Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong

Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong
ResidenceHeadquarter House
AppointerMonarch of the United Kingdom
Formation1843
First holderGeorge Charles D'Aguilar
Final holderSir William Gascoigne
Abolished1902
Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong
Traditional Chinese香港副總督
Transcriptions
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationHēung góng fu júng dūk
JyutpingHoeng1 gong2 fu3 zung2 duk1

The Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong held the second-highest position during the British colonial rule in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1902.

History

Although Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong was the second-highest position in Hong Kong, the Lieutenant Governor did not have any actual power in the Government – that power usually was gained by the Colonial Secretary. The first Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong was George D'Aguilar and the post was subsequently held by the Commander British Forces in Hong Kong, thus all were British Army officers.[1]

From the 1870s to 1902, the role lapsed from formal use and the second in command was transferred to the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong (Chief Secretary after 1976). They may (or may not) have retained the title for special occasions.[2]

List of lieutenant governors

No. Portrait Name Term of Office Governor Ref
From To
George D'Aguilar
德忌笠
Major General
1843 1848 Sir Henry Pottinger
(1843–1844)
Sir John Francis Davis
(1843–1848)
William Staveley
士他花利
Major General
1848 1851 Sir George Bonham
(1848–1854)
William Jervois
乍畏
Major General
1851 1854
Sir Robert Garrett
Major General
1854 1857 Sir John Bowring
(1854–1859)
Thomas Ashburnham
Major General
1857 1858
Sir Charles van Straubenzee
Major General
1858 1859
Sir Hercules Robinson
(1859–1865)
Sir James Grant
Major General
1860 1861
Sir John Michel
Major General
1861 1862
Sir Charles Staveley
Major General
1862 1863
William Brown
Major General
1863 1864
Sir Philip Guy
Major General
1864 1867
Sir Richard MacDonnell
(1866–1872)
James Brunker
Major General
1867 1869
Henry Whitfield
威非路
Major General
1869 1874
Sir Arthur Kennedy
(1872–1877)
Sir Francis Colborne
Lieutenant General
1874 1878
Sir John Pope Hennessy
(1877–1882)
Edward Donovan

Lieutenant General

1878 1882
John Sargent
Lieutenant General
1882 1885
Sir George Bowen
(1883–1887)
Sir William Cameron
金馬倫
Lieutenant General
1885 1889
Sir William Des Voeux
(1887–1891)
Sir James Edwards
Major General
1889 1890
Sir George Barker
白加
Major General
1890 1895
Sir William Robinson
(1891–1898)
Sir Wilsone Black
布力
Major General
1895 1898
Sir William Gascoigne
加士居
Major General
1898 1902
Sir Wilsone Black
(1898)
Sir Henry Arthur Blake
(1898–1903)

Residence

The Lieutenant Governor as Commander of British Forces resided at Flagstaff House, then known as Headquarter House, from 1844 to 1902.

See also

References

  1. ^ British and Indian armies on the China coast 1785–1985 by Harfield, A G, Published by A and J Partnership, 1990, pages 483–484 ISBN 0-9516065-0-6
  2. ^ "The Foundation of a Crown Colony – A Modern History of Hong Kong" Steve Tsang, 2004, pp 18–19