The lieutenant governor of Guernsey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown. The role of the lieutenant governor is to act as the de facto head of state in Guernsey and as liaison between the governments of Guernsey and the United Kingdom. The holder of this office is also ex officio a member of the States of Guernsey but may not vote and, by convention, speaks in the Chamber only on appointment and on departure from post. The duties are primarily diplomatic and ceremonial. He has the authority to appoint two members of the board of governors of Elizabeth College and the Priaulx Library.
The lieutenant governor has his own flag in Guernsey, the Union Flag defaced with the Bailiwick's coat of arms.
History The Crown appointed Wardens or Keepers to represent its interests in the Channel Islands. After 1473 separate Wardens were appointed for Guernsey and Jersey, the title of Captain or Governor also being used. Around the early 17th century the title of Governor was settled upon, although those appointed to the position of Governor adopted the practice of appointing a lieutenant to carry out their duties in their absence. By the 19th century the post of Governor of Guernsey had become a sinecure and the position was abolished in 1835. Since then Lieutenant Governors have continued to be appointed.
In 2010 it was announced that the next Lieutenant-Governor would be recommended to the Crown by a Guernsey panel consisting of the Bailiff of Guernsey, the Seigneur of Sark, and the President of the States of Alderney, sitting with a human resources professional. This new system replaced the previous system of the appointment being made by the Crown on the recommendation of UK ministers. The first person selected by this process was former RAF officer Air Marshal Peter Walker, who was sworn in on 15 April 2011.
A roll of honour of the Governors and Lieutenant Governors of Guernsey from 1198 to date has been installed at Government House.
List of lieutenant governors of Guernsey 1689-1690: Colonel Sidney Godolphin 1704-1708: Sir Edmund Andros
List of lieutenant governors of Guernsey 1770 to dateTitleAppointedNameServing under Governor of Guernsey:1770Lt-Col. Paulus Aemilius Irving 1784 Lt-Col. William Brown 1793 Maj-Gen. Thomas Dundas 1793 Col. James Henry Craig 1793 Maj-Gen. John Small 1796 Lt-Gen. Sir Hew Dalrymple 1803 Maj-Gen. Sir John Doyle 1816 Maj-Gen. Henry Bayly 1821 Maj-Gen. Sir John Colborne 1828 Maj-Gen. John RossLieutenant Governor and Colonel on Staff:1837 Gen. Sir James Douglas 1842 Maj-Gen. Sir William Francis Patrick Napier 1848 Lt-Gen. Sir John Bell 1854 Lt-Gen. William Thomas Knollys 1856 Lt-Gen. Sir George Judd Harding 1859 Maj-Gen. Marcus John Slade 1864 Maj-Gen. Charles Rochfort Scott 1869 Lt-Gen. Edward Charles Frome 1874 Lt-Gen. Hon. St George Gerald Foley 1879 Maj-Gen. Alexander Abercromby Nelson 1883 Maj-Gen. Henry Andrew Sarel 1885 Lt-Gen. John Henry Ford Elkington 1889 Gen. Sir Edward Gascoyne Bulwer Lieutenant Governor and Commanding the Troops:1894 Lt-Gen. Nathaniel Stevenson 1899 Maj-Gen. Michael Henry Saward 1903 Maj-Gen. Barrington Bulkeley Douglas Campbell 1908 Maj-Gen. Robert Auld 1911 Maj-Gen. Sir Edward Owen Fisher Hamilton 1914 Maj-Gen. Sir Henry Merrick Lawson 1914 Gen. Sir Reginald Clare Hart 1918 Lt-Gen. Sir Launcelot Edward Kiggell 1920 Maj-Gen. Sir John Edward Capper 1925 Maj-Gen. Sir Charles Sackville-West 1929 Maj-Gen. Lord Ruthven of Freeland 1934 Maj-Gen. Sir Edward Nicholson Broadbent 1939 Maj-Gen. Alexander Telfer-Smollett 1940 Maj-Gen. John Minshull-Ford (7 to 20 June 1940) 1940–1945German occupation of the Channel Islands – post vacated as part of demilitarisation of the islandHead of the British Military Government: 1945 Rear-Adm. Charles Gage Stuart Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief:1945 Lt-Gen. Sir Philip Neame 1953 Air Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst 1958 Vice-Adm. Sir Geoffrey Robson 1964 Lt-Gen. Sir Charles Coleman 1969 Vice-Adm. Sir Charles Mills 1974 Vice-Adm. Sir John Edward Ludgate Martin 1980 Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter de Lacey Le Cheminant 1985 Lt-Gen. Sir Alexander Boswell 1990 Lt-Gen. Sir Michael Compton Lockwood Wilkins 1994 Vice-Adm. Sir John Francis Coward 2000 Lt-Gen. Sir John Paul Foley 2005 Vice-Adm. Sir Fabian Malbon 2011–2015 Air Marshal Peter Walker 2016 Vice-Adm. Sir Ian Corder 2022 Lt-Gen. Richard Cripwell
See also List of bailiffs of Guernsey List of governors of Guernsey List of bailiffs of Jersey List of lieutenant governors of Jersey
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