Governor of Fiji

Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970, and an independent Dominion in the 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.

Governor of Fiji
Flag of the Governor of Fiji from 1908-1970
StyleHis Excellency The Right Honourable
ResidenceGovernment House, Suva
AppointerKing/Queen of the United Kingdom
Formation10 October 1874
First holderSir Hercules Robinson
Final holderSir Robert Sidney Foster
Abolished10 October 1970
SuccessionGovernor-General of Fiji

Note that from 1877 to 3 July 1952, Governors of Fiji were also High Commissioners for the Western Pacific.

List of Governors of Fiji (1874–1970)

Governor of Fiji
Name
(Birth–Death)
Portrait Tenure Monarch
Took office Left office
Colony of Fiji
1. Sir Hercules Robinson
(1824–1897)
10 October 1874 June 1875
Victoria
2. Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon
(1829–1912)
19 August 1875 1880
3. Sir William Des Vœux
(1834–1909)
20 December 1880 21 January 1885
John Bates Thurston
(1836–1897)
Acting Governor
21 January 1885 1 January 1887
4. Sir Charles Mitchell
(1836–1899)
1 January 1887 February 1888
5. Sir John Bates Thurston
(1836–1897)
February 1888 7 February 1897
6. Sir George T. M. O'Brien
(1844–1906)
March 1897 1901
Sir William Allardyce
(1861–1930)
Acting Governor
1901 10 September 1902

Edward VII

7. Sir Henry Jackson
(1849–1908)
10 September 1902 11 October 1904
8. Sir Everard im Thurn
(1852–1932)
11 October 1904 1910
Sir Charles Major
(1860–1933)
Acting Governor
1910 21 February 1911

George V
9. Sir Francis May
(1860–1922)
21 February 1911 25 July 1912
10. Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott
(1857–1941)
25 July 1912 10 October 1918
Sir Eyre Hutson
(1864–1936)
Acting for Sweet-Escott
1915 1916
11. Sir Cecil Hunter-Rodwell
(1874–1953)
10 October 1918 25 April 1925
Sir Eyre Hutson
(1864–1936)
Acting for Hunter-Rodwell
1919 1919
12. Sir Eyre Hutson
(1864–1936)
25 April 1925 22 November 1929
13. Sir Murchison Fletcher
(1878–1954)
22 November 1929 May 1936

Edward VIII
Sir Cecil Barton
(1891–1980)
Acting Governor
May 1936 November 1936
14. Sir Arthur Richards
(1885–1978)
28 November 1936 August 1938

George VI
Sir Cecil Barton
(1891–1980)
Acting Governor
August 1938 September 1938
15. Sir Harry Luke
(1884–1969)
16 September 1938 21 July 1942
16. Sir Philip Mitchell
(1890–1964)
21 July 1942 12 January 1944
Sir John Rankine
(1907–1987)
Acting Governor
12 January 1944 4 May 1944
Sir John Nicoll
(1899–1981)
Acting Governor
4 May 1944 23 October 1944
Sir John Rankine
(1907–1987)
Acting Governor
23 October 1944 1 January 1945
17. Sir Alexander Grantham
(1899–1978)
1 January 1945 21 March 1947
Sir John Nicoll
(1899–1981)
Acting Governor
21 March 1947 8 October 1947
18. Sir Brian Freeston
(1892–1958)
8 October 1947 6 October 1952

Elizabeth II
19. Sir Ronald Garvey
(1903–1991)
6 October 1952 28 October 1958
20. Sir Kenneth Maddocks
(1907–2001)
28 October 1958 6 January 1964
21. Sir Derek Jakeway
(1915–1993)
6 January 1964 December 1968
22. Sir Robert Sidney Foster
(1913–2005)
December 1968 10 October 1970

In 1970, Fiji gained independence from the United Kingdom. After independence, the Viceroy in Fiji was the Governor-General of Fiji.

Governor's flag

Further reading

  • Paul Knaplund, "Sir Arthur Gordon and Fiji: Some Gordon-Gladstone Letters." Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand 8#31 (1958) pp 281-296.


See also

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