Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lieutenant Governorof the Isle of Man |
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Standard of the Lieutenant Governor
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.jpg) Sir John Lorimer since 29 September 2021 |
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| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Reports to | Lord of Mann |
| Residence | Government House, Isle of Man |
| Nominator | Isle of Man Government |
| Appointer | Lord of Mann |
| Term length | 5 years |
| Formation | 1773 |
| First holder | Henry Hope |
| Deputy | First Deemster Andrew Corlett |
| Salary | £108,208 |
| Website | Government House, Isle of Man |
| Isle of Man |
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The Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man is the official representative of the Lord of Mann (the King or Queen) on the Isle of Man. This important role means they act on behalf of the monarch. The Lieutenant Governor has the power to approve new laws, a process called royal assent. People often refer to the Lieutenant Governor as "His Excellency."
No one born on the Isle of Man has ever been appointed as Lieutenant Governor. However, Manx-born First Deemsters (who are like chief judges and act as deputy governors) have temporarily taken on the role. This happens when there is no Lieutenant Governor appointed yet, or when the current one is away from the island.
The official home of the Lieutenant Governor is Government House. It is located on Governor's Road in Onchan.
In the past, the Lieutenant Governor had a lot of power. They were in charge of the island's courts, money, and government decisions. However, over time, these powers were gradually given to other Manx officials. For example, they stopped being the head of the courts in 1921. They were no longer the head of government in 1961. By 1990, they no longer led Tynwald, the island's parliament.
Today, the Lieutenant Governor's job is mostly ceremonial. This means they perform important duties like representing the King, but they don't make many political decisions. They still have some powers under Isle of Man laws. These decisions are usually made with the advice and approval of the Council of Ministers.
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History of the Role
For a long time, people wondered about the exact title and powers of the island's chief executive. They also questioned if their duties stopped when the Lord of Mann or a main governor was on the island. In 1877, a famous Manx lawyer named Sir James Gell looked into this. He found records of many appointments between 1595 and 1863. It was hard to find records before 1639, as that's when they started keeping special books for these appointments.
Historically, the titles "governor," "lieutenant," and "captain" all meant similar things. They referred to the King's or Queen's representative. These titles often suggested that the person had both civil (government) and military powers. If the King or Queen didn't want to give full powers to someone, it had to be clearly written in their appointment document. However, no such limits were ever recorded.
A Lieutenant Governor or Deputy Governor with full powers could do everything a main governor could. Sir James Gell himself served as governor twice. First, he was a deputy during the illness of Lord Henniker. Second, he was an acting governor after Lord Henniker's death until a new governor was appointed.
The Dukes of Atholl were the last supreme governors of the Isle of Man. This changed after the Isle of Man Purchase Act 1765, also known as the Act of Revestment. This act meant the British Crown took over the island's ownership from the Dukes of Atholl. After this, all governors were called Lieutenant Governors.
Before the Act of Revestment in 1765, the term "deputy governor" was used instead of "lieutenant governor." These were often temporary appointments when the main governor was away or the position was empty. Lieutenant Governors and Deputy Governors could also appoint their own deputies. This was useful for when the governor was sick or absent.
How the Lieutenant Governor is Appointed
Before 2010, the Lieutenant Governor was chosen by the King or Queen. This decision was made based on advice from a group led by the government of the United Kingdom.
In July 2010, the Isle of Man government announced a new way of choosing the Lieutenant Governor. Now, the decision is based on advice from a local group. This group includes the Chief Minister, the president of Tynwald, and the first deemster. This new process was first used to choose Sir Paul Haddacks's replacement.
Proposed Change to the Title
In October 2005, Tynwald (the Isle of Man's parliament) wanted to change the title of the Lieutenant Governor to "Crown Commissioner." This idea was sent to the British government to be approved by Queen Elizabeth II, who was the Lord of Mann at the time.
However, many people on the island did not like this idea. In April 2006, after much public disagreement, Tynwald changed its mind. They withdrew their request for approval. So, the Lieutenant Governor's title stayed the same.
