List of heads of state of Singapore

The Governors of Singapore were the political leaders of Singapore during its pre-independence phase in the history of Singapore.[1]

Residents of Singapore (1819–1826)

The Residents and Commandants of Singapore ruled the British colony that is today the Republic of Singapore. The men that held this position governed Singapore from 1819 to 1826, on behalf of the British East India Company.

British East India Company (EIC)
№ Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Term of Office Origin Background or
Previous Appointment		 Monarch
Took Office Left Office Duration
1 Maj-Gen. William Farquhar
(1774–1839)		 6 February 1819 1 May 1823 4 years, 2 months Aberdeenshire, Scotland Resident of Malacca,
Chief Engineer

George III

George IV

2 Dr. John Crawfurd
(1783–1868)		 27 May 1823 15 August 1826 3 years, 2 months Argyll, Scotland Surgeon, Diplomat

Governors of the Straits Settlements (1826–1942)
Main article: List of governors of the Straits Settlements
Flag of the Governor of the Straits Settlements (1867–1946)

The Governors of the Straits Settlements ruled the Straits Settlements. The men that held this position governed the Straits Settlements from 1826 to 1946, on behalf of the British East India Company (until 1858), the India Office (until 1867) and the Colonial Office (until 1946).

In the absence of the governor, the chief secretary immediately became the acting governor of the Straits Settlements. The chief secretaries were historically drawn from the Colonial Office or British military.

British Straits Settlements
№ Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Term of Office Origin Background or
Previous Appointment		 Monarch
Took Office Left Office Duration
1 Robert Fullerton
(1773–1831)		27 November 1826 12 November 1830 3 years, 11 months Edinburgh, Scotland Second Member of Council,
and President of the Board of Trade
George IV

William IV
2 Robert Ibbetson
(1789–1880)		 12 November 1830 7 December 1833 3 years, 25 days England Resident Councillor
of Prince of Wales Island
3 Kenneth Murchison
(1794–1854)		 7 December 1833 17 November 1836 2 years, 11 months Scotland Resident Councillor
of Straits Settlements
4 Sir Samuel George Bonham
(1803–1863)		 18 November 1836 January 1843 ~ 6 years, 1 month Kent, England Resident Councillor
of Straits Settlements

Victoria
Ruled directly from the British East India Company
From January to August 1843.
5 Major General William John Butterworth
(1801–1856)		 August 1843 21 March 1855 ~ 11 years, 9 months Unknown Lieutenant-Colonel
of the 38th Madras Regiment
6 Edmund Augustus Blundell
(1804–1868)		 21 March 1855 6 August 1859 4 years, 4 months Somerset, England Resident Councillor of Penang
1 November 1858: East India Company and Board of Control replaced by India Office and Council of India in the Government of India Act 1858.
7 Major General Sir William Orfeur Cavenagh
(1820–1891)		 6 August 1859 16 March 1867 7 years, 7 months Kent, England British Indian Army
1 April 1867: Control passed from Bengal to the Colonial Office in London and the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony.
8 Major General Sir Harry St. George Ord
(1819–1885)		 16 March 1867 4 March 1871 3 years, 11 months Kent, England Special Commissioner to West Africa
— Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson
(1826–1925)
1st time Acting		 4 March 1871 22 March 1872 1 year and 18 days London, England Lieutenant Governor of Penang
8 Major General Sir Harry St. George Ord
(1819–1885)		 22 March 1872 3 November 1873 1 year, 7 months Kent, England Colonial administrator
— Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson
(1826–1925)
2nd time Acting		 3 November 1873 4 November 1873 1 day London, England Lieutenant Governor of Penang
9 Sir Andrew Clarke
(1824–1902)		 4 November 18738 May 1875 1 year, 6 months Hampshire, England Director of Works at the Admiralty
10 Sir William Jervois
(1821–1897)		 8 May 1875 3 April 1877 1 year, 10 months Isle of Wight, England Colonel of the Royal Engineers
— Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson
(1826–1925)
3rd time Acting		 3 April 1877 August 1877 ~ 4 months London, England Lieutenant Governor of Penang
11 Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson
(1834–1897)		 August 1877 10 February 1879 ~ 1 year, 5 months County Westmeath, Ireland Governor of Western Australia
— Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson
(1826–1925)
4th time Acting		 10 February 1879 16 May 1880 1 year, 3 months London, England Lieutenant Governor of Penang
12 Sir Frederick Weld
(1823–1891)		 16 May 1880 17 October 1887 7 years, 5 months Dorset, England Governor of Tasmania
13 Sir Cecil Clementi Smith
(1840–1916)		 17 October 1887 30 August 1893 5 years, 10 months London, England Colonial Secretary
of Straits Settlements
— William Edward Maxwell
(1846–1897)
Acting		 30 August 1893 1 February 1894 5 months and 2 days unknown Colonial Secretary
of Straits Settlements
14 Sir Charles Mitchell
(1836–1899)
Died while in office		 1 February 1894 7 December 1899 5 years, 10 months London, England Governor of Natal
— James Alexander Swettenham
(1846–1933)
Acting		 7 December 1899 5 November 1901 1 year, 10 months Derbyshire, England Colonial Secretary
of Straits Settlements

