List of governors of the Bahamas

This is a list of colonial heads of the Bahamas. The first English settlement in the Bahamas was on Eleuthera. In 1670, the king gave the Bahamas to the Lords Proprietors of the Province of Carolina, but the islands were left alone. The local pirates proclaimed a 'Privateers' Republic' with Edward Teach (Blackbeard) as chief magistrate in 1703. In 1717, the Bahamas became a British crown colony, and the pirates were moved out.

During the American War of Independence, the Bahamas were occupied by both the American and Spanish armies. In 1964, the Bahamas achieved self-governance. In 1973 the Bahamas were given full independence. Hugh Wentworth was the 1st governor of the Bahamas .

Governors on Eleuthera (1648–1657)

• William Sayle, 1648–1657

Proprietary Governors of the Bahamas (1670–1706)

On November 1 1670, the Bahamas were granted to the Lords Proprietors of the Province of Carolina:

• Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle, 1670–November 1688
• William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven (1608-1697), 1670–9 April 1697
• Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, 1670–1717
• Sir Peter Colleton, 1670–1717
• Sir George Carteret, 1670–1680
• Lord Berkeley

The islands were mainly left alone, but the Lords Proprietors appointed Proprietary Governors to administer them:

• Hugh Wentworth, 1671
• John Wentworth, December 1671–1676
• Charles Chillingworth, 1676–1677
• Robert Clarke, 1677–1682
• Robert Lilburne, 1684

In 1684, a joint French and Spanish fleet destroyed Charles Town (now called Nassau).

• Thomas Bridges, 1687–1690
• Cadwallader Jones, 1690–1693
• Nicholas Trott, 1694–1696
• Nicholas Webb, 1697–1699
• Read Elding, 1699–1700, acting
• Elias Haskett, 1700–1701
• Ellis Lightfoot, 1701–1705
• Edward Birch, 1706
• Thomas Walker, 1706

Pirate Rule (1706–1718)

From 1706 until July 26 1718, the Bahamas were ruled by the anarchic Privateer's Republic, including:

• Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Chief Magistrate
• Thomas Barrow
• Benjamin Hornigold

