Frans Dove
Francis Thomas Dove was a West African barrister, philanthropist and sportsman. Born into a prominent Sierra Leonean family, he was, at the time, the youngest man called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, one of the four Inns of Court, or professional associations for barristers and judges, in London, England. He later became the first President of the Gold Coast Bar Association, now the Ghana Bar Association.
Dove sponsored the introduction of tennis and horse-racing to the Gold Coast and established the first formal inter-colonial sporting competitions, marking a major milestone in the institutionalization of Western sport in West Africa. He was also a lifelong patron of education and supported the advancement of numerous relatives and protégés in law, medicine, and the arts.
Early life and education
The Dove family played a foundational role in West Africa’s intellectual, professional, and cultural elite. In Sierra Leone, they were among the wealthy, upper-class and aristocratic Creole families, known locally as the Aristos. Frans Dove’s early education took place at CMS Grammar School and Fourah Bay College. At the age of 17, he moved to England to pursue historical and legal studies at University College London.Legal career
On 21 September 1888, Dove was admitted to the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn at the age of 19, making him one of the youngest ever admitted. Although restricted from practicing until age 21, he was called to the Bar on June 10, 1891, marking the beginning of a distinguished legal career.Called to the Supreme Court Bar in 1897, he quickly emerged as the foremost legal authority in the colony, earning the reverential title "Father of the local Bar". His career spanned more than five decades, during which he advised and practised alongside the highest judicial figures, including Sir W. Brandford Griffiths, the Chief Justice and was the first President of the Gold Coast Bar, which later became the Ghana Bar Association.
During his career, Dove amassed significant wealth, including his mansion at Tudu, Accra, a sprawling estate with extensive grounds and tennis courts.
He was presented to King George VI shortly before his death.
Patron of sports
Beyond his legal career, Frans Dove was a celebrated sportsman and visionary patron who fundamentally transformed the sporting landscape of West Africa, often credited with introducing lawn tennis to the Gold Coast.Alongside his brothers Silas, Arthur and Horace, he represented the Gold Coast in both cricket and tennis, competing in early inter-colonial matches against Nigeria, an event series which he founded, what would become the region’s first international sporting events. The inter-colonial cricket and tennis competitions between the Gold Coast and Nigeria later extended to include Sierra Leone and The Gambia. These matches marked a major milestone in the formal establishment of Western sport in West Africa.
Dove personally financed the full outfitting of more than fifty players, supplying all necessary equipment, from flannel trousers to cricket boots. His home, the grand Tutu House in Tudu, Accra, became a social and athletic hub, hosting the prestigious annual Tudu Tennis Tournament, the first of its kind in the region which attracted sporting elites from across West Africa.
In addition to tennis and cricket, Dove played a leadership role in promoting horse racing, serving as Chairman of the Accra Turf Club. His pioneering efforts laid the foundation for several enduring sports traditions, and his contributions helped position West Africa on the international sporting map.
Death and posthumous honours
Frans Dove died in England on 22 August 1949, at the age of 80, shortly after undergoing a successful medical operation.His funeral in Accra, conducted by the Archbishop of Accra, was attended by high-ranking government officials, legal scholars and many from the West African sporting community. A plane was chartered to take Francis back to Ghana from the U.K. The procession was led by the Accra Turf Club, including past chairmen and members of the Gold Coast Bar and a guard of honour made up of jockeys.
Eulogies were given by the Chief Justice and Attorney-General, who named Dove a "grand old luminary". Dove was buried at Christianborg Cemetery.
The Dove family legacy
Frans Dove was one of five brothers and used his considerable resources to educate his siblings and extended family, ensuring multiple generations rose to prominence as lawyers, doctors, engineers, and artists.His children include Frank Dove, a black British Olympian boxer and war hero, Evelyn Dove, the first black woman to sing on the BBC and Mabel Dove, a political activist and the first woman elected to a national legislative body in Africa, serving as a member of Ghana’s Parliament and a key figure in the Convention People’s Party.
The Dove family's combined contributions earned them a central place in the history of the "Athens of West Africa", as Sierra Leone was affectionately known, as well as a significant role in the development of Ghana, from the Gold Coast to its current post-independence position.