List of governors of British South African colonies

This article lists the governors of British South African colonies, including the colonial prime ministers. It encompasses the period from 1797 to 1910, when present-day South Africa was divided into four British colonies namely: Cape Colony (preceded by Dutch Cape Colony), Natal Colony, Orange River Colony and Transvaal Colony.

After the colonies were disestablished as a result of the creation of the Union of South Africa, the area was divided into four provinces of the Union: Cape Province, Natal Province, Orange Free State Province and Transvaal Province.

Cape Colony

Governors

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Notes Governors5 May 1797 to 20 November 1798George Macartney, 1st Earl MacartneyKnown for the 1793 Macartney Embassy to China20 November 1798 to 9 December 1799Francis Dundas1st time, acting10 December 1799 to 20 April 1801Sir George Yonge, 5th Baronet21 April 1801 to 20 February 1803Francis Dundas2nd time, acting Commissioner-general21 February 1803 to 25 September 1804Jacob Abraham de MistRepresented the Batavian Republic Governors1 March 1803 to 18 January 1806Jan Willem JanssensRepresented the Batavian Republic10 January 1806 to 17 January 1807Sir David Baird, 1st BaronetMilitary governor, acting17 January 1807 to 21 May 1807 Henry George Grey1st time, acting22 May 1807 to 4 July 1811Du Pré Alexander, 2nd Earl of Caledon5 July 1811 to 5 September 1811 Henry George Grey2nd time, acting6 September 1811 to 6 April 1814John Cradock, 1st Baron Howden18 October 1813 to 7 January 1814 Robert MeadeActing for Cradock; son of Theodosia, Countess of Clanwilliam6 April 1814 to 5 March 1826Lord Charles Somerset13 January 1820 to 30 November 1821Sir Rufane Shaw DonkinActing for Somerset5 March 1826 to 9 September 1828Richard BourkeActing9 September 1828 to 10 August 1833Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole10 August 1833 to 16 January 1834 Thomas Francis WadeActing (for D'Urban from 10 January 1834)10 January 1834 to 20 January 1838Sir Benjamin D'Urban22 January 1838 to 18 March 1844Sir George Thomas Napier18 March 1844 to 27 January 1847Sir Peregrine Maitland Governors and high commissioners for Southern Africa27 January 1847 to 1 December 1847Sir Henry Pottinger1 December 1847 to 31 March 1852Sir Harry Smith, 1st Baronet31 March 1852 to 26 May 1854George Cathcart26 May 1854 to 5 December 1854Charles Henry DarlingActing5 December 1854 to 15 August 1861Sir George Grey20 August 1859 to 4 July 1860Robert Wynyard1st time, acting for Grey15 August 1861 to 15 January 18622nd time, acting15 January 1862 to 20 May 1870Sir Philip Wodehouse20 May 1870 to 31 December 1870 Charles Craufurd HayActing31 December 1870 to 31 March 1877Sir Henry Barkly31 March 1877 to 15 September 1880Sir Henry Bartle FrereKnown for initiating the Anglo-Zulu War and the First Boer War15 September 1880 to 27 September 1880Henry Hugh CliffordActing27 September 1880 to 22 January 1881Sir George StrahanActing22 January 1881 to 1 May 1889Sir Hercules Robinson1st time30 April 1881 to August 1881 Sir Leicester Smyth1st time, acting for Robinson25 April 1883 to 26 March 18842nd time, acting for Robinson7 April 1886 to 7 July 1886Sir Henry TorrensActing for Robinson1 May 1889 to 13 December 1889Henry Augustus SmythActing13 December 1889 to 30 May 1895Henry Loch, 1st Baron Loch14 January 1891 to 1 December 1892Sir William Gordon Cameron1st time, acting for LochMay 1894 to July 18942nd time, acting for Loch30 May 1895 to 21 April 1897Sir Hercules Robinson2nd time; from 10 August 1896, Hercules Robinson, Baron Rosmead21 April 1897 to 5 May 1897Sir William Howley GoodenoughActing5 May 1897 to 6 March 1901Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner2 November 1898 to 14 February 1899Sir William ButlerActing for Milner6 March 1901 to 31 May 1910Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson17 June 1909 to 21 September 1909Sir Henry ScobellActing for Hely-Hutchinson

Prime ministers Tenure Portrait Incumbent Party Notes1 December 1872 to 5 February 1878John Charles Moltenon-p6 February 1878 to 8 May 1881John Gordon Spriggn-p1st time9 May 1881 to 12 May 1884Thomas Charles Scanlenn-p13 May 1884 to 24 November 1886Thomas Upingtonn-p25 November 1886 to 16 July 1890Sir John Gordon Spriggn-p2nd time17 July 1890 to 12 January 1896Cecil Rhodesn-pResigned in the aftermath of the Jameson Raid13 January 1896 to 13 October 1898Sir John Gordon Spriggn-p3rd time13 October 1898 to 17 June 1900William Schreinern-p18 June 1900 to 21 February 1904Sir John Gordon SpriggPP4th time22 February 1904 to 2 February 1908Leander Starr JamesonPPLeader of the Jameson Raid3 February 1908 to 31 May 1910John X. MerrimanSAP

