Below is a list of governors of Singapore. They were the political leaders of Singapore as part of the Straits Settlements and as a Crown colony prior to its attainment of full internal self-governance under British sovereignty.
Residents of Singapore (1819–1826) The Resident of Singapore ruled the British colony that is today the Republic of Singapore. The persons on this position governed Singapore from 1819 to 1826, on behalf of the British East India Company.
British East India Company No.PortraitNameTerm of officeBackground orprevious appointmentMonarchTook officeLeft officeDuration1Major-General William Farquhar6 February 18191 May 1823Resident of Malacca,Chief EngineerGeorge IIIGeorge IV2Dr John Crawfurd27 May 182315 August 1826Surgeon, Diplomat
Governors of the Straits Settlements (1826–1942)
The Governor of the Straits Settlements ruled the Straits Settlements. The persons on this position governed the Straits Settlements from 1826 to 1946, on behalf of the British East India Company (1826–1858), the India Office (1858–1867) and the Colonial Office (1867–1946) respectively.
British Straits Settlements No.PortraitNameTerm of officeBackground orprevious appointmentMonarchTook officeLeft officeDuration1Robert Fullerton27 November 182612 November 1830Second Member of Council,and President of the Board of TradeGeorge IVWilliam IV2Robert Ibbetson12 November 18307 December 1833Resident Councillor of the Prince of Wales Island3Kenneth Murchison7 December 183317 November 1836Resident Councillorof the Straits Settlements4Sir Samuel George Bonham18 November 1836January 1843Resident Councillorof the Straits SettlementsVictoria British East India Company 5Major General William John ButterworthAugust 184321 March 1855Lieutenant-Colonelof the 38th Madras Regiment6Edmund Augustus Blundell21 March 18556 August 1859Resident Councillor of Penang India Office 7Major General Sir Orfeur Cavenagh6 August 185916 March 1867British Indian Army Colonial Office 8Major General Sir Harry Ord16 March 18674 March 1871Special Commissioner to West Africa—Major General Edward Anson4 March 187122 March 1872Lieutenant Governor of Penang8Major General Sir Harry Ord22 March 18723 November 1873Colonial administrator—Major General Edward Anson3 November 18734 November 1873 dayLieutenant Governor of Penang9Sir Andrew Clarke4 November 18738 May 1875Director of Works at the Admiralty10Sir William Jervois8 May 18753 April 1877Colonel of the Royal Engineers—Major General Edward Anson3 April 1877August 1877Lieutenant Governor of Penang11Sir William Cleaver Francis RobinsonAugust 187710 February 1879Governor of Western Australia—Major General Edward Anson10 February 187916 May 1880Lieutenant Governor of Penang12Sir Frederick Weld16 May 188017 October 1887Governor of Tasmania13Sir Cecil Clementi Smith17 October 188730 August 1893Colonial Secretaryof the Straits Settlements—William Edward Maxwell30 August 18931 February 1894Colonial Secretaryof the Straits Settlements14Sir Charles Mitchell1 February 18947 December 1899Governor of Natal—James Alexander Swettenham7 December 18995 November 1901Colonial Secretaryof the Straits SettlementsEdward VII15Sir Frank Swettenham5 November 190116 April 1904Resident-Generalof the Federated Malay States16Sir John Anderson16 April 19042 September 1911Colonial administratorGeorge V17Sir Arthur Young2 September 191117 February 1920Resident-Generalof the Federated Malay States18Sir Laurence Guillemard17 February 19203 June 1927Colonial administrator19Sir Hugh Clifford3 June 192721 October 1929Governor of British Ceylon—Sir John Scott21 October 19295 February 1930Colonial Secretaryof the Straits Settlements20Sir Cecil Clementi5 February 193017 February 1934Governor of Hong Kong—Sir Andrew Caldecott17 February 19349 November 1934Colonial Secretaryof the Straits SettlementsSir Shenton Thomas9 November 193415 February 1942Governor of the Gold Coast21Edward VIIIGeorge VI Japanese occupation of Singapore
Japanese occupation (1942 to 1945) During the Japanese occupation of Singapore, there were two Mayors and five Military Administrators appointed to Syonan-to.
Mayor of Syonan-to「昭南島」(Shōnan-tō) No.PortraitNameTerm of officeBackground orprevious appointmentMonarchTook officeLeft officeDuration1Odate Shigeo7 March 19428 July 1943Bureaucrat in the Home MinistryEmperor Shōwa2Naito Kanichi19 July 194312 September 1945Chief Military Administrator End of Japanese occupation of Singapore
Military Administrator of Syonan-to「昭南島」(Shōnan-tō) No.PortraitNameTerm of officeBackground orprevious appointmentMonarchTook officeLeft office1Yamashita Tomoyuki15 February 19421 July 1942Commanding Officerof the Japanese 25th ArmyEmperor Shōwa2Yaheita Saito1 July 19428 April 19433Terauchi Hisaichi8 April 194322 March 1944Commanding Officerof the Southern Expeditionary Army Group4Doihara Kenji22 March 19447 April 1945Commanding Officerof the Japanese 7th Area Army5Itagaki Seishiro7 April 194512 September 1945 End of Japanese occupation of Singapore
Governors of the Straits Settlements (1945–1946) British Straits Settlements No.PortraitNameTerm of officeBackground orprevious appointmentMonarchTook officeLeft officeDuration British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946.George VI—Lord Louis Mountbatten12 September 194531 March 1946Supreme Allied Commanderof the Southeast Asia Theatre British Straits Settlements 21Sir Shenton Thomas12 September 194531 March 1946Colonial administrator Singapore became a separate Crown Colony
Governors of Singapore (1946–1959) The Governor of Singapore governs Singapore. The persons on this position governed the Colony of Singapore from 1946 to 1959, on behalf of the Colonial Office until Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 in which the Office of the Governor was abolished.
Crown Colony of Singapore No.PortraitNameTerm of officeBackground orprevious appointmentMonarchTook officeLeft officeDuration1Sir Franklin Charles Gimson1 April 194620 March 1952Colonial Secretaryof Hong KongGeorge VIElizabeth II—Wilfred Lawson Blythe20 March 195221 April 1952Colonial Secretaryof Singapore2Sir John Fearns Nicoll21 April 19522 June 1955Colonial Secretaryof Hong Kong—Sir William Goode2 June 195530 June 1955Colonial Secretaryof Singapore3Sir Robert Black30 June 19559 December 1957Colonial Secretaryof Hong Kong4Sir William Goode9 December 19572 June 1959Chief Secretaryof Singapore Singapore is granted self-governance in 1959 within the British Empire
See also Chief Secretary, Singapore Governor of North Borneo History of Malaysia History of Singapore Legislative Council of Singapore Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements List of Chief Secretaries of Singapore President of Singapore Prime Minister of Singapore Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore
References
Further reading
WorldStatesmen - Singapore Historical Dictionary of Singapore (Justin Corfield)