Mr. M.E. Couchman

The Times 13th December 1938

Mr. Malcolm Edward Couchman, C.S.I., late Indian Civil Service, died at his home at Weybridge yesterday at the age of 69.

He was a son of the late Thomas Barnes Couchman, of Beaudesert Park, Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, and his elder brother is Sir Francis Couchman, late member of the Indian Railway Board. He was educated at Leamington College and Christ Church, Oxford. He passed the I.C.S. examination of 1892 and was posted to the Madras Presidency. He did the usual work of an assistant collector and magistrate in the early years. From the autumn of 1906 he was Director of Agriculture for the Presidency, and five short years later was given district charge. For a short time in 1916 he was on special duty in the Department of Industries; and in the following year he represented his Government in the Imperial Legislative Council. He went to the Board of Revenue early in 1919 and became first member in November, 1922. He officiated as Chief Secretary to Government from October, 1923, was made C.S.I. at the beginning of 1925, and retired in the summer of the following year. He was liked by his colleagues and the general public.

He leaves a widow. The funeral will be at St. John’s Crematorium, Woking, at 2.15 tomorrow.