{{short description|South African diplomat}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|left|150px|Arthur Canham, 'The Trade Booster'.

'''Arthur Canham''' (1867–1933) was South Africa's first Trade Commissioner. He was born in Crowland, Lincolnshire, England and emigrated to Natal in 1901 where he joined the Civil Service as a shorthand writer at the Supreme Court in Pietermaritzburg. He then served successively in the Natal Government Railways and the Prime Minister's office.<ref name=Rosenthal>Rosenthal, E. 'Southern African Dictionary of National Biography' (London: Frederick Warne & Co, 1966) pp 58-9.</ref>

After the foundation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, Canham transferred to the new Department of Commerce and Industry. Following a period as Acting Trade Commissioner,<ref>{{cite journal|jstor= 716108|pages= 308–318|title= Meetings of the Society|volume= 14|issue= 55|journal= Journal of the Royal African Society|year= 1915}}</ref> he was appointed the Union's first Trade Commissioner in 1918. From his base in the South African High Commission in London, he achieved considerable success in establishing overseas outlets for South African exports.<ref name=Rosenthal/><ref>{{cite news|url= https://archive.org/stream/reportofproceedi00sout/reportofproceedi00sout_djvu.txt|title=Report of the Proceedings of the Industries Advisory Board (1919)|accessdate=2010-06-24}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|url= https://archive.org/stream/bulletinofimperi19commuoft/bulletinofimperi19commuoft_djvu.txt|title=Bulletin of the Imperial Institute Vol. XIX (1921)|accessdate=2010-06-24}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|url= https://archive.org/stream/journalofdepartm02sout/journalofdepartm02sout_djvu.txt|title=Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Union of South Africa, Vol. 2 (1921)|accessdate=2010-06-24}}</ref>

Arthur Canham died in Kingston-upon-Thames, England in 1933 aged 65.

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canham, Arthur}} Category:Diplomats for South Africa Category:1933 deaths Category:1867 births Category:Colony of Natal people

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