to the sultan. Omar Ali Saifuddien began to suspect Gilbert of being Azahari's mentor and blamed him for the PRB surge in popularity. At the end of July, Gilbert made the major points of the constitution enactment public. Abell was put in a challenging position because standing up for Gilbert only made matters worse and thwarted the constitutional changes he advocated. The sultan's dislike of the position of British resident was exacerbated by his personal hostility toward Gilbert. By August, Abell was frustrated and wanted to address Omar Ali Saifuddien on important issues, acknowledging that he and Gilbert had lost ground with the sultan. Abell pondered if the new Agreement and Constitution should be modelled after an unstable person like the sultan and questioned the Colonial Office's approach of pacifying him on constitutional revisions.
In September 1957, Omar Ali Saifuddien held three official meetings, including one with Sir John Martin and two with Secretary of State for the Colonies, Alan Lennox-Boyd. During these discussions, the sultan agreed to hold elections for District Councils by secret ballot, a move that relieved the Colonial Office as it aligned with many of the PRB's demands. Following this agreement, a telegram was sent to Gilbert in Brunei on 27 September, prompting him to announce the decision that District Council members would be elected by secret ballot, and that these councils would elect their representatives to the State Council. Gilbert also attended the opening ceremony of the country's first automatic telephone office on 5 October.

### Removal and departure

On 15 February 1958, Gilbert gifted three books to the public—Skin and Bones, Storm and Echo, and The Foolish Gentlewomen—which were well received. On 6 March, Gilbert accompanied E. Melville to Brunei to better understand the Bruneian grievances, including the issue of the chief minister, reflecting the Colonial Office's more passive, "wait and see" attitude toward Brunei's political issues. Later, on 6 April 1958, Gilbert and Pengiran Jaya located the body of the murderer Peter Govilon, who had committed suicide in his bedroom after a killing spree that claimed the lives of six victims in Kampong Padang Baru. Although Gilbert expressed reservations about the new draft constituiton at the State Council meeting on 9 April 1958, the majority of the council supported it, and the draft was sent to Abell, who asked for clarification on a few topics.
Due to his inability to successfully enforce the British constitution in Brunei, Gilbert was relieved of his duties in July 1958. Despite being a diligent officer who was firm and patient, he struggled to overcome the growing opposition from Omar Ali Saifuddien and the State Council. As the sultan began to ignore even Gilbert's wise counsel, his position became untenable. The British failure to implement their constitution effectively led to his removal, and Abell suggested transferring him to heal relations with the sultan. Gilbert was succeeded by White later that year, and he gave a farewell speech at a banquet on 9 July, sponsored by the Brunei government, expressing his hope of returning to the country in the future.

## Death

Gilbert died on 16 September 1995.

## Personal life

In 1935, Gilbert married Winifred Mary Harris from Dublin, and they had two sons and two daughters.

## Honours

Gilbert has been bestowed the following honours:
* Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG; 1958)
* Omar Ali Saifuddin Medal (POAS; 1953)