Governors of British Ceylon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of Ceylon
Flag of Governor of Ceylon
Longest serving Edward Barnes 1 February 1820–2 February 1822 18 January 1824–13 October 1831
Style	His Excellency
Residence	Government House
Appointer	Monarch of the United Kingdom
Precursor	Governor of Ceylon
Formation	August 1795
First holder	Patrick Alexander Agnew as Military Governor
Final holder	Henry Monck-Mason Moore
Abolished	4 February 1948
Succession	Governor-General of Ceylon

The Governor of Ceylon was a very important person in British Ceylon (which is now Sri Lanka). From 1795 to 1948, the Governor was the main representative of the British King or Queen. They were like the chief boss of the British government in Ceylon.

The Governor was in charge of the main government council and also the leader of the British armed forces in Ceylon. They reported directly to the British government office that handled colonies.

When Ceylon became an independent country in 1948, the role of Governor changed. It was replaced by the Governor-General. This new role still represented the British monarch, but Ceylon was now a self-governing country. Later, in 1972, Sri Lanka became a republic, and the Governor-General was replaced by the President.

How Governors Were Chosen

The British King or Queen chose the Governor of Ceylon. They usually made this decision based on advice from the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for the Colonies. This meant the Governor had a lot of power in Ceylon throughout the time it was under British rule.

What Did Governors Do?

The Governor was the head of the entire government in Ceylon. At first, their power was only over the coastal areas. But after an agreement called the Kandyan Convention in 1815, their power grew to include the Kingdom of Kandy's provinces too.

The Governor had almost complete power on the island. This power came from the old Dutch governors and the King of Kandy. They answered to the British Secretary of State for the Colonies. Later, a set of changes called the Colebrooke Reforms clearly stated that the Governor was the "representative of the Monarch who rules over the Parliament of the United Kingdom." These reforms also created the first steps towards a local law-making body.

The Governor was also the commander-in-chief of the British forces in Ceylon. This means they were the top military leader. However, during World War II, a special Admiral named Geoffrey Layton was given even more power than the Governor to lead the forces.

Ceremonial Duties

Governors also had some special traditional duties. For example, every November, the Governor would receive a special payment from the Sultan of Maldives. This was a long-standing tradition. The Governor was also the head (called ex-officio Chancellor) of the University of Ceylon and a supporter of the Royal College Colombo.

Working with Councils

After the Colebrooke Reforms, two important councils were set up: the Executive Council of Ceylon and the Legislative Council of Ceylon. The Governor was the leader of both these councils. In 1931, the Legislative Council was replaced by the State Council of Ceylon. This new council gave the people of Ceylon more say in their own government.

How They Were Addressed

The official title for the position was "Governor of Ceylon." People would address the Governor as Excellency and say "Your Excellency." The Governor was considered the most important government official in Ceylon. This way of addressing the head of state is still used for the President of Sri Lanka today.

Special Perks and Places

Where Governors Lived

The main home and office for the Governor was King's House in Colombo. They also had a second home called the King's Pavilion in Kandy. For holidays, the Governor would go to Queen's Cottage in the cool hill station of Nuwara Eliya.

Governor's Guards

The Governor had a special Governor's Bodyguard. These were mounted guards who would provide a ceremonial escort for the Governor at important events. There was also a traditional local regiment called the Lascoreens. They would provide a ceremonial guard for special occasions, like receiving the Maldivian tribute or during royal visits.

Who Helped the Governor?

The Governor's office was located at King's House and had a team of permanent staff. This team included the secretary to the Governor, a private secretary, an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant), the Maha Mudaliyar (a chief native official), an office assistant, and other support staff.