Edward VII
15 Sir Frank Swettenham
(1850–1946)		 5 November 1901 16 April 1904 2 years, 5 months Derbyshire, England Resident-General
of the Federated Malay States
16 Sir John Anderson
(1858–1918)		 16 April 1904 2 September 1911 7 years, 4 months Aberdeenshire, Scotland Colonial administrator

George V
17 Sir Arthur Henderson Young
(1854–1938)		 2 September 1911 17 February 1920 8 years, 5 months unknown Resident-General
of the Federated Malay States
18 Sir Laurence Guillemard
(1862–1951)		 17 February 1920 3 June 1927 7 years, 3 months unknown Colonial administrator
19 Sir Hugh Clifford
(1866–1941)		 3 June 1927 21 October 1929 2 years, 4 months London, England Governor of British Ceylon
— Sir John Scott
(1878 – 1946)
Acting		 21 October 1929 5 February 1930 3 months and 15 days unknown Colonial Secretary
of Straits Settlements
20 Sir Cecil Clementi
(1875–1947)		 5 February 1930 17 February 1934 4 years and 12 days Cawnpore, British India Governor of Hong Kong
— Sir Andrew Caldecott
(1884–1951)
Acting		 17 February 1934 9 November 1934 8 months and 23 days Kent, England Colonial Secretary
of Straits Settlements
Sir Shenton Thomas
(1879–1962)		 9 November 1934 15 February 1942 7 years, 3 months London, England Governor of the Gold Coast
21

Edward VIII

George VI

Japanese occupation of Singapore
From 15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945.

Japanese Occupation (1942 to 1945)

During the Japanese occupation of Singapore, there were 2 mayors[2] and 5 military administrators appointed to Syonan-to.

Syonan-to「昭南島」(Shōnan-tō)
№ Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Term of Office Origin Background or
Previous Appointment		 Monarch
Took Office Left Office Duration
1 Odate Shigeo
(1892–1955)		 7 March 1942 8 July 1943 1 year, 4 months Hamada, Shimane Bureaucrat in the Home Ministry
Emperor Shōwa
2 Naito Kanichi
(1897–19??)		 19 July 1943 12 September 1945 2 years, 1 month Ehime Chief Military Administrator[2]
End of Japanese occupation of Singapore
Syonan-to「昭南島」(Shōnan-tō)
№ Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Term of Office Origin Background or
Previous Appointment		 Monarch
Took Office Left Office
Japanese Military Administrators
From 15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945.
Emperor Shōwa
1 Yamashita Tomoyuki
(1888–1946)		 15 February 1942 1 July 1942 Ōtoyo, Kōchi Commanding Officer
of the Japanese 25th Army
2 Yaheita Saito
(1885-1953)		 1 July 1942 8 April 1943 Kagawa
3 Terauchi Hisaichi
(1879–1946)		 8 April 1943 22 March 1944 Tokyo Commanding Officer
of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group
4 Doihara Kenji
(1883–1948)		 22 March 1944 7 April 1945 Okayama Commanding Officer
of the Japanese 7th Area Army
5 Itagaki Seishiro
(1885–1948)		 7 April 1945 12 September 1945 Morioka, Iwate
End of Japanese occupation of Singapore

