The Governor of Hong Kong was the leader, commander-in-chief, and vice-admiral of the Crown Colony of Hong Kong, from 1841 to 1997. The governor was appointed by the British monarch, on the advice of the prime minister. After the handover of Hong Kong from Great Britain to China on July 1, 1997, the governor was replaced by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.
* title abbreviations are defined on the bottom of the page * | |||
Name & Title | Year appointed | Year left office | |
---|---|---|---|
1) | The Right Honourable Sir Henry Pottinger, Bt., P.C., G.C.B. | 1843 | 1844 |
2) | Sir John Francis Davis, Bt., K.C.B. | 1844 | 1848 |
3) | Sir Samuel George Bonham, Bt., K.C.B. | 1848 | 1854 |
4) | Sir John Bowring | 1854 | 1859 |
5) | The Right Honourable Lord Rosmead, P.C., G.C.M.G (formaerly the Right Honourable Sir Hercules Robinson, BT.) |
1859 | 1865 |
6) | Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, K.C.M.G., C.B. | 1866 | 1872 |
7) | Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy, G.C.M.G., C.B. | 1872 | 1877 |
8) | Sir John Pope Hennessy, K.C.M.G. | 1877 | 1882 |
9) | The Right Honourable Sir George Ferguson Bowen, P.C., G.C.M.G. | 1883 | 1885 |
10) | Sir George William Des Voeux, G.C.M.G. | 1887 | 1891 |
11) | Sir William Robinson, G.C.M.G. | 1891 | 1898 |
12) | Sir Henry Arthur Blake, G.C.M.G. | 1898 | 1903 |
13) | The Right Honourable Sir Matthew Nathan, P.C., G.C.M.G. | 1904 | 1907 |
14) | The Right Honourable the Lord Lugard, P.C., G.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O. | 1907 | 1912 |
15) | Sir Francis Henry May, G.C.M.G. | 1912 | 1918 |
16) | Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, G.C.M.G. | 1919 | 1925 |
17) | Sir Cecil Clementi, G.C.M.G. | 1925 | 1930 |
18) | Sir William Peel, K.C.M.G., K.B.E. | 1930 | 1935 |
19) | Sir Andrew Caldecott, G.C.M.G., C.B.E. | 1935 | 1937 |
20) | Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcott, K.C.M.G. | 1937 | 1941 |
21) | Sir Mark Aitchison Young, G.C.M.G. | 1941 | 1941 |
  | Governor Young's term was interrupted by World War II. Between December of 1941 and August of 1945, Hong Kong was invaded and occupied by the Japanese for three years and eight months. During that time, the Japanese installed two of their lieutenant generals as governors of Hong Kong. Governor Young was incarcerated as a POW in Hong Kong, then sent to a POW camp in Manchuria. He eventually returned to finish his term. | ||
21) | Sir Mark Aitchison Young, G.C.M.G. | 1946 | 1947 |
22) | Sir Alexander William George Herde Grantham, G.C.M.G. | 1947 | 1957 |
23) | Sir Robert Brown Black, G.C.M.G., O.B.E. | 1958 | 1964 |
24) | Sir David Clive Crosbie Trench, G.C.M.G., M.C. | 1964 | 1971 |
25) | Lord MacLehose of Beoch, K.T., G.B.E., K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O., P.C., (formerly Sir Crawford Murray MacLehose) | 1971 | 1982 |
26) | Sir Edward Youde, G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., M.B.E. | 1982 | 1986 |
27) | Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, K.T., G.C.M.G. (formerly Sir David Clive Wilson) | 1987 | 1992 |
28) | The Right Honourable Christopher Francis Patten (currently Lord Patten of Barnes, C.H., P.C.) | 1992 | 1997 |
Titles' abbreviations definition:
Bt. - Baronet (a heritable honour, unlike a knighthood)
P.C. - Privy Councillor
G.C.B - Grand Cross of the Honourable Order of the Bath
K.C.B - Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath
C.B. - Companion of the Honourable Order of the Bath
G.C.M.G - Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
K.C.M.G - Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
D.S.O. - Distinguished Service Order
G.B.E. - Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
K.B.E. - Knight of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
C.B.E. - Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
O.B.E. - Offcier of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
M.B.E. - Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
M.C. - Military Cross
G.C.V.O. - Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
K.C.V.O. - Knight of the Royal Victorian Order
K.T. - Knight of the Order of the Thistle
C.H. - Order of the Companions of Honour
Updated Monday, March 26, 2007. 20:41
Created Thursday, March 21, 2002. 05:13