List of Ceylonese executive councils

This is a list of Ceylonese executive councils from its inception on 13 March 1833 until the creation of the Board of Ministers in 1931.

The Executive Council created in British Ceylon by the British colonial administration on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission along with the Legislative Council of Ceylon as the legislative body.

At its creation the Executive Council was headed by the Governor, along with five members appointed by the Governor. These five members were officials who held the posts of the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, the Auditor-General, the Treasurer and the General Officer Commanding, Ceylon. The Council exercised executive power and advised the governor. As a result of the First Manning Reforms three non-officials were elected to the executive council.

List of governors by monarch Date Monarch Head of Government 1833 William IV(1833-1837)Queen Victoria(1837-1837) Robert Wilmot-Horton 1837 Queen Victoria James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie 1841 Colin Campbell 1847 Viscount Torrington 1850 George William Anderson 1855 Henry George Ward 1860 Charles Justin MacCarthy 1865 Hercules Robinson 1872 William Henry Gregory 1877 James Robert Longden 1883 Arthur Hamilton-Gordon 1890 Arthur Havelock 1896 Queen Victoria(1896-1901)Edward VII(1901-1903) West Ridgeway 1903 Edward VII Henry Arthur Blake 1907 Edward VII(1907-1910)George V(1910-1913) Henry Edward McCallum 1913 George V Robert Chalmers 1916 John Anderson 1918 William Manning 1925 Hugh Clifford 1928 Herbert Stanley 1931 Graeme ThomsonBoard of Ministers of Ceylon (1931-1947) 1931 George V First Board of Ministers of Ceylon 1936 Edward VIII(1936)George VI Second Board of Ministers of Ceylon

Wilmot-Horton executive council The government was led by Governor Robert Wilmot-Horton.

Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Robert Wilmot-Horton Governor 19 March 1833 7 November 1837 John Rodney Colonial Secretary 19 March 1833 1833 Replaced by Philip Anstruther Philip Anstruther 1 May 1833 7 November 1837 Major general John Wilson Commander of Troops 19 March 1833 7 November 1837 William Norris Attorney Generalas Advocate Fiscal 19 March 1833 1833 Replaced by William Ogle Carr William Ogle Carr Attorney Generalas King's Advocate 2 April 1833 7 November 1837 Henry Augustus Marshall Auditor Generalas Civil Auditor General 19 March 1833 7 November 1837 William Granville Treasurer 19 March 1833 7 November 1837

Stewart-Mackenzie executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie Governor 7 November 1837 15 April 1841 Philip Anstruther Colonial Secretary 7 November 1837 15 April 1841 Major general Robert Arbuthnot Commander of Troops 7 November 1837 15 April 1841 William Ogle Carr Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 7 November 1837 1838 Served as King's AdvocateReplaced by John Stark John Stark 10 December 1838 1840 Replaced by Arthur William Buller Arthur William Buller 17 October 1840 15 April 1841 Henry Augustus Marshall Auditor General 7 November 1837 1 February 1841 Served as Civil Auditor General Henry Wright 1 February 1841 15 April 1841 William Granville Treasurer 7 November 1837 1841 Replaced by George Turnour George Turnour 1 February 1841 15 April 1841

Campbell executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Colin Campbell Governor 15 April 1841 19 April 1847 Philip Anstruther Colonial Secretary 15 April 1841 1845 Replaced by James Emerson Tennent James Emerson Tennent 29 November 1845 19 April 1847 Lieutenant general Colin Campbell Commander of Troops 16 April 1841 ? Arthur William Buller Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 15 April 1841 19 April 1847 Henry Wright Auditor General 15 April 1841 19 April 1847 George Turnour Treasurer 15 April 1841 1843 Replaced by Francis Templer Francis Templer 1 November 1843 19 April 1847

Torrington executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Viscount Torrington Governor 29 May 1847 18 October 1850 James Emerson Tennent Colonial Secretary 29 May 1847 18 October 1850 Major general William Smelt Commander of Troops 29 May 1847 18 October 1850 Arthur William Buller Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 29 May 1847 1848 Replaced by Henry Collingwood Selby Henry Collingwood Selby 23 June 1848 18 October 1850 Charles J. MacCarthy Auditor General 29 May 1847 18 October 1850 Francis Templer Treasurer 29 May 1847 1848 Replaced by Dillon Browne Dillon Browne 1848 18 October 1850

George William Anderson executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes George William Anderson Governor 27 November 1850 18 January 1855 James Emerson Tennent Colonial Secretary 27 November 1850 1851 Replaced by Charles Justin MacCarthy Charles Justin MacCarthy 2 January 1851 18 January 1855 Major general William Smelt Commander of Troops 27 November 1850 ? Replaced by Philip Bainbrigge Major general Philip Bainbrigge 23 May 1852 ? Replaced by Thomas Reed Major general Thomas Reed 13 September 1854 18 January 1855 Henry Collingwood Selby Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 27 November 1850 18 January 1855 Charles J. MacCarthy Auditor General 27 November 1850 1 October 1851 Replaced by W. C. Gibson W. C. Gibson 1 October 1851 18 January 1855 Dillon Browne Treasurer 27 November 1850 1854 Replaced by John Caulfield John Caulfield 23 October 1854 18 January 1855