Governors of the Straits Settlements (1945–1946)
British Straits Settlements
№ Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Term of Office Origin Background or
Previous Appointment		 Monarch
Took Office Left Office Duration
British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements
From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946.
George VI
— Lord Louis Mountbatten
(1900–1979)
British High Command		 12 September 1945 31 March 1946 6 months and 19 days Berkshire, England Supreme Allied Commander
of the Southeast Asia Theatre
Continuation of the Governor of the Straits Settlements
21 Sir Shenton Thomas
(1879–1962)		 12 September 1945 31 March 1946 6 months and 19 days London, England Colonial administrator
Singapore became a separate Crown Colony

Governors of Singapore (1946–1959)
Flag of the Governor of Singapore (1946–1963)

The Governors of Singapore ruled Singapore. The men that held this position governed the Crown Colony of Singapore from 1946 to 1959, on behalf of the Colonial Office until Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 in where the Office of the Governor was abolished.

Crown Colony of Singapore
№ Portrait Name
(Born–Died)		 Term of Office Origin Background or
Previous Appointment		 Monarch
Took Office Left Office Duration
1 Sir Franklin Charles Gimson
(1890–1975)		 1 April 1946 20 March 1952 5 years, 11 months Leicestershire, England Colonial Secretary
of Hong Kong
George VI

Elizabeth II

— Wilfred Lawson Blythe
(1896 – 1975)
Acting		 20 March 1952 21 April 1952 1 month and 1 day unknown Colonial Secretary
of Singapore
2 Sir John Fearns Nicoll
(1899–1981)		 21 April 1952 2 June 1955 3 years, 1 month London, England Colonial Secretary
of Hong Kong
— William Allmond Codrington Goode
(1907–1986)
Acting		 2 June 1955 30 June 1955 28 days Middlesex, England Colonial Secretary
of Singapore
3 Sir Robert Brown Black
(1906–1999)		 30 June 1955 9 December 1957 2 years, 5 months Edinburgh, Scotland Colonial Secretary
of Hong Kong
4 Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode
(1907–1986)		 9 December 1957 2 June 1959 1 year, 5 months Middlesex, England Chief Secretary
of Singapore
Singapore is granted self-governance in 1959 within the British Empire
Singapore merges with the Federation of Malaya on 16 September 1963 to form Malaysia
Singapore declares independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965

List of Chief Ministers
Colour key (for political party)
  LF

  SPA

№ Chief Minister Term of office Political Party Government Elected
Portrait Name Took Office Left Office Gen.
1 David Saul Marshall
(1908-1995)
Assemblymen for Cairnhill		 6 April 1955 7 June 1956 LF Marshall I
LF–UMNO-MCA		 1955
The first Chief Minister of Singapore. He lead Labour Front to victory in 1955 election. He resigned due to the failed Mederka mission.
2(1) Lim Yew Hock
(1914-1984)
Assemblymen for Havelock		 8 June 1956 3 June 1959 LF Lim I
LF–UMNO-MCA (1956-1958)
SPA–UMNO-MCA (1958-1959)		 -
SPA
2(2) The second and last Chief Minister of Singapore. He served as Minister of Labour and Welfare in David Marshall's Cabinet and concurrently held this position as Chief Minister. He lead the breakout of Labour Front and form Singapore People's Alliance. He was defeated by Lee Kuan Yew in 1959 election. The latter was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Singapore.