List of Governors
| Date appointed | Appointee name | Appointed office | By whom appointed | Remarks |
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| 1 Aug 1595 | Thomas Garret (or Gerrard) | Captain | Queen Elizabeth I | Appointed while there was a dispute about who would rule the island. |
| 3 Jul 1596 | Peter Legh | Captain and governor | Lord Keeper and other offices of state for Queen Elizabeth | To act when Thomas Garret was away from the island. |
| 30 Mar 1639 | Ratcliffe Gerrard | Deputy governor | Lord of Mann (Lord Strange; later, 7th Earl of Derby) | To act when Sir Charles Gerrard, the governor, was away. |
| 20 Jul 1639 | Ffoulks Hunckers | Captain and governor | Lord of Mann; 7th Earl of Derby | Replaced Sir Charles Gerrard. |
| 20 Jun 1640 | John Greenhaigh | Replaced Sir Ffoulks Hunckers. | ||
| 12 Nov 1652 | John Sharples | Deputy governor | Commissioners of Lord Fairfax | Appointed as deputy governor for civil matters (not military). |
| 16 Jul 1660 | Roger Nowell | Governor, captain-general and commander-in-chief | Lord of Mann (Charles, Earl of Derby) | Appointed after the King was restored to power. |
| 16 Jul 1660 | Richard Stevenson | Deputy governor | Charles, Earl of Derby | To serve when Governor Roger Nowell was away. |
| 11 Dec 1662 | Henry Nowell | Governor Roger Nowell | To act when the governor was away. | |
| 18 Sep 1663 | Henry Nowell | 7th Earl of Derby | To act as long as desired, replacing Thomas Stanley. | |
| 31 May 1664 | Isaac Barrow | Governor | Lord of Mann (Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby) | Could serve himself or through his deputy, Henry Nowell. |
| 28 Jul 1673 | Henry Nowell | William, Earl of Derby (by his Guardian, Duke of Ormonde) | ||
| 10 Apr 1677 | Henry Stanley | Lord of Mann (William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby) | ||
| 13 Apr 1678 | Robert Heywood | |||
| 16 Mar 1690/1 | Roger Kenyon | |||
| 6 Apr 1692 | William Sacheverell | Deputy governor | William, Earl of Derby | To take full charge of the government as long as desired (likely during a vacancy). |
| 10 Oct 1692 |
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Deputy Governor Sacheverell | Appointed by the deputy governor, but with special permission from the Lord of the Isle. | |
| 9 May 1693 | William Sacheverell | Governor | Lord of Mann (William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby) | |
| 15 Jun 1695 | Nicholas Sankey | |||
| 28 Jul 1696 |
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Deputy governor | Governor Sankey | To act together. |
| 30 Oct 1700 | Thomas Huddlestone | Lord of Mann (William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby) | To take full charge of the government as long as desired (likely a temporary appointment). | |
| 10 Mar 1700/01 | James Cranstoun | |||
| 21 Nov 1702 | Charles Zedenno Stanley | Chief governor and commander-in-chief | Lord of Mann (James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby) | Could serve himself or through his deputies. |
| 3 Dec 1702 | Robert Mawdesley | Deputy governor | Governor Stanley | To serve as long as desired. |
| 30 Oct 1702–03 | Deemster John Parr | To serve when Deputy Governor Mawdesley was away. | ||
| 12 Jul 1703 |
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To act when Deputy Governor Mawdesley was away, and Deputy Governor Parr had left. | ||
| 25 Nov 1703 | Robert Mawdesley | Lord of Mann (James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby) | Confirmed as deputy governor, later styled himself as governor. | |
| 17 Jul 1712 | Deemster John Parr | Governor Mawdesley | To act when the governor was away in England. | |
| 20 May 1713 | Deemster John Parr | To act when the governor was away from the Isle of Man. | ||
| 18 Jul 1713 |
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Chief governor & deputy governor | Lord of Mann (James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby) | The deputy was to act when the governor was away. |
