List of governors of Jamaica

This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jamaica.

Spanish Governors of Santiago (1510–1660)[]

Jamaica was claimed for Spain in 1494 when Christopher Columbus first landed on the island. Spain began occupying the island in 1509, naming it Santiago. The second governor, Francisco de Garay, established Villa de la Vega, now known as Spanish Town, as his capital.

Juan de Esquivel, 1510–1514
Francisco de Garay, 1514–1523
, 1523–1526
, 1526–1527
, 1527–1531
, ?–1532
, 1532–?, first time
Gil González Dávila, 1533?–1534?
, 1536–?, second time
, 1539?, first time
Francisco de Pina, 1544?
, 1556?
, 1558?, second time
, 1565?
, 1567?–1572?
Hernán Manrique de Rojas, 1575?
, ?–1577
, 1577–1578
Alvarado, 1578–1583?, first time
, 1586?
Alvarado, 1591?, second time
, 1596?
, 1596–1606
, 1607–1611
Barranco, 1611–1614
, 1614–?
, 1620?
, 1625–1632
, 1632–1637
, 1637–1639
, 1639–1640, first time
, 1640–1643
, 1643–1645
, 1645–1646
, 1646–1650
, 1650, second time
, 1650–1651, first time
, 1651–1655
, 1655–1656, second time
, 1656–1660

English Commanders of Jamaica (1655–61)[]

In 1655, an English force led by Admiral Sir William Penn, and General Robert Venables seized the island. Following their departure, the incumbents successfully held it against Spanish attempts to retake it over the next few years.

Admiral Sir William Penn 11 May 1655 – 1655
General Robert Venables, 1655
Edward D'Oyley, 1655–1656, first time
, 1656–1657
Edward D'Oyley, 1657–1661, second time

English Governors of Jamaica (1661–62)[]

In 1661, England began colonisation of the island.

Edward D'Oyley, 1661–August 1662, continued
Thomas, Lord Windsor, August 1662–November 1662

Deputy Governors of Jamaica (1662–71)[]

Charles Lyttleton, 1662–1663, acting
Thomas Lynch, 1663–1664, acting, first time
Edward Morgan, 1664
Sir Thomas Modyford, 1664–August 1671

Lieutenant Governors of Jamaica (1671–90)[]

In 1670, the Treaty of Madrid legitimised English claim to the island.

Sir Thomas Lynch, August 1671–November 1674, second time
Sir Henry Morgan, 1674–1675, acting, first time
John Vaughan, 1675–1678
Sir Henry Morgan, 1678, acting, second time
The Earl of Carlisle, 1678–1680
Sir Henry Morgan, 1680–1682, acting, third time
Sir Thomas Lynch, 1682–1684, third time
Hender Molesworth, 1684–December 1687, acting
Christopher Monck The Duke of Albemarle, 1687–1688
Hender Molesworth, 1688–1689, acting
Francis Watson, 1689–1690, acting

Governors of Jamaica (1690–1962)[]

