Governor of Malta
Coat of arms of the governor of Malta
StyleHis Excellency
ResidenceGrandmaster's Palace, Valletta
AppointerKing/Queen of the United Kingdom
PrecursorCivil Commissioner of Malta
Formation5 October 1813
First holderSir Thomas Maitland
Final holderSir Maurice Dorman
Abolished21 September 1964
SuccessionGovernor-General of Malta

The governor of Malta (Maltese: Gvernatur ta' Malta) was an official who ruled Malta during the British colonial period between 1813 and 1964. This office replaced that of the civil commissioner. Upon the end of British rule and the creation of the State of Malta in 1964, this office was replaced by the governor-general, who represented the British monarch and not the government of the United Kingdom as did the governor. The office of Governor-General was itself abolished in 1974 and replaced by the post of president when Malta became a republic.

The governor

The governor, appointed by the British monarch (on the advice of the prime minister), maintained executive power in Malta throughout British rule. He was head of the executive council and the pre-independence government of Malta.

The governor was the most powerful official in Malta.

The governor was initially supported by a lieutenant-governor. For example, from ca. 1813 to ca. 1820, Major-General Sir William Hutchinson served as lieutenant governor.[1] After the death of the Marquess of Hastings in 1826, the British government decided to downgrade the post of Governor to Lieutenant-Governor, with a reduced allowance. Sir Frederick Ponsonby was formally designated Lieutenant-Governor and Commander of the Malta Garrison.[2]

List of governors (1801–1964)

Name
(birth–death)
Portrait Term of office
Lieutenant-General
Sir Thomas Maitland
(1759–1824)
5 October 1813[3]17 January 1824
General
The 1st Marquess of Hastings
(1754–1826)
22 March 182428 November 1826
Major-General
Alexander George Woodford
(1782–1870)
Acting Governor
28 November 182615 February 1827
Major-General
Sir Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby
(1783–1837)
15 February 1827May 1835
De jure until 30 September 1836
George Cardew
(1785–1857)
Acting Governor
May 18354 July 1836
Lieutenant-General
Sir Thomas Evans
(1776–1863)
Acting Governor
4 July 183630 September 1836
Lieutenant-General
Sir Henry Bouverie
(1783–1853)
1 October 18361843
General
Sir Patrick Stuart
(1777–1855)
1843October 1847
Richard More O'Ferrall
(1797–1880)
October 184713 May 1851
General
Robert Ellice
(1784–1856)
Acting Governor
13 May 185127 October 1851
Major-General
Sir William Reid
(1791–1858)
27 October 18511858
Lieutenant-General
Sir John Le Marchant
(1803–1874)
185815 November 1864
Lieutenant-General
Sir Henry Knight Storks
(1811–1874)
15 November 186415 May 1867
General
Sir Patrick Grant
(1804–1895)
15 May 18673 June 1872
General
Sir Charles van Straubenzee
(1812–1892)
3 June 187213 May 1878
General
Sir Arthur Borton
(1814–1893)
10 June 1878April 1884
General
Sir Lintorn Simmons
(1821–1903)
April 188428 September 1888
Lieutenant-General
Sir Henry Torrens
(1823–1889)
28 September 18881 December 1889
General
Sir Henry Augustus Smyth
(1825–1906)
18901893
General
Sir Arthur Lyon Fremantle
(1835–1901)
18936 January 1899
General
Sir Francis Grenfell (The 1st Baron Grenfell from July 1902)
(1841–1925)
6 January 18991903
General
Sir Charles Clarke,
3rd Bt.
(1839–1932)
19031907
General
Sir Henry Grant
(1848–1919)
19071909
General
Sir Leslie Rundle
(1856–1934)
1909February 1915
Field Marshal
The 3rd Baron Methuen
(1845–1932)
February 1915May 1919
Field Marshal
The 1st Baron Plumer
(1857–1932)
19191924
General
Sir Walter Congreve
(1862–1927)
29 June 192428 February 1927
General
Sir John Philip Du Cane
(1865–1947)
28 February 19271931
General
Sir David Campbell
(1869–1936)
June 193112 March 1936
General
Sir Charles Bonham-Carter
(1876–1955)
12 March 19361940
Lieutenant-General
Sir William Dobbie
(1879–1964)
April 1940May 1942
Field Marshal
The 6th Viscount Gort
(1886–1946)
May 194226 September 1944
Lieutenant-General
Sir Edmond Schreiber
(1890–1978)
26 September 194410 July 1946
Sir Francis Douglas
(1889–1980)
10 July 194616 September 1949
Sir Gerald Creasy
(1897–1983)
16 September 19493 August 1954
Major-General
Sir Robert Laycock
(1907–1968)
3 August 195413 February 1959
Admiral
Sir Guy Grantham
(1900–1992)
13 February 19592 July 1962
Sir Maurice Dorman
(1902–1993)
2 July 196221 September 1964

Lieutenant governors of Malta

Public Secretary
  • Arthur Baynes 1801
  • Alexander Macauley 1801
  • Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1804–1805
  • E.F. Chapman 1805
  • Rev. Francis Laing 1811–1813
Chief Secretary
  • Rev. Francis Laing 1813–1815
  • Alexander Wood 1815–1817
  • Richard Plasket 1817–1824
  • Colonel Sir Frederick Hankey 1824–1837
  • Sir Hector Greig 1837–1847
  • Henry Lushington 1847–1855
  • Sir Victor Houlton 1855–1883
  • Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson 1883–1884
Lieutenant Governor
Chief Secretary

Flag of the Governor

References

  1. Bulletins of State Intelligence, Etc., 1820, p. 203. London: R.G. Clarke
  2. Malta Government Gazette 1826
  3. Grech, Chris (27 October 2013). "Sir Hildebrand Oakes' resignation as Governor of Malta in 1813". Times of Malta. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  4. "No. 27498". The London Gazette. 25 November 1902. p. 7936.
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