The governor of Ceylon was the representative in Ceylon of the British Crown from 1795 to 1948. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in Ceylon. The governor was the head of the British colonial administration in Ceylon, reporting to the Colonial Office.

With Ceylon gaining self-rule and dominion status with the creation of Dominion of Ceylon in 1948, this office was replaced by the Governor-General, who represented the British monarch as the head of state. The office of Governor-General was itself abolished in 1972 and replaced by the post of President when Sri Lanka became a republic.

Appointment The governor, appointed by the British monarch (on the advice of the prime minister and the secretary of state for the colonies), maintained executive power in Ceylon throughout British rule.

Powers and functions The governor was the head of the executive administration in the island. Initially limited to the coastal regions, the authority of the governor was extended to the provinces of the Kingdom of Kandy following the Kandyan Convention in 1815. The governor had absolute power in the island deriving it from the traditional powers of the Dutch governors and the king of Kandy and reporting to the secretary of state for the colonies. it was in the Colebrooke Reforms which first defined the role of the governor as "the representative of the Sovereign the Monarch who rules over the Parliament of the United Kingdom". These reforms introduced the first legislator which was expanded over the next century in the reforms that took place. Upon independence in 1948, the office of the Governor was abolished and replaced with that of the Governor-General as the representative of the sovereign.

The governor was the commander-in-chief of British Forces in Ceylon, except only during World War II, when Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon with power exceeding that of the governor.

Ceremonial In November each year, the governor would receive the annual tribute from the sultan of Maldives. The governor was the ex-officio Chancellor of the University of Ceylon and patron of the Royal College Colombo.

Council

Following the Colebrooke Reforms the Executive Council of Ceylon and the Legislative Council of Ceylon was established with the Governor chairing both these councils. In 1931, the Legislative Council was replaced by the State Council of Ceylon with limited self-government.

Style and title The title of the position was "Governor of Ceylon" and was styled Excellency and enjoyed precedence over all other government officials in Ceylon. He was referred to as 'His Excellency' and addressed as 'Your Excellency'. This practice as constituted to the office of President.

Privileges Residence The governor's main residence and office was the King's House in Colombo and secondary residence was the King's Pavilion in Kandy. The vacationing residence of the governor, Queen's Cottage, was located in the hill station of Nuwara Eliya.

Guard The Governor's Bodyguard was a mounted guard that functioned as a ceremonial guard for the governor when attending state functions. A ceremonial native regiment of Lascoreens was maintained by the office of the governor to provide a ceremonial guard on special occasions such as the Maldivian Tribute or royal visits.

Staff The governor's office was housed at King's House and had a permanent staff. It consisted of the secretary to the governor, a private secretary, an aide-de-camp, the maha mudaliyar, an office assistant and support staff.

List of governors

Portrait Name Term of office Sovereign Took office Left office Time in office Military Governors (1795–1798) 1 Patrick Alexander Agnew 31 August 1795 1 March 1796 George III 2 James Stuart 1 March 1796 1 January 1797 George III 3 Welbore Ellis Doyle 1 January 1797 2 July 1797 George III 4 Peter Bonnevaux 2 July 1797 12 July 1797 † George III 5 Pierre Frédéric de Meuron 12 July 1797 12 October 1798 George III Resident and Superintendent (1796–1798) 1 Robert Andrews 12 February 1796 12 October 1798 George III Governors (1798–1948) 1 Frederick North 12 October 1798 19 July 1805 George III 2 Thomas Maitland 19 July 1805 19 March 1811 George III John Wilson 19 March 1811 11 March 1812 George III 3 Robert Brownrigg 11 March 1812 1 February 1820 George III Edward Barnes 1 February 1820 2 February 1822 George IIIGeorge IV 4 Edward Paget 2 February 1822 6 November 1822 George IV James Campbell 6 November 1822 18 January 1824 George IV 5 Edward Barnes 18 January 1824 13 October 1831 George IVWilliam IV John Wilson 13 October 1831 23 October 1831 William IV 6 Robert Wilmot-Horton 23 October 1831 7 November 1837 William IVQueen Victoria 7 James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie 7 November 1837 15 April 1841 Queen Victoria 8 Colin Campbell 15 April 1841 19 April 1847 Queen Victoria James Emerson Tennent 19 April 1847 29 May 1847 Queen Victoria 9 George Byng, 7th Viscount Torrington 29 May 1847 18 October 1850 Queen Victoria Charles Justin MacCarthy 18 October 1850 27 November 1850 Queen Victoria 10 George William Anderson 27 November 1850 18 January 1855 Queen Victoria Charles Justin MacCarthy 18 January 1855 11 May 1855 Queen Victoria 11 Henry George Ward 11 May 1855 30 June 1860 Queen Victoria Henry Frederick Lockyer 30 June 1860 30 July 1860 Queen Victoria Charles Edmund Wilkinson 30 July 1860 22 October 1860 Queen Victoria 12 Charles Justin MacCarthy 22 October 1860 1 December 1863 Queen Victoria Terence O'Brien 1 December 1863 21 March 1865 Queen Victoria Hercules Robinson 21 March 1865 16 May 1865 Queen Victoria 13 Hercules Robinson 16 May 1865 4 January 1872 Queen Victoria Henry Turner Irving 4 January 1872 4 March 1872 Queen Victoria 14 William Henry Gregory 4 March 1872 4 September 1877 Queen Victoria 15 James Robert Longden 4 September 1877 10 July 1883 Queen Victoria John Douglas 10 July 1883 3 December 1883 Queen Victoria 16 Arthur Hamilton-Gordon 3 December 1883 28 May 1890 Queen Victoria 17 Arthur Elibank Havelock 28 May 1890 24 October 1895 Queen Victoria Edward Noël Walker 24 October 1895 10 February 1896 Queen Victoria 18 Joseph West Ridgeway 10 February 1896 19 November 1903 Queen VictoriaEdward VII Sir Everard im Thurn 19 November 1903 3 December 1903 Edward VII 19 Henry Arthur Blake 3 December 1903 11 July 1907 Edward VII Hugh Clifford 11 July 1907 24 August 1907 Edward VII 20 Henry Edward McCallum 24 August 1907 24 January 1913 Edward VIIGeorge V Reginald Edward Stubbs 24 January 1913 18 October 1913 George V 21 Robert Chalmers 18 October 1913 4 December 1915 George V Reginald Edward Stubbs 4 December 1915 15 April 1916 George V 22 John Anderson 15 April 1916 24 March 1918 † George V Reginald Edward Stubbs 24 March 1918 10 September 1918 George V 23 William Henry Manning 10 September 1918 1 April 1925 George V Cecil Clementi 1 April 1925 18 October 1925 George V Edward Bruce Alexander 18 October 1925 30 November 1925 George V 24 Hugh Clifford 30 November 1925 June 1927 George V Arthur George Murchison Fletcher June 1927 20 August 1928 George V 25 Herbert Stanley 20 August 1928 11 February 1931 George V Bernard Henry Bourdillon 11 February 1931 11 April 1931 George V 26 Graeme Thomson 11 April 1931 20 September 1933 George V Graeme Tyrrell 20 September 1933 23 December 1933 George V 27 Reginald Edward Stubbs 23 December 1933 30 June 1937 George VEdward VIIIGeorge VI Maxwell MacLagan Wedderburn 30 June 1937 16 October 1937 George VI 28 Andrew Caldecott 16 October 1937 19 September 1944 George VI 29 Henry Monck-Mason Moore 19 September 1944 4 February 1948 George VI

See also Dutch governors of Zeylan Governor-General of Ceylon History of Sri Lanka

References Governors of Ceylon CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY, Ministry Constitutional Change and National Integration

Specific