In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company (EIC) which permitted them to build a factory at Hughli, without fortifications. Various chief agents, Governors and presidents were appointed to look after company affairs in the Bengal region. In 1765, the Treaty of Allahabad granted the diwani of Bengal Subah to the EIC. In 1772, Warren Hastings was appointed as the Governor-General of Fort William in Bengal which ended the title of Governor of Bengal.
The Saint Helena Act 1833 enacted that the Governor-General of India shall also act as the Governor of the Bengal presidency. From this time the Governors-General of India held also the separate office of Governor of Bengal, until the year 1854.
The Section 56 of Act 16 & 17 Victoria in 1853 empowered the Court of Directors of EIC to declare that the Governor-General of India shall not be Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal, but that a separate Governor shall be appointed for such Presidency. Until then, the Governor-General of India in Council will be directed to appoint a Lieutenant Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal. In 1854, F. J. Halliday was appointed as the first lieutenant governor of the Bengal presidency.
At the Delhi Durbar on 12 December 1911, King George V announced the transfer of the seat of the Government of India from Calcutta to Delhi, the reunification of the five predominantly Bengali-speaking divisions into a Presidency (or province) of Bengal under a governor, the creation of a new province of Bihar and Orissa under a lieutenant-governor, and that Assam Province would be reconstituted under a chief commissioner. On 21 March 1912, Thomas Gibson-Carmichael was appointed the Governor of Bengal. On 22 March the provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and Assam were constituted.Ilbert, Sir Courtenay Peregrine (1922). The Government of India, Third Edition, revised and updated. Clarendon Press. pp. 117–118.
In 1947, India gained independence from the British Raj, and the new state of West Bengal was formed following the partition of India. C. Rajagopalachari was appointed as the first Governor of West Bengal. When the constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950, the office of Governor of West Bengal become a ceremonial position.
Precursors (1650–1758)
Agents, chiefs and governors (1650-1699) In 1644 Gabriel Boughton, procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to build a factory at Hughli, without fortifications. In 1650, the factories of Balasor and Hughli were united. On 14 December 1650, James Bridgman was appointed as the chief of the factories. However, in 1653, Bridgman left suddenly and Powle Waldegrave assumed his charge.
On 27 February 1657, the company resolved its holdings into four agencies:- Fort St. George, Bantam, Persia, and Hughli. George Gawton was appointed as the Agent of Hughly. Additional three factories in Ballasore, Cassambazar and Pattana were put under the Hughly agency. In 1658, Johnathan Trevisa was appointed as the second to Gawton and was meant to succeed him after the latter's death. On 6 February 1661, the company reduced the Hughly agency under the Fort St. George, and then agent Trevisa was made the "Chief of Factories in the Bay of Bengal". On 24 November 1681, William Hedges was appointed as the "Agent and Governor for the affairs of the East India Company in the Bay of Bengal". On 21 December 1684, William Gyfford who was the President and Governor of Fort St. George was given the additional charge of Bengal due to increasing mismanagement. John Beard was appointed as the "Agent and Chief in the Bay of Bengal" and become the subordinate to Gifford. Chief of the factories of Balasore and HughliNamePortraitTook officeLeft officeRemarksJames Bridgman14 December 16501653Powle Waldegrave16531657Agent of Hughly AgencyGeorge Gawton27 February 165711 September 1658John Trevisa11 September 16586 February 1661Chief of Factories in the Bay of BengalJohn Trevisa6 February 166131 January 1662William Blake31 January 166224 January 1668Shem Bridges24 January 16687 December 1669Henry Powell7 December 1669?Walter Clavell~June 16727 August 1677Died in officeMatthias Vincent7 September 1677~July 1682 (position superseded)Deposed in July 1682Agent and Governor for the affairs of the East India Company
in the Bay of Bengal Sir William Hedges24 November 1681~ August 1684Deposed in August 1864Agent and Chief in the Bay of BengalJohn Beard21 December 186328 August 1865Died in officeJob Charnock~ April 168610 January 1693Died in officeFrancis Ellis10 January 1693January 1694Charles Eyre25 January 16941 February 1699Left for England in 1699John Beard1 February 169920 December 1699 (position superseded)Second to Eyre
President and Governor of Fort William, in Bengal (1699-1705) On 20 December 1699, the Court of Directors (London East India Company) declared Bengal a Presidency, and then Agent Charles Eyre was made the " President and Governor of Fort William, in Bengal". The President or Chief in the Bay of Bengal for the English East India Company was Sir Edward Littleton in whose commission and instructions, dated 12 January 1698, it was also stated that power had been obtained from his Majesty to constitute him the "Minister or Consul for the English Nation" with all powers requisite thereunto." Littleton was later deposed by the Court of Directors in 1703.
The union of the two East India Companies took place on 23 July 1702. For united trade in Bengal, a Council was appointed, of which Nathaniel Halsey and Robert Hedges were to take chair each in their week alternatively as per the dispatch from United Company on 26 February 1702. In a dispatch of 12 February 1704, it was ordered that if Beard shall die, no one will be appointed as President to succeed him. After the departure of John Beard to Madras, Ralph Sheldon assumed the position of Chief of Council, and his appointment was confirmed in a dispatch of 7 February 1706. President and Governor of Fort William, in BengalNamePortraitTook officeLeft officeRemarksSir Charles Eyre20 December 16997 January 1701Left on account of health issuesJohn Beard7 January 17017 July 1705Died in Office
President in the Bay, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief for Fort William, in Bengal (1705-1774) On 30 December 1709, Anthony Weldon was appointed as the "President in the Bay, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief for Fort William, in Bengal" for the United East India Company. His appointment was later revoked and was supposed to be succeeded by Sheldon. Since Sheldon had died by the time dispatch arrived in Bengal, John Russell was ordered to succeed as the Governor. By a letter of 8 May 1771, the Court appointed Warren Hastings to be Governor of Bengal. By Act of Parliament 13 Geo. III., cap. 63, the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal will headed by a Governor-General, and Hastings was appointed as the first Governor-General. He assumed the office on 20 October 1774. President in the Bay, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief for Fort William, in Bengal#NamePortraitTook officeLeft officeRemarksAppointee1Anthony Weldon30 December 17094 March 1711Appointment revoked by the Court of Directors Resigned in March 1711East IndiaCompany2John Rusell4 March 17113 December 1713Dismissed by the Court3Robert Hedges3 December 171328 December 1717died in office4Samuel Feake12 January 171817 January 1723Left for England due to illness5John Deane17 January 172330 January 1726Returned to England6Henry Frankland30 January 172625 February 1732Returned to Europe7John Stackhouse25 February 173229 January 1739Resigned8Thomas Broddyll29 January 17394 Feb 1746Left for England9John Forster4 Feb 1746March 1748Died in office10William Barwell18 April 17481749Dismissed by the Court11Adam Dawson17 July 17491752Dismissed by the Court12William Fytche5 July 17528 August 1752Died in Office13Roger Drake8 August 175220 June 1758Deposed by the Court14Colonel Robert Clive27 June 175823 January 1760Resigned15John Zephaniah Holwell28 January 176027 July 1760Handed over to Vansittart who was appointed on 23 November 1759 to the office16Henry Vansittart27 July 176026 November 1764Returned to England17John Spencer3 December 17643 May 176518Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive3 May 176520 January 1767Returned to England19Harry Verelst29 January 176724 December 1769Retired from the service20John Cartier26 December 176913 April 177221Warren Hastings13 April 177220 October 1773 (office superseded)Appointed as the Governor-General of Fort William in Bengal in 1773
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