Natal Colony

Governors

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Notes Special Commissioner10 May 1843 to 31 May 1844 Henry Cloete31 May 1844 to 4 December 1845direct rule by Cape ColonyDuring this time, Sir Peregrine Maitland served as the governor of Cape Colony Lieutenant-governors4 December 1845 to 1 August 1849 Martin Thomas West19 April 1850 to 3 Mar 1855Benjamin Pine1st time3 Mar 1855 to 31 December 1864 John Scott31 December 1864 to 26 July 1865 John Maclean26 July 1865 to 26 August 1865John Wellesley ThomasActing26 August 1865 to 24 May 1867John Jarvis BissetActing24 May 1867 to 19 July 1872 Robert William Keate19 July 1872 to 30 April 1873Anthony Musgrave30 April 1873 to 22 July 1873 Thomas MillesActing22 July 1873 to 1 April 1875Sir Benjamin Pine2nd time1 April 1875 to 3 September 1875Sir Garnet Joseph WolseleyActing3 September 1875 to 20 April 1880 Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer1st time20 April 1880 to 5 May 1880William BellairsActing5 May 1880 to 2 July 1880Henry Hugh CliffordActing Governors2 July 1880 to 27 February 1881Sir George Pomeroy Colley17 August 1880 to 14 September 1880 Henry AlexanderActing for Colley27 February 1881 to 3 April 1881Sir Evelyn WoodActing3 April 1881 to 9 August 1881Redvers BullerActing22 December 1881 to 6 March 1882Charles Mitchell1st time, acting6 March 1882 to 23 October 1885 Sir Henry Ernest Gascoyne Bulwer2nd time18 February 1886 to 5 June 1889Sir Arthur Havelock1 December 1889 to July 1893Charles Mitchell2nd timeJuly 1893 to 27 September 1893 Francis Seymour HadenActing28 September 1893 to 6 May 1901Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson13 May 1901 to 7 June 1907Sir Henry McCallum2 September 1907 to 23 December 1909Sir Matthew Nathan17 January 1910 to 31 May 1910Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen

Prime ministers Tenure Portrait Incumbent Party Notes10 October 1893 to 14 February 1897Sir John Robinsonn-p15 February 1897 to 4 October 1897Harry Escomben-p5 October 1897 to 8 June 1899 Sir Henry Binnsn-p9 June 1899 to 17 August 1903 Sir Albert Henry Himen-p18 August 1903 to 16 May 1905 George Morris Suttonn-p16 May 1905 to 28 November 1906 Charles John Smythen-p28 November 1906 to 28 April 1910Frederick Moorn-p

Orange River Colony

Governors

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Notes23 June 1902 to 1 April 1905Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount MilnerSimultaneously served as the governor of Transvaal Colony2 April 1905 to 7 June 1907William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne7 June 1907 to 31 May 1910Sir Hamilton Goold-Adams

Prime minister Tenure Portrait Incumbent Party Notes27 November 1907 to 31 May 1910Abraham FischerORULater served as the Minister of the Interior Affairs of South Africa, from 1912 to 1913

Transvaal Colony

Governors of the Transvaal

Tenure Portrait Incumbent Notes First annexation Administrators12 April 1877 to 4 March 1879Sir Theophilus Shepstone4 March 1879 to 8 August 1881Owen LanyonFrom 6 April 1880, Sir William Owen Lanyon; acting for Wolseley 29 September 1879 – 27 April 1880 Governor29 September 1879 to 27 April 1880Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley Second annexation Administrator4 January 1901 to 23 June 1902Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount MilnerSimultaneously served as the Administrator of Orange River Colony Governors21 June 1902 to 1 April 1905Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount MilnerSimultaneously served as the governor of Orange River Colony2 April 1905 to 31 May 1910William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne

Lieutenant-governors of the Transvaal Tenure Portrait Incumbent Notes Second annexation Lieutenant-Governors29 September 1902 to 4 December 1905Sir Arthur LawleyAppointed Governor of Madras23 March 1906 to January 1907Sir Richard SolomonActing for Selborne 4 December 1905 to 2 October 1906

Prime Minister of the Transvaal Tenure Portrait Incumbent Party Notes4 March 1907 to 31 May 1910Louis BothaHVAfterwards served as the first prime minister of South Africa, from 1910 to 1919

See also High Commissioner for Southern Africa Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in South Africa List of administrators of former South African provinces

References

"South Africa: Cape Colony", worldstatesmen.org © Ben Cahoon. "South Africa: Natal Colony", worldstatesmen.org © Ben Cahoon. "South Africa: Orange Free State", worldstatesmen.org © Ben Cahoon. "South Africa: Transvaal", worldstatesmen.org © Ben Cahoon.

External links World Statesmen – South Africa