Ward executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Henry George Ward Governor 11 May 1855 30 June 1860 Charles Justin MacCarthy Colonial Secretary 11 May 1855 1860 Major general Thomas Reed Commander of Troops 11 May 1855 ? Replaced by Henry Frederick Lockyer Major general Henry Frederick Lockyer 1856 30 June 1860 Henry Collingwood Selby Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 11 May 1855 1858 Replaced by Henry Byerley Thomson Henry Byerley Thomson 3 May 1858 30 June 1860 W. C. Gibson Auditor General 11 May 1855 30 June 1860 John Caulfield Treasurer 11 May 1855 30 June 1860

MacCarthy executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Charles Justin MacCarthy Governor 22 October 1860 1 December 1863 W. C. Gibson Colonial Secretary 22 October 1860 1 December 1863 Major-General Terence O'Brien Commander of Troops 1860 ? Henry Byerley Thomson Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 22 October 1860 1863 Replaced by Richard Morgan Richard Morgan 1 January 1863 1 December 1863 W. C. Gibson Auditor General 22 October 1860 Replaced by R. T. Pennefeather R. T. Pennefeather 24 June 1861 1 December 1863 John Caulfield Treasurer 22 October 1860 1861 Replaced by Frederick Saunders Frederick Saunders 5 May 1861 1 December 1863

Robinson executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Hercules Robinson Governor 16 May 1865 4 January 1872 W. C. Gibson Colonial Secretary 16 May 1865 1869 Replaced by Henry Turner Irving Henry Turner Irving 4 June 1869 4 January 1872 Major general Studholme John Hodgson Commander of Troops 1865 ? Replaced by Henry Renny Major general Henry Renny 1869 ? Richard Morgan Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 16 May 1865 4 January 1872 R. T. Pennefeather Auditor General 16 May 1865 3 January 1866 Replaced by R. J. Callander R. J. Callander 3 January 1866 10 March 1870 Replaced by John Douglas John Douglas 10 March 1870 4 January 1872 Frederick Saunders Treasurer 16 May 1865 1865 Replaced by George Vane George Vane 1 September 1865 4 January 1872

Gregory executive council The government was led by Governor William Henry Gregory.

Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes William Henry Gregory Governor 4 March 1872 4 September 1877 Henry Turner Irving Colonial Secretary 4 March 1872 1873 Replaced by Arthur Birch Arthur Birch 3 June 1873 4 September 1877 Major general Henry Renny Commander of Troops 4 March 1872 ? Replaced by John Alfred Street Major general John Alfred Street 1874 1877 Richard Morgan Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 4 March 1872 1876 Replaced by Richard Cayley Richard Cayley 4 April 1876 4 September 1877 John Douglas Auditor General 4 March 1872 16 June 1876 Replaced by C. A. D. Barclay C. A. D. Barclay 16 June 1876 4 September 1877 George Vane Treasurer 4 March 1872 4 September 1877

Longden executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes James Robert Longden Governor 4 September 1877 10 July 1883 Arthur Birch Colonial Secretary 4 September 1877 1878 Replaced by John Douglas John Douglas 18 August 1878 10 July 1883 Major general John Alfred Street Commander of Troops 4 September 1877 ? Replaced by William Wilby Major general William Wilby 1879 10 July 1883 Richard Cayley Attorney Generalas Queen's Advocate 4 September 1877 1879 Replaced by Bruce Burnside Bruce Burnside 24 October 1879 1883 W. H. Ravenscroft Auditor General 4 September 1877 10 July 1883 George Vane Treasurer 4 September 1877 1882 Replaced by William D. Wright William Dumaresq Wright 22 June 1882 10 July 1883

Hamilton-Gordon executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Arthur Hamilton-Gordon Governor 3 December 1883 28 May 1890 John Douglas Colonial Secretary 3 December 1883 1885 Replaced by Cecil Clementi Smith Cecil Clementi Smith 17 November 1885 1887 Replaced by Edward Noël Walker Edward Noël Walker 10 November 1887 28 May 1890 Major general William Wilby Commander of Troops 3 December 1883 1886 Replaced by Francis Conninsby Hannan Clarke Lieutenant colonel Francis Conninsby Hannan Clarke Commander of the Ceylon Volunteers 20 April 1888 28 May 1890 Francis Flemming Attorney General 3 December 1883 1886 Replaced by Samuel Grenier Samuel Grenier 30 September 1886 28 May 1890 W. H. Ravenscroft Auditor General 3 December 1883 28 May 1890 William Dumaresq Wright Treasurer 3 December 1883 1886 Replaced by George Thomas Michael O'Brien George Thomas Michael O'Brien 6 August 1886 1890

Havelock executive council Portrait Member of Council Office Took office Left office Notes Arthur Havelock Governor 28 May 1890 24 October 1895 Edward Noël Walker Colonial Secretary 28 May 1890 24 October 1895 Lieutenant colonel Francis Conninsby Hannan Clarke Commander of the Ceylon Volunteers 28 May 1890 27 August 1893 Replaced by Henry Byrde Lieutenant colonel Henry Byrde 28 August 1893 24 October 1895 Samuel Grenier Attorney General 28 May 1890 1892 Replaced by Charles Layard Charles Layard 1 November 1892 24 October 1895 W. H. Ravenscroft Auditor General 28 May 1890 18 October 1890 Replaced by George Thomas Michael O'Brien George Thomas Michael O'Brien 18 October 1890 31 July 1891 Replaced by J. A. Swettenham J. A. Swettenham 31 July 1891 10 June 1895 Replaced by J. A. Taylor William Thomas Taylor 10 June 1895 24 October 1895 George Thomas Michael O'Brien Treasurer 28 May 1890 1890 Replaced by Frederick Richard Saunders Frederick Richard Saunders 18 October 1890 24 October 1895

Ridgeway executive council