Governor of Hong Kong
The
Governor of Hong Kong was a
British official who ruled
Hong Kong during the
colonial period between
1841 and
1997.
Governor of Hong Kong's Flag 1959-1997 |
Upon the reunification of Hong Kong with the People's Republic of China in 1997, this office was replaced by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.
The Governor, appointed by the British monarch, maintained executive power in Hong Kong throughout British rule. As in other British colonies, no serious attempt was being made to introduce representative government, until the final years prior to the reunification. The Governor appointed most, if not all, of the members of the colony's legislature the Legislative Council (known colloquially as LegCo) until the first direct elections of LegCo in 1991, and all members of the Executive Council (ExCo), effectively the cabinet of the colonial government. Initially both Councils were dominated by British expatriates, although this gave way to more local Hong Kong Chinese appointees in later years. Most recent governors of Hong Kong were professional diplomats, but the last Governor, Chris Patten, was a career politican.
Hong Kong British Ensign 1959-1997 |
Residences of the governors
- The first governor, Sir Henry Pottinger resided in the Former French Mission Building from 1843 to 1846. The building is now housing the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. His successor, John Francis Davis also lived there for a while, before moving to Caine road.
- From the 4th governor (Sir John Bowring) until the last one (Chris Patten), governors resided at the Government House.
List
Hong Kong had 28 governors, and 9 administrators (whose names are further indented in the following list).
- January 1841 - August 1841 - Captain Elliot (Administrator)
- August 1841 - June 1843 - Sir Henry Pottinger (Administrator)
June 1843 - May 1844 - Sir Henry Pottinger (Governor)
May 1844 - March 1848 - Sir John Francis Davis
March 1848 - April 1854 - Sir Samuel George Bonham
April 1854 - May 1859 - Sir John Bowring
September 1859 - March 1865 - Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson
- March 1865 - March 1866 - Wiliam T. Mercer (Administrator)
March 1866 - April 1872 - Sir Richard Graves Macdonell
April 1872 - March 1877 - Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy
April 1877 - March 1882 - Sir John Pope Hennessy
- March 1882 - March 1883 - Sir William H. Marsh (Administrator)
March 1883 - December 1885 - Sir George Ferguson Bowen
- December 1885 - April 1887 - Sir William H. Marsh (Administrator)
April 1887 - October 1887 - Major-General N.G. Cameron (Administrator)
October 1887 - May 1891 - Sir George William Des Voeux
- May 1891 - December 1891 - Major-General Digby Barker (Administrator)
December 1891 - January 1898 - Sir William Robinson
- February 1898 - November 1898 - Major-General W. Black (Administrator)
November 1898 - July 1903 - Sir Henry Arthur Blake
- November 1903 - July 1904 - Sir Francis H. May (Administrator)
July 1904 - April 1907 - Sir Matthew Nathan
July 1907 - March 1912 - Lord Frederick Lugard
July 1912 - February 1919 - Sir Francis Henry May
September 1919 - October 1925 - Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs
November 1925 - February 1930 - Sir Cecil Clementi
May 1930 - May 1935 - Sir William Peel
December 1935 - April 1937 - Sir Andrew Caldecott
November 1937 - May 1940 - Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote
September 1941 - May 1947 - Sir Mark Aitchison Young
July 1947 - December 1957 - Sir Alexander William George Herder Grantham
January 1958 - March 1964 - Sir Robert Brown Black
April 1964 - October 1971 - Sir David Clive Crosbie Trench
November 1971 - May 1982 - Lord MacLehose of Beoch
May 1982 - April 1987 - Sir Edward Youde
April 1987 - July 1992 - Lord Wilson of Tillyorn
July 1992 - June 1997 - Christopher Francis Patten
See also:
History of Hong Kong