List of Ceylon's Governors

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Time in Office			British Monarch	Ref.
			Started	Ended	Length of Time
Military Governors (1795–1798)
1		Patrick Alexander Agnew (1765–1813) (in Trincomalee)	August 1795	1 March 1796	7 months	George III
2		James Stuart (1741–1815)	1 March 1796	1 January 1797	306 days	George III
3		Welbore Ellis Doyle (1758–1797)	1 January 1797	2 July 1797	182 days	George III
4		Peter Bonnevaux (c. 1752–1797)	2 July 1797	12 July 1797 †	10 days	George III
5		Pierre Frédéric de Meuron (1788–1813)	12 July 1797	12 October 1798	1 year, 92 days	George III
Resident and Superintendent (1796–1798)
1		Robert Andrews (1763–1821)	12 February 1796	12 October 1798	2 years, 242 days	George III
Governors (1798–1948)
1		Frederick North (1766–1827)	12 October 1798	19 July 1805	6 years, 280 days	George III
2		Thomas Maitland (1760–1824)	19 July 1805	19 March 1811	5 years, 243 days	George III
		John Wilson (1780–1856) Acting	19 March 1811	11 March 1812	358 days	George III
3		Robert Brownrigg (1759–1833)	11 March 1812	1 February 1820	7 years, 327 days	George III
		Edward Barnes (1776–1838) Acting	1 February 1820	2 February 1822	2 years, 1 day	George III George IV
4		Edward Paget (1775–1849)	2 February 1822	6 November 1822	277 days	George IV
		James Campbell (c. 1773–1835) Acting	6 November 1822	18 January 1824	1 year, 73 days	George IV
5		Edward Barnes (1776–1838)	18 January 1824	13 October 1831	7 years, 268 days	George IV William IV
		John Wilson (1780–1856) Acting	13 October 1831	23 October 1831	10 days	William IV
6		Robert Wilmot-Horton (1784–1841)	23 October 1831	7 November 1837	6 years, 15 days	William IV Queen Victoria
7		James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie (1784–1843)	7 November 1837	15 April 1841	3 years, 159 days	Queen Victoria
8		Colin Campbell (1776–1847)	15 April 1841	19 April 1847	6 years, 4 days	Queen Victoria
		James Emerson Tennent (1804–1869) Acting	19 April 1847	29 May 1847	40 days	Queen Victoria
9		The Viscount Torrington (1812–1884)	29 May 1847	18 October 1850	3 years, 142 days	Queen Victoria
		Charles Justin MacCarthy (1811–1864) Acting	18 October 1850	27 November 1850	40 days	Queen Victoria
10		George William Anderson (1791–1857)	27 November 1850	18 January 1855	4 years, 52 days	Queen Victoria
		Charles Justin MacCarthy (1811–1864) Acting	18 January 1855	11 May 1855	113 days	Queen Victoria
11		Henry George Ward (1797–1860)	11 May 1855	30 June 1860	5 years, 50 days	Queen Victoria
		Henry Frederick Lockyer (1797–1860) Acting	30 June 1860	30 July 1860	30 days	Queen Victoria
		Charles Edmund Wilkinson (1807–1870) Acting	30 July 1860	22 October 1860	84 days	Queen Victoria
12		Charles Justin MacCarthy (1811–1864)	22 October 1860	1 December 1863	3 years, 40 days	Queen Victoria
		Terence O'Brien (1830–1903) Acting	1 December 1863	21 March 1865	1 year, 110 days	Queen Victoria
		Hercules Robinson (1824–1897) Acting	21 March 1865	16 May 1865	56 days	Queen Victoria
13		Hercules Robinson (1824–1897)	16 May 1865	4 January 1872	6 years, 233 days	Queen Victoria
		Henry Turner Irving (1833–1923) Acting	4 January 1872	4 March 1872	60 days	Queen Victoria
14		William Henry Gregory (1817–1892)	4 March 1872	4 September 1877	5 years, 184 days	Queen Victoria
15		James Robert Longden (1827–1891)	4 September 1877	10 July 1883	5 years, 309 days	Queen Victoria
		John Douglas (1835–1885) Acting	10 July 1883	3 December 1883	146 days	Queen Victoria
16		Arthur Hamilton-Gordon (1829–1912)	3 December 1883	28 May 1890	6 years, 176 days	Queen Victoria
17		Arthur Elibank Havelock (1844–1908)	28 May 1890	24 October 1895	5 years, 149 days	Queen Victoria
		Edward Noël Walker (1842–1908) Acting	24 October 1895	10 February 1896	109 days	Queen Victoria
18		Joseph West Ridgeway (1844–1930)	10 February 1896	19 November 1903	7 years, 282 days	Queen Victoria Edward VII
		Sir Everard im Thurn (1852–1932) Acting	19 November 1903	3 December 1903	14 days	Edward VII
19		Henry Arthur Blake (1840–1918)	3 December 1903	11 July 1907	3 years, 220 days	Edward VII
		Hugh Clifford (1866–1941) Acting	11 July 1907	24 August 1907	44 days	Edward VII
20		Henry Edward McCallum (1852–1919)	24 August 1907	24 January 1913	5 years, 153 days	Edward VII George V
		Reginald Edward Stubbs (1876–1947) Acting	24 January 1913	18 October 1913	267 days	George V
21		Robert Chalmers (1858–1938)	18 October 1913	4 December 1915	2 years, 47 days	George V
		Reginald Edward Stubbs (1876–1947) Acting	4 December 1915	15 April 1916	133 days	George V
22		John Anderson (1858–1918)	15 April 1916	24 March 1918 †	1 year, 343 days	George V
		Reginald Edward Stubbs (1876–1947) Acting	24 March 1918	10 September 1918	170 days	George V
23		William Henry Manning (1863–1932)	10 September 1918	1 April 1925	6 years, 203 days	George V
		Cecil Clementi (1875–1947) Acting	1 April 1925	18 October 1925	200 days	George V
		Edward Bruce Alexander (1872–1955) Acting	18 October 1925	30 November 1925	43 days	George V
24		Hugh Clifford (1866–1941)	30 November 1925	June 1927	1 year, 6 months	George V
		Arthur George Murchison Fletcher (1878–1954) Acting	June 1927	20 August 1928	1 year, 2 months	George V
25		Herbert Stanley (1872–1955)	20 August 1928	11 February 1931	2 years, 175 days	George V
		Bernard Henry Bourdillon (1883–1948) Acting	11 February 1931	11 April 1931	59 days	George V
26		Graeme Thomson (1875–1933)	11 April 1931	20 September 1933	2 years, 162 days	George V
		Graeme Tyrrell (1876–1964) Acting	20 September 1933	23 December 1933	94 days	George V
27		Reginald Edward Stubbs (1876–1947)	23 December 1933	30 June 1937	3 years, 189 days	George V Edward VIII George VI
		Maxwell MacLagan Wedderburn (1883–1953) Acting	30 June 1937	16 October 1937	108 days	George VI
28		Andrew Caldecott (1884–1951)	16 October 1937	19 September 1944	6 years, 339 days	George VI
29		Henry Monck-Mason Moore (1887–1964)	19 September 1944	4 February 1948	3 years, 138 days	George VI

See Also

• Dutch governors of Zeylan
• Governor-General of Ceylon
• History of Sri Lanka