| 17 Oct 1713 |
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Deputy governor | Governor Stanley | To act together when both the Governor and Deputy Governor Horne were away. |
| 13 Oct 1714 | Deputy Governor Horne | To act when Deputy Governor Horne was away in England (deputies appointed by a deputy). | ||
| 25 Jun 1718 | To act when Deputy Governor Horne was away from the Isle of Man. | |||
| 9 Jul 1718 | Capt. Alexander Horne | Governor & commander-in-chief | Lord of Mann (James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby) | |
| 27 Jun 1719 |
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Deputy governor | Governor Horne | To serve when Governor Horne was away. |
| 1 Jul 1719 | ||||
| 25 Jun 1721 | ||||
| 23 Apr 1723 | John Sanforth (Water Bailiff) | |||
| 29 Apr 1723 | Deemster Daniel McYlrea | To act with Deputy Governor Sanforth when Governor Horne was away. | ||
| 22 May 1723 |
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If one was sick or away, the other two were to act together (likely a temporary appointment). | ||
| 3 Oct 1723 | John Lloyd | Governor or lieutenant | Lord of Mann (James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby) | |
| 27 Feb 1724/5 |
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Deputy governor | Likely a temporary appointment during a vacancy. | |
| 14 Sep 1725 | Thomas Horton | Deputy lieutenant governor | ||
| 12 May 1726 |
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Deputy governor | Governor Horton | To act when the governor was away from the Isle of Man. If one was sick, the other two were to act together. |
| 9 Jul 1727 | ||||
| 13 Jul 1727 | ||||
| 12 Jul 1728 | ||||
| 5 Mar 1728/9 | To act when the governor was away from the Isle of Man. | |||
| 25 Jun 1731 |
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| 30 Jun 1732 | ||||
| 30 Jun 1733 |
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To act when the governor was away from the Isle of Man. If one was sick, the other two were to act together. | ||
| 29 Apr 1734 | To act when the governor was away from Isle of Man. If one was sick or away, the other two were to act together. | |||
| 30 Jul 1734 | ||||
| 26 Dec 1734 |
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To act when the governor was away. | ||
| 8 Oct 1735 |
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To act when the governor was away. | ||
| 9 Mar 1736 | James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl | Governor and commander-in-chief | Appointed after the death of the 10th Earl of Derby. | |
| 1736–37 |
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Deputy governor | Governor Murray | To act when the governor was away from the island. |
| 7 Apr 1744 |
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To act when the governor was away from the island. Each could act if the other was sick. | ||
| 1 Jun 1744 | Patrick Lindesay | Governor and commander-in-chief | Lord of Mann James, 2nd Duke of Atholl | |
| 27 May 1746 |
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Deputy governor | Governor Lindesay | Appointed because the governor was unwell and couldn't attend court. The deputies acted during his illness. |
| 14 Jul 1749 |
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Appointed because the governor was unwell and couldn't do his job. The deputies acted during his illness. | ||
| 2 May 1751 | Basil Cochrane | Governor and commander-in-chief | Lord of Mann James, 2nd Duke of Atholl | |
| 17 May 1760 |
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Deputy governor | Basil Cochrane, governor | To act when the governor was away from the Isle of Man. Each could act if the other was sick. |
| 26 Mar 1761 | ||||
| 2 Jun 1761 | The governor was also a chancellor, so the deputies acted in court cases. | |||
