Allan Ross Welsh
Sir Allan Ross Welsh was a Rhodesian lawyer and politician. He was Speaker of the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly from 1935 to 1952.
Early life and family
Welsh was born in Bedford, Cape Colony to Alexander Robert Welsh, a Presbyterian clergyman from Scotland, and Jessie SolomonLegal career
In 1897, Welsh went to work as a clerk in the firm of Solomon and Thomson, founded by his uncle Sir Edward Philip Solomon, in Johannesburg. Two years later he joined the firm of Frames and Grimmer in Bulawayo as managing clerk. Charles Coghlan arrived in Bulawayo in 1900 and the firm became Frames and Coghlan. However, in 1902 Frames left for Johannesburg and dissolved the partnership with Coghlan. Welsh became a partner of the firm on 1 January 1903 and they practised as Coghlan and Welsh.In 1907, the firm opened an office in Salisbury with Bernard Tancred as partner and the firm changed name to Coghlan, Welsh and Tancred. When Tancred died in 1911, Coghlan invited Ernest Lucas Guest to join as partner and the firm changed to Coghlan, Welsh and Guest.
Politics
Welsh was elected in 1927 to the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly as the member for Bulawayo North, replacing Sir Charles Coghlan, who had died in office, and was re-elected several times until 1935. He succeeded Lionel Cripps as Speaker of the Assembly in 1935 and served until 1952. Cripps was not a member of the House and Welsh did not contest any further elections after 1935.Business activities
Welsh was a director of Rhodesia Sugar Refinery, Ltd and of Knitting and Clothing Factory.Honours
He was knighted in July 1943 as a Knight Bachelor and in 1952, he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and also granted permission to retain the title The Honourable, having served more than three years as Speaker of the [Legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesia].He was also appointed Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix by King Paul of Greece in 1950, in recognition of services rendered during the Second World War.