Governor of Fiji
Encyclopedia
Fiji was a British
Crown Colony
from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion
in the British Commonwealth
from 1970 to 1987. During this period, the Head of State was the British Monarch, but in practice his or her functions were normally exercised locally by the Governor
prior to independence (on 10 October 1970), and by the Governor-General prior to the proclamation of a republic on 7 October 1987.
Note that from 1877 to 3 July 1952, Governors of Fiji were also High Commissioners for the Western Pacific.
In 1970, Fiji gained independence from the United Kingdom
. After independence, the viceroy in Fiji was the Governor-General of Fiji
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Crown Colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
in the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
from 1970 to 1987. During this period, the Head of State was the British Monarch, but in practice his or her functions were normally exercised locally by the Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
prior to independence (on 10 October 1970), and by the Governor-General prior to the proclamation of a republic on 7 October 1987.
Note that from 1877 to 3 July 1952, Governors of Fiji were also High Commissioners for the Western Pacific.
Governors of Fiji, 1874–1970
- Sir Hercules Robinson: 10 October 1874 - June 1875
- Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon: June 1875 - January 1880
- Sir William Des Vœux: January 1880 - 1886
- Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell: January 1887 - February 1888
- Sir John Bates ThurstonJohn Bates ThurstonSir John Bates Thurston was a British colonial official who served Fiji in a variety of capacities, including Premier of the Kingdom of Viti and later as colonial Governor.- Early life :...
: February 1888 - 7 February 1897 - Sir George Thomas Michael O'BrienGeorge Thomas Michael O'BrienSir George Thomas Michael O'Brien, KCMG was a British colonial official, who served as Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1892 to 1895, and as Governor of Fiji from 1897 to 1901. He died in 1906.O'Brien Road in Hong Kong was named after him....
: February 1897 - 1901 - William Lamond AllardyceWilliam Lamond AllardyceSir William Lamond Allardyce KCMG was a career British civil servant in the Colonial Office who served as governor of Fiji , the Falkland Islands , Bahamas , Tasmania , and Newfoundland .Allardyce was born near Bombay, India, the son of Georgina Dickson Abbott and Colonel James Allardyce...
: 1901 - 10 September 1902, acting - Sir Henry Moore JacksonHenry Moore JacksonSir Henry Moore Jackson R.A. GCMG was born in Grenada to the Anglican Bishop of Antigua and of the Leeward Islands. He received his education in England at Clifton College and the Royal Military Academy. After his education, Jackson went into the military, serving for the Royal Artillery from 1870...
: 10 September 1902 - 11 October 1904 - Sir Everard F. im ThurnEverard F. im ThurnEverard Ferdinand im Thurn was an author, explorer, botanist, photographer and Governor of Fiji. He was educated at Oxford University, Edinburgh University, and Sydney University...
: 11 October 1904 - 21 February 1911 - Sir Francis Henry MayFrancis Henry MaySir Francis Henry May, GCMG was a British colonial administrator who became Governor of Hong Kong.-Early life and education:...
: 21 February 1911 - 25 July 1912 - Sir Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott: 25 July 1912 - 10 October 1918
- Sir Cecil Hunter RodwellCecil Hunter RodwellBorn in England, Rodwell attended Cheam School and Eton College and went up to Cambridge in 1892 to study at King's College. Upon the outbreak of the South African War, Rodwell joined the Suffolk Yeomanry and was awarded the Queen's Medal with two clasps for bravery....
: 10 October 1918 - 25 April 1925 - Sir Eyre HutsonEyre HutsonSir Eyre Hutson KCMG was an English colonial administrator who became Governor of British Honduras and later Governor of Fiji....
: 25 April 1925 - 22 November 1929 - Sir Arthur George Murchison Fletcher: 22 November 1929 - 28 November 1936
- Sir Arthur Frederick Richards: 28 November 1936 - August 1938
- Sir Harry Charles LukeHarry Charles LukeSir Harry Charles Luke KCMG, GCStJ, D.Litt. of Oxford and honorary LLD of Malta, was an official in the British Colonial Office. He served in Barbados, Cyprus, Transcaucasia, Sierra Leone, Palestine, Malta, the British Western Pacific Territories and Fiji...
: 16 September 1938 - 21 July 1942 - Sir Philip Euen MitchellPhilip Euen MitchellSir Philip Euen Mitchell was a British Colonial administrator who served as Governor of Uganda , Governor of Fiji and Governor of Kenya .-Birth and education:...
: 21 July 1942 - 1 January 1945 - Sir Alexander GranthamAlexander GranthamSir Alexander William George Herder Grantham, GCMG was a British colonial administrator who governed Hong Kong and Fiji.-Early life, colonial administration career:...
: 1 January 1945 - 1946 - Sir Leslie Brian Freeston: 20 January 1948 - 6 October 1952 (1892-1958)
- Sir Ronald Herbert GarveyRonald GarveySir Ronald Herbert Garvey KCMG KCVO MBE was a colonial administrator.-Career:Garvey joined the colonial service and was appointed Governor of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 1944. He moved on to be Governor of British Honduras in 1949; there he had to contend with a general strike and the need...
: 6 October 1952 - 28 October 1958 - Sir Kenneth Phipson MaddocksKenneth MaddocksSir Kenneth Maddocks was a British colonial official, who served as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Fiji from 1958 until 1963....
: 28 October 1958 - 6 January 1964 - Sir Francis Derek Jakeway: 6 January 1964 - December 1968 (1915-1993)
- Sir Robert Sidney FosterRobert Sidney FosterSir Robert Sidney Foster, GCMG, KCVO was a British colonial administrator, best remembered as the last colonial Governor of Fiji and the first Governor-General of the Dominion of Fiji.-Colonial service:...
: December 1968 - 10 October 1970
In 1970, Fiji gained independence from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. After independence, the viceroy in Fiji was the Governor-General of Fiji
Governor-General of Fiji
Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874, and an independent dominion in the Commonwealth in 1970. Queen Elizabeth II remained the Head of State, holding the title of Queen of Fiji until 1987, when she formally abdicated following two military coups...
.