| 8 Jul 1761 | To act when the governor was away from the island. Each could act if the other was sick or unable. | |||
| 22 Jul 1761 | John Wood | Governor and commander-in-chief | Lord of Mann James, 2nd Duke of Atholl | |
| 1 Oct 1763 | Daniel McYlrea (Receiver General) | Deputy governor | Governor Wood | Appointed because the governor was unwell and couldn't lead the courts. |
| 18 May 1764 | Daniel McYlrea (Receiver General) | |||
| 16 Dec 1764 | John Wood | Governor and commander-in-chief | Lady of Mann (Charlotte Murray, Duchess of Atholl with the concurrence of her husband) | Re-appointed after King George III came to the throne. |
| Revestment (When the British Crown took over the island) | ||||
| 21 Jun 1765 | John Wood | Governor-in-chief and captain general | King George III | Re-appointed after the Revestment. |
| 6 Aug 1773 | Henry Hope | Lieutenant governor | To act when Governor Wood was away and perform governor's duties. This was the first time the title "Lieutenant Governor" was used. | |
| 13 Jul 1775 | Richard Dawson | |||
| 31 May 1777 | Edward Smith | Governor-in-chief & captain general | Appointed after Governor Wood died. | |
| 31 May 1777 | Richard Dawson | Lieutenant governor | ||
| 26 Nov 1790 | Alexander Shaw | |||
| 14 Feb 1793 | John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl | Governor-in-chief & captain general | ||
| 4 Aug 1804 | Henry Murray | Lieutenant governor | John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl | Appointed because the previous Lieutenant Governor resigned and the Governor had to leave the island. He was to act until the King decided otherwise. This was the only time a Lieutenant Governor was appointed by a Governor since the Revestment. |
| 8 Jun 1805 | Cornelius Smelt | King George III | Similar appointment terms as Lieutenant Governor Dawson in 1777. | |
| 1 Dec 1832 | John Ready | King William IV | Appointed simply as Lieutenant Governor as long as desired. | |
| 21 Nov 1837 | John Ready | Queen Victoria | New appointment after Queen Victoria came to the throne. | |
| 8 Aug 1845 | Charles Hope | |||
| 13 Sep 1860 | Mark Hildesley Quayle, Clerk of the Rolls | To act as deputy governor until a Lieutenant Governor was appointed. | ||
| 20 Oct 1860 | Francis Pigott Stainsby Conant | Similar appointment to Lieutenant Governors Ready and Hope. | ||
| 28 Jan 1863 | Mark Hildesley Quayle, Clerk of the Rolls | To act as deputy governor until a Lieutenant Governor was appointed. | ||
| 29 Jan 1863 | Henry Loch | To act as Lieutenant Governor as long as desired. | ||
| 24 Apr 1882 | Spencer Walpole | |||
| 1893 | Joseph West Ridgeway | |||
| 1895 | John Henniker-Major, 5th Baron Henniker | |||
| Jul 1902 | James Gell, Clerk of the Rolls | Deputy governor | King Edward VII | To act during Lieutenant Governor Henniker's illness. |
| Oct 1902 | Acting governor | After Lieutenant Governor Henniker died. This role had more authority than a Lieutenant Governor. | ||
| 1902 | George Fitzroy Henry Somerset, 3rd Baron Raglan | Lieutenant governor | ||
| 1919 | William Fry | King George V | ||
| 1928 | Claude Hill | |||
| 1932 | Montagu Sherard Dawes Butler | |||
| 1937 | William Spencer Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville | King George VI | ||
| 1945 | Geoffrey Rhodes Bromet | |||
| 1952 | Ambrose Dundas Flux Dundas | Queen Elizabeth II | ||
| 1959 | Ronald Herbert Garvey | |||
| 1966 | Peter Hyla Gawne Stallard | |||
| 1974 | John Warburton Paul | |||
| 1980 | Nigel Cecil | |||
| 1985 | Laurence New | |||
| 1990 | Laurence Jones | |||
| 1995 | Timothy Daunt | |||
| 2000 | Ian David Macfadyen | |||
| Sep 2005 | Michael Kerruish, First Deemster | Deputy governor | Acting while the position was empty. | |
| Oct 2005 | Michael Kerruish | |||
| 2005 | Paul Haddacks | Lieutenant governor | ||
| 2011 | Adam Wood | |||
| 2016 | Richard Gozney | |||
| 2021 | John Lorimer | |||
| King Charles III | ||||
See Also
- Governors of the Isle of Man
- King of Mann
- Lord of Mann
