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John Thorp

1912 – 1961

Irish-born British diplomat

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About John Thorp

Lived 1912 – 1961 (aged 49).

Sir John Kingsmill Robert Thorp, (13 June 1912 – 13 August 1961) was a British colonial administrator. He was Governor of Seychelles from 1958 until his death in 1961.

The elder son of Samuel R. Thorp, of Tullow, County Carlow, and Mary (née Williams), of Mallow, County Cork, John Thorp was educated at Campbell College, Belfast and Trinity College, Dublin, where he was elected a foundation scholar in 1932 and took first-class moderatorship and the gold medal in Mental and Moral Science in 1933. He was lecturer in logic at Trinity College in 1934.

Thorp joined the Colonial Administrative Service and, after attending the Colonial Service Course at the University of Cambridge, was posted to Kenya in 1935 as a cadet, and served in the Kitui, Machakos, Turkana, Mombasa, Digo, Isiolo, Marsabit, Fort Hall and Nandi districts.

Thorp died by drowning at Grand'Anse Mahé on 13 August 1961, along with the Financial Secretary, Maurice Boullé.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Campbell College
Positions held
Governor of the Seychelles
Awards
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George; Member of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Sir John Kingsmill Robert Thorp

People in John Thorp's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Thorp's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Thorp?

irish-born British diplomat (1912-1961)

When was John Thorp born?

John Thorp was born on 13 June 1912 in Tullow.

When did John Thorp die?

John Thorp died on 13 August 1961 in Grand'Anse Mahé.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Thorp

· Wikidata: Q108649273

· DBpedia: John Thorp (colonial administrator)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Thorp. https://biography.guide/john-thorp-1912/

MLA: "John Thorp." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-thorp-1912/.

Chicago: "John Thorp." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-thorp-1912/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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