Self-governance of Singapore (1959–1963)
Portrait Name
(birth and death)
Constituency		 Term of office Party Deputies Duration
1 Lee Kuan Yew
李光耀
லீ குவான் இயூ
(1923–2015)
MP for Tanjong Pagar SMC		 3 June 1959 16 September 1963 People's Action Party Toh Chin Chye 4 years, 105 days
1959

Singapore in Malaysia (1963–1965)
Portrait Name
(birth and death)
Constituency		 Term of office Party Deputies Duration
1 Lee Kuan Yew
李光耀
லீ குவான் இயூ
(1923–2015)
Member of Singapore State Legislative Assembly for Tanjong Pagar SMC		 16 September 1963 9 August 1965 People's Action Party Toh Chin Chye 1 year, 327 days
1963

Republic of Singapore
Portrait Name

(birth and death) Constituency

 Term of office election Party
1 Lee Kuan Yew

(1923–2015)

 12 August

1965

 28 November 1990 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988 People's Action Party
2 Goh Chok Tong

(b. 1941)

 28 November 1990 12 August 2004 1991, 1997, 2001 People's Action Party
3 Lee Hsien Loong

(b. 1952)

 12 August 2004 1 February 2015 2006, 2011, People's Action Party
4 Teo Chee Hean

(b. 1954)

 1 February 2015 25 May

2015

 — People's Action Party
(3) Lee Hsien Loong

(b. 1952)

 25 May

2015

 Incumbent 2015 People's Action Party

List

List of heads of state of the Singapore
N Portrait President Start of term End of term Election Political Party (Before Resignation)
1 Sir William Goode

( 8 June 1907 – 15 September 1986 )

 9 June 1959 9 December 1959 1959 People's Action Party
2 Yusof Ishak

(12 August 1910 – 23 November 1970)

 9 December 1959 23 November 1970 1963
3 Yeoh Ghim Seng

(1918 —1993)

 23 November 1970 2 January 1971 —
4 Benjamin Sheares

(12 August 1907 – 12 May 1981)		 2 January 1971 12 May 1981
 1972,

1976,

1980,

— Yeoh Ghim Seng

(1918 —1993)

 12 May 1981 23 October 1981 —
5 Devan Nair

(5 August 1923 – 6 December 2005)		 23 October 1981 28 March 1985 1984,


6 Wee Chong Jin

(1915 —2005)

 28 March 1985 29 March 1985 —
— Yeoh Ghim Seng

(1918 —1993)

 29 March 1985 2 September 1985 —
7 Wee Kim Wee

(4 November 1915 – 2 May 2005)		 2 September 1985 1 September 1993
 1988,

1991,

8 Ong Teng Cheong

(22 January 1936 – 8 February 2002)		 1 September 1993 31 August 1999 1993
9 S. R. Nathan

(3 July 1924 – 22 August 2016)		 1 September 1999
 31 August 2011 1999, 2005
10 Tony Tan

(b. 7 February 1940)		 1 September 2011 31 August 2017 2011
11 J. Y. Pillay

(1934 —)

 31 August 2017 14 September 2017 —
12 Halimah Yacob
(b. 23 August 1954)		 14 September 2017 Incumbent
(Term expires 13 September 2023)		 2017


Living former presidents
President Start of term End of term Days Election Political Party (Before Resignation) Political Party (After Resignation)
Tony Tan
陈庆炎
டோனி டான் கெங் யாம்
(b. 7 February 1940)		 1 September 2011 31 August 2017 6 years, 0 days Highest Votes : 745,693 Votes (2011) People's Action Party Independent

See also

References
  1. "Past and present leaders of Singapore". Singapore National Library Board.
  2. "Kanichi Naito Named Mayor of Syonan". Syonan Shimbun. 20 July 1943. p. 1.
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