The Earl of Inchiquin, 1690–16 January 1692^[1]
John White, 1691–22 August 1692,^[2] acting
, 1692–1693, acting
Sir William Beeston, March 1693–January 1702, acting to 1699
William Selwyn, Jan-April 1702 (died in office)
Peter Beckford, 1702, acting
Thomas Handasyde, 1702–1711, acting to 1704
Lord Archibald Hamilton, 1711–1716
Thomas Pitt, 1716-1717^[3]
Peter Heywood, 1716–1718 acting^{[citation needed]}
Sir Nicholas Lawes, 1718–1722
The Duke of Portland, 1722–4 July 1726
John Ayscough, 1726–1728, acting, first time
Robert Hunter, 1728–March 1734
John Ayscough, 1734–1735, acting, second time
John Gregory, 1735, acting, first time
Henry Cunningham, 1735–1736
John Gregory, 1736–1738, acting, second time
Edward Trelawny, 1738–1752
Charles Knowles, 1752–January 1756
Sir Henry Moore, February 1756–April 1756, acting, first time
George Haldane, April 1756–November 1759
Sir Henry Moore, November 1759 – 1762, acting, second time
Sir William Lyttleton, 1762–1766
Roger Hope Elletson, 1766–1767
Sir William Trelawny, 1767–December 1772
John Dalling, December 1772 – 1774, acting, first time
Sir Basil Keith, 1774–1777
John Dalling, 1777–1781, second time
Archibald Campbell, 1781–1784, acting to 1783
Alured Clarke, 1784–1790
The Earl of Effingham, 1790–19 November 1791
Sir , 1791–1795, acting
The Earl of Balcarres, 1795–1801
Sir George Nugent, 1801–1805
Sir Eyre Coote, 1806–1808
The Duke of Manchester, 1808–1827
Sir John Keane, 1827–1829, acting
The Earl Belmore, 1829–1832
, 1832, acting, first time
The Earl of Mulgrave, 1832–1834
Sir Amos Norcott, 1834, acting
, 1834, acting, second time
The Marquess of Sligo, 1834–1836
Sir Lionel Smith, 1836–1839
Sir Charles Theophilus Metcalfe, 1839–1842
The Earl of Elgin, 1842–1846
George Henry Frederick Berkeley, 1846–1847, acting
Sir Charles Edward Grey, 1847–1853
Sir Henry Barkly, 1853–1856
Edward Wells Bell, 1856–1857, acting
Charles Henry Darling, 1857–1862
Edward John Eyre, 1862–1865, acting to 1864
Sir Henry Knight Storks, 12 December 1865 – 16 July 1866
Sir John Peter Grant, 1866–1874
W. A. G. Young, 1874, acting
Sir William Grey, 1874–January 1877
Edward Rushworth, January 1877, acting
Sir Anthony Musgrave, January 1877 – 1883
Somerset M. Wiseman Clarke, 1883, acting
Dominic Jacotin Gamble, 1883, acting
Sir Henry Wylie Norman, 1883–1889
, 1889, acting
Sir Henry Arthur Blake, 1889–1898
, 1898, acting
Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming, 1898–1904
Sydney Haldane Olivier, 1904, acting, first time
, 1904, acting, first time
Sir James Alexander Swettenham, 30 September 1904 – 1907
, 1907, acting, second time
Sydney Haldane Olivier, 16 May 1907 – January 1913, acting
, January 1913 – 7 March 1913, acting
Sir William Henry Manning, 7 March 1913 – 11 May 1918
, 11 May 1918 – 11 June 1918, acting
Sir Leslie Probyn, 11 June 1918 – 1924
, 1924, acting, first time
Sir Samuel Herbert Wilson, 29 September 1924 – June 1925
Sir , 1925, acting, second time
Sir Arthur S. Jelf, October 1925 – 26 April 1926, acting, first time
Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, 26 April 1926 – 9 November 1932
Sir Arthur S. Jelf, 9 November 1932 – 21 November 1932, acting, second time
Sir Alexander Ransford Slater, 21 November 1932 – April 1934
Sir Arthur S. Jelf, April 1934–24 October 1934, acting, third time
Sir Edward Brandis Denham, 24 October 1934 – 2 June 1938
Charles Campbell Woolley, 2 June 1938 – 19 August 1938, acting
Sir Arthur Frederick Richards, 19 August 1938 – July 1943
, July 1943 – 29 September 1943, acting
Sir John Huggins, 29 September 1943 – 7 April 1951
Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot, 7 April 1951 – 18 November 1957
Sir Kenneth Blackburne, 18 December 1957 – 6 August 1962

In 1962, Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom. Since independence, the viceroy in Jamaica has been the Governor-General of Jamaica.

References[]

^ Gardner 1909, pp. 72–73.
^ Gardner 1909, p. 101.
^ Sedgwick, Romney R. (n.d.). "PITT, Thomas (1653-1726), of Stratford, Wilts. and Boconnoc, Cornw". History of Parliament Online. The History of Parliament. Retrieved 20 November 2021.

Bibliography[]

[FOOTNOTEGardner190972–73-1] Gardner 1909, pp. 72–73.

[FOOTNOTEGardner1909101-2] Gardner 1909, p. 101.

[3] Sedgwick, Romney R. (n.d.). "PITT, Thomas (1653-1726), of Stratford, Wilts. and Boconnoc, Cornw". History of Parliament Online. The History of Parliament. Retrieved 20 November 2021.

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