Governor of Bermuda

The Flag of the Governor of Bermuda

The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the Governor is to act as the de facto head of state, and he or she is responsible for appointing the Premier and the 11 members of the Senate (the upper house of Bermuda's Parliament).

The current Governor is Sir Richard Gozney; he was sworn-in on December 12, 2007 .

The Governor has his own flag in Bermuda, the Union Flag defaced with the territory's coat of arms.

History

The first Governor was appointed in 1612. As Bermuda is one of the UK's oldest colonies, there have been a number of Governors appointed to the territory since then, usually prominent Royal Navy captains, as a reward on retirement.

On March 10, 1973, the 121st Governor, Richard Sharples and his aide-de-camp Captain Hugh Sayers, were assassinated by a petty criminal, Buck Burrow and an accomplice, Larry Tacklin. Both were hanged for these, among other, murders, sparking riots throughout Bermuda.

List of Governors of Bermuda

1. 1612 Richard Moore
2. 1616 Daniel Tucker
3. 1619 Nathaniel Butler
4. 1622 Capt. John Bernard
5. 1623 Capt. Henry Woodhouse
6. 1626 Capt. Philip Bell
7. 1629 Capt. Roger Wood
8. 1637 Capt. Thomas Chaddock
9. 1641 Capt. William Sayer
10. 1642 Capt. Josias Forster
11. 1643 Capt. William Sayer
12. 1644 A Triumvirate: William Sayer
13. 1645 Capt. Josias Forster
14. 1645 The Triumvirate
15. 1647 Capt. Thomas Turner
16. 1649 John Trimingham (Elected by the People)
17. 1650 Capt. Josias Forster
18. 1659 Capt. William Sayer
19. 1663 Capt. F. Seymour
20. 1668 S. Whalley
21. 1669 Sir John Heydon
22. 1681 Capt. F. Seymour
23. 1683 Col. Richard Coney
24. 1687-1690 Sir Richard Robinson
25. 1691-1693 Isaac Richier
26. 1693-1698 Capt. John Goddard
27. 1698-1700 Samuel Day
28. 1701-1713 Capt. Benjamin Bennett
29. 1713-1718 Henry Pulleine
30. 1718-1722 Capt. Benjamin Bennett
31. 1722-1727 Sir John Hope
32. 1727-1728 John Trimingham
33. 1728-1737 Capt. John Pitt
34. 1737-1738 Andrew Auchinleck
35. 1738-1744 Alured Popple
36. 1744-1747 Francis Jones
37. 1747-1751 William Popple
38. 1751-1755 Francis Jones
39. 1755-1763 William Popple
40. 1763-1764 Francis Jones
41. 1764-1778 George James Bruere
42. 1778-1780 Col. Matthew Johnston
43. 1780- Thomas Jones
44. 1780-1781 George James Bruere
45. 1872-1788 William Browne
46. 1788-1794 Henry Hamilton (Lt. Gov.)
47. 1794-1796 James Crawford
48. 1796- Henry Tucker
49. 1796- William Campbell
50. 1796-17~8 Henry Tucker
51. 1798-1803 George Beckwith
52. 1803-1805 Henry Tucker
53. 1805-1806 Francis Gore (Lt. Gov.)
54. 1806- Henry Tucker
55. 1806-1810 John Hodgson
56. 1810-1811 Samuel Trott
57. 1811-1812 Sir James Cockburn
58. 1812- William Smith
59. 1812-1816 George Horsford (Lt. Gov.)
60. 1814-1816 Sir James Cockburn
61. 1816-1817 William Smith
62. 1817-1819 Sir James Cockburn
63. 1819- William Smith
64. 1819-1822 Sir William Lumley
65. 1822- 1823 William Smith
66. 1823-1825 Sir William Lumley
67. 1825-1826 William Smith
68. 1826-1829 Sir H. Turner
69. 1829- Robert Kennedy (Act. Gov.)
70. 1829-1830 Sir H. Turner
71. 1830- Robert Kennedy (Act. Gov.)
72. 1830-1832 Sir H. Turner
73. 1832-1835 Sir R.S. Chapman
74. 1835- Henry G. Hunt (Act. Gov.)
75. 1835-1836 Robert Kennedy
76. 1836-1839 Sir R.S. Chapman
77. 1839-1846 Lt. Col. William Reid
78. 1846- W.N. Hutchinson
79. 1846-1852 Sir Charles Elliott KCB
80. 1852-1853 W
81. 1853- George Philpots (Act. Gov.)
82. 1853- Soulden Oakley (Act. Gov.)
83. 1853- Thomas C. Robe (Act. Gov.)
84. 1853- Soulden Oakley (Act. Gov.)
85. 1853-1854 Sir Charles Elliott
86. 1854- Montgomery Williams (Act. Gov.)
87. 1854-1859 Col. Freeman Murray
88. 1859- AT. Heniphill (Act. Gov.)
89. 1859-1860 William Munroe
90. 1860-1861 Col. Freeman Murray
91. 1861-1864 Col. H. St. George Ord
92. 1864- William Munroe (Act. Gov.)
93. 1864-1865 W.H. Hamley (Lt. Gov.)
94. 1865-1866 Col. H. St. George Ord
95. 1866-1867 W.H. Hamley (Lt. Gov.)
96. 1867- Arnold Thompson (Act. Gov.)
97. 1867-1870 Sir F. E. Chapman
98. 1870- W. F. Brett (Lt. Gov.)
99. 1871-1877 Maj. Gen. Sir J.H Lefroy
100. 1877-1882 Lt. Gen. Thomas L. J. Gaiwey
101. 1888-1891 Lt. Gen. Edward Newdigate Newdegate
102. 1892-1896 Lt. Gen. C. Lyons
103. 1896-1901 Lt. Gen. O. Digby Barker
104. 1902-1904 Lt. Gen. Sir Henry LeGuay Geary
105. 1904-1907 Lt. Gen. Sir Robert M. Steward
106. 1907-1908 Lt. Gen. Sir Josceline H. Wodehouse
107. 1908-1912 Lt. Gen. Sir Frederick Walter Kitchener
108. 1912-1917 Lt. Gen. Sir George M. Bullock
109. 1917-1922 Gen. Sir James Willlcocks
110. 1922-1927 Lt. Gen. Sir J. J. Asser
111. 1927-1931 Lt. Gen. Sir Louis Jean Bols
112. 1931-1936 Lt. Gen. Sir Thomas Astley-Cuhhitt
113. 1936-1939 Lt. Gen. Reginald Heldyard
114. 1939-1941 Lt. Gen. Sir Denis John Charles Kirwas Bernard
115. 1941-1943 The Rt. Hon. Viscount Knollys
116. 1943-1945 The Rt. Hon. Lord Burghley
117. 1946-1949 Admiral Sir Ralph Leatham
118. 1949-1955 Lt. Gen. Sir Alexander Hood
119. 1955-1959 Lt. Gen. Sir John Woodall
120. 1959-1964 Maj. Gen. Sir Julian Gascoigne
121. 1964-1972 The Rt. Hon. Lord Martonmere, GBE, KCMG, PC
122. 1972-1973 Sir Richard Sharples, KCMG, OBE , MC (assassinated)
123. 1973-1977 Sir Edwin Leather, KCMG, KCVO
124. 1977-1980 The Hon. Sir Peter Ramsbotham, GCMG, GCVO
125. 1980-1983 Sir Richard Posnett, KBE , CMG
126. 1983-1988 Viscount Dunrossil, CMG
127. 1988-1992 Major-Gen Sir Desmond Langley, KCVO, MBE
128. 1992-1997 The Rt Hon Lord Waddington, GCVO, PC, QC
129. 1997-2002 Mr Thorold Masefield, CMG
130. 2002-12 October 2007 Sir John Vereker, KCB
131. 12 October 2007-12 December 2007 Mark Capes (acting)
132. 12 December 2007 - present Sir Richard Gozney, KCMG

Sources

• Government of Bermuda- list of Governors
• BBC News- "British officials shot dead in Bermuda"

Bermuda and Great Britain; Bermuda Online Portal