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The Governor of Saint Helena is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government.
Contents
- Acting Governor and the Governors Deputy
- East India Company governors
- British Crown governors
- References
The role of the governor is to act as the de facto head of state as well as the de jure head of government and commander-in-chief of the territory, which consists of the islands of Saint Helena and Ascension and the group of islands of Tristan da Cunha. His or her responsibilities include internal security, external affairs, the administration of justice, finance, shipping, and employment and disciplinary action in respect of any public officer. The governor is represented by resident island Administrators, also appointed by the British Government, one on both Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha. He or she also appoints Saint Helena's Executive Council, and, with some exceptions, is bound to seek and act in accordance with their advice.
The governor has his/her own flag in Saint Helena, the Union Flag defaced with the territory's coat of arms. The official residence, Plantation House, is located near the capital Jamestown, and the Governor's office is located within The Castle, along with the office of the Chief Secretary, who runs the day-to-day administrative part of the government.
Before 2009 the territory was known as "Saint Helena", of which Ascension and Tristan da Cuhna were dependencies. A new constitution which came into force in 2009 changed the name of the territory to "Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha"; however, the governor's title remained as the "Governor of Saint Helena". The Governor of Saint Helena nonetheless is the British monarch's representative across the territory.
Acting Governor and the Governor's Deputy
Under the St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009 an Acting Governor is appointed when the office of Governor is vacant or the governor is unable to fulfil his or her duties long term. The acting governor is appointed by the Queen.
If the Governor is off the island for a short time (including when s/he visits Ascension or Tristan da Cunha) or is ill for a short period, s/he may appoint anyone on St Helena to be Deputy. The Deputy must follow any instructions issued by the Governor. It is current practice to appoint an acting governor when the governor is away from the island of Saint Helena, even if visiting either Ascension Island or Tristan da Cunha.
In recent years the Chief Secretary (or in his/her absence, the Attorney General) has taken on this temporary role in the governor's absence, the most recent times were in January 2011 when the governor travelled to Tristan da Cunha and the Chief Secretary became deputy governor and then later in 2011 when Kenneth Baddon, the Attorney General, became deputy governor.
East India Company governors
The territory was governed by the East India Company from its initial colonisation in 1659 to the end of Company rule in 1834.
British Crown governors
Following on from St Helena becoming a crown colony in 1834, the first governor was appointed in 1836.
- 1836 – Major General George Middlemore
- 1842 – Colonel Hamelin Trelawney
- 1846 – Major General Sir Patrick Ross
- 1851 – Colonel Sir Thomas Gore Browne
- 1856 – Sir Edward Hay Drummond Hay
- 1863 – Admiral Sir Charles Elliot
- 1870 – Vice Admiral Charles George Edward Patey
- 1873 – Hudson Ralph Janisch
- 1890 – William Grey-Wilson
- 1897 – Robert Armitage Sterndale
- 1903 – Lieutenant Colonel Henry Galway
- 1912 – Major Sir Harry Cordeaux
- 1920 – Colonel Sir Robert Peel
- 1925 – Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Iremonger (Acting Governor)
- 1925 – Sir Charles Harper
- 1932 – Sir Spencer Davis
- 1938 – Sir Guy Pilling
- 1941 – Major William Bain Gray
- 1947 – Sir George Joy
- 1954 – Sir James Harford
- 1958 – George Albert Lewis (acting to 1959)
- 1960 – Sir Robert Alford
- 1963 – Sir John Field
- 1969 – Sir Dermod Murphy
- 1971 – Sir Thomas Oates
- 1976 – Geoffrey Colin Guy
- 1981 – Sir John Dudley Massingham
- 1984 – Francis Eustace Baker
- 1988 – Robert F Stimson
- 1991 – Alan Hoole
- 1995 – David Leslie Smallman
- 1999 – David Hollamby
- 2004 – Michael Clancy
- 2007 – Andrew Gurr
- 2011 – Mark Andrew Capes
- 2016 – Lisa Phillips
A complete list of the Governors of St. Helena