The Governor of Ascension is the representative of the monarch in Ascension Island, a constituent part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. He is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government, his role is to act as the de facto head of state.
Prior to 2009, Ascension Island was a dependency of Saint Helena and therefore directly represented by the Governor of Saint Helena. The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009 made Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha, equal constituent parts of the territory with their own governments and established the position of Governor of Ascension.
Governors from 2009 to present Per section 143 of the Constitution Order, the persons appointed as Governor of Saint Helena are ex officio also Governor of Ascension.
Recent officeholders: 2009-2011: Andrew Gurr 2011-2016: Mark Andrew Capes 2016-2019: Lisa Honan 2019-2022: Dr. Philip Rushbrook 2022-: Nigel Phillips
Administrators, from 1964 to present
However, as Ascension Island is away from Saint Helena, an administrator is appointed to act as the Governor's representative on the island specifically. This arrangement predates the current constitutional structure and the first administrator was appointed in 1942.
Here is a list of them since 1964, if not 1942, formally referred to as "His / Her Honour".
Administratorfromuntilnotes ?M. E. WainwrightJune 1964September 1966Anthony Grant Ayerst BeytsSeptember 1966September 1967H. W. D. McDonaldJune 1968September 1973Geoffrey Colin Guy († 2006)September 1973 November 1976G. McDonaldNovember 1976June 1977G. B. KendalJune 1977September 1977Simon GillettSeptember 1977June 1979P. DuncanJune 1979September 1980Bernard Edward Pauncefort († 2010)September 1980August 1982Ian George ThowAugust 1982August 1984Michael T. S. BlickAugust 1984January 1989J. J. BealeJanuary 1989 February 1991Brian Norman ConnellyFebruary 1991 June 1995Roger C. HuxleyJune 199523 July 1999Geoffrey Fairhurst23 July 199910 July 2002Andrew Michael Kettlewell22 September 2002September 2005Michael Thomas HillSeptember 2005September 2008Ross DennySeptember 20089 September 2011Colin Wells27 October 2011August 2014Marc Holland26 August 2014March 2018Justine Allan26 March 201825 November 2018Steven Chandler9 March 201916 March 2020 Sean Burns († 2023)Died on 16 March 2023 in Tristan da Cunha.17 March 20202 November 2022Simon Minshull2 November 2022November 2025Rowan Laxton5 November 2025Incumbent
Resident-magistrates, from 1922 to 1964 Resident-magistratefromuntilNotesW. Haining19221925E. Lee Lander19251928Fred Wood19281929E. A. Willmott19291934Lionel Bartlett19341936Percy Edwin Bunker 19361938C. Nias19381938Percy Edwin Bunker 19381939second timeStephen Harold Cardwell19391944Maurice Campbell Clark19441947V. W. Oelrichs1 July 19471949Herbert Louis Nicholson Ascough15 July 19491951F. G. Eastwood 1 February 19511952B. Stephens14 April 19521954A. R. Harrison1 November 19541955F. J. Atkins10 October 19551956A. R. Harrison5 March 195618 May 1958second timeB. R. Irving18 May 1958 4 November 1958A. R. Harrison4 November 195830 April 1961third timeJ. R. Bruce30 April 196128 June 1962J. Markham28 June 196221 December 1962J. R. Bruce21 December 19621964second time
Commandants, 1815–1922 CommandantfromuntilNotesJames Kearney White22 October 1815March 1816William Roberts March 1816 August 1817James Thorn August 1817 September 1819Robert CampbellSeptember 1819 March 1823Edward NicollsMarch 1823 November 1828 First Royal Marines officer as commandantWilliam Bate3 November 1828 15 April 1838Died in officeHugh EvansApril 1838 January 1839Roger Sawrey TinklarJanuary 1839 14 September 1840Died in officeJ. Wade September 1840 December 1840ActingW. Lee December 1840 April 1841ActingH. BennettApril 1841 December 1841Died in officeW. Lee December 1841 July 1842Acting; second timeThomas Peard Dwyer July 1842 April 1844T. C. C. MooreApril 1844 May 1844John FraserMay 184411 October 1844Arthur Fleming Morrell11 October 184418 January 1847Frederick Hutton18 January 1847October 1851William Hewgill KitchenOctober 1851June 1855George Alexander SeymourJune 1855March 1858William Farquharson BurnettMarch 1858July 1861Frederick Lamport Barnard July 1861March 1864Joseph Grant Bickford March 1864June 1864F. HammondJune 1864September 1866Walter James Hunt-GrubbeSeptember 1866March 1867Arthur WilmshurstMarch 1867November 1868J. G. MeadNovember 1868May 1869R. W. EvansMay 1869October 1869E. F. KirbyOctober 1869October 1872John Brazier CreaghOctober 1872January 1874James Wylie EastJanuary 1874 February 1877Henry Bouchier PhillimoreFebruary 1877December 1878Arthur George Robertson RoeDecember 1878September 1882George ParsonsSeptember 1882 October 1886Richard Henry NapierOctober 1886June 1890 Richard EvansJune 1890May 1893J. G. JonesMay 1893May 1896John Edric BlaxlandMay 1896July 1899George Northmore Arthur PollardJuly 189913 May 1902Robert Kyle McAlpine13 May 190213 March 1905Reginald Hallward Morgan13 March 190529 April 1908J. W. Dunstan29 April 190827 April 1910G. Carpenter27 April 191021 April 1913Henry Cleeve Bennett21 April 19138 June 1919Harold George Grant8 June 191915 October 1920Charles Arthur Tennyson15 October 192031 October 1922
References
External links Government of Ascension Island, chronology and lists of commanding officers, resident-magistrates and administrators.