List of colonial governors and administrators of British Cyprus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of British Cyprus
Coat of arms of the governor of Cyprus
Style	His Excellency
Residence	Government House
Appointer	King/Queen of the United Kingdom
Precursor	High Commissioner of Cyprus
Formation	10 March 1925
First holder	Sir Malcolm Stevenson
Final holder	Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot
Abolished	16 August 1960
Succession	President of Cyprus

Flag of the high commissioner of Cyprus (1881–1905)

Flag of the high commissioner of Cyprus (1905–1925) and the governor of Cyprus (1925–1960)

This article is about the colonial governors and administrators of British Cyprus. These were the people who led Cyprus when it was under British rule.

For a long time, Cyprus was part of the Ottoman Empire. But in 1878, the United Kingdom took control. This happened through an agreement called the Cyprus Convention. Cyprus became a British protectorate, which meant Britain protected it but it was still technically part of the Ottoman Empire.

Later, in 1914, during World War I, Britain officially took over Cyprus. This is called annexation. Turkey, the main country of the Ottoman Empire, agreed to this in 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne. After that, on March 10, 1925, Cyprus became a Crown Colony. This meant it was directly ruled by the British Crown (the King or Queen).

Cyprus remained a British colony until 1960. On August 16, 1960, it became an independent country. It joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961.

Who Led British Cyprus?

During the time Britain ruled Cyprus, there were two main types of leaders:

• High Commissioners (from 1878 to 1925)
• Governors (from 1925 to 1960)

High Commissioners (1878–1925)

The High Commissioners were the first British leaders in Cyprus. They were in charge when Cyprus was a British protectorate. They helped set up British rule on the island.

Name (Born–Died)	Picture	Time in Office
Lord John Hay (1827–1916) (acting)		July 12, 1878	July 22, 1878
Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley (1833–1913)		July 22, 1878	June 23, 1879
Sir Robert Biddulph (1835–1918)		June 23, 1879	March 9, 1886
Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer (1836–1914)		March 9, 1886	April 5, 1892
Sir Walter Joseph Sendall (1832–1904)		April 5, 1892	April 23, 1898
Sir William Frederick Haynes Smith (1839–1928)		April 23, 1898	October 17, 1904
Sir Charles Anthony King-Harman (1851–1939)		October 17, 1904	October 12, 1911
Hamilton Goold-Adams (1858–1920)		October 12, 1911	January 8, 1915
Sir John Eugene Clauson (1866–1918)		January 8, 1915	December 31, 1918 †
Sir Malcolm Stevenson (1878–1927)		December 31, 1918 (acting until July 31, 1920)	March 10, 1925

Governors (1925–1960)

After Cyprus officially became a Crown Colony in 1925, the leaders were called Governors. They had more direct power from the British government. They managed the island until it became independent.

Name (Born–Died)	Picture	Time in Office
Sir Malcolm Stevenson (1878–1927)		March 10, 1925	November 30, 1926
Sir Ronald Storrs (1881–1955)		November 30, 1926	October 29, 1932
Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs (1876–1947)		October 29, 1932	November 8, 1933
Sir Herbert Richmond Palmer (1877–1958)		November 8, 1933	July 4, 1939
William Denis Battershill (1896–1959)		July 4, 1939	October 3, 1941
Charles Campbell Woolley (1893–1981)		October 3, 1941	October 24, 1946
Reginald Fletcher, 1st Baron Winster (1885–1961)		October 24, 1946	August 4, 1949
Sir Andrew Barkworth Wright (1895–1971)		August 4, 1949	February 1954
Sir Robert Perceval Armitage (1906–1990)		February 1954	September 25, 1955
Sir John Alan Francis Harding (1896–1989)		October 3, 1955	October 22, 1957
Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot (1907–1990)		December 3, 1957	August 16, 1960

Deputy Governors

Sometimes, a Deputy Governor helped the main Governor. This person was Sir George Evelyn Sinclair, who served from 1955 to 1960.

See also

• President of Cyprus
• Vilayet of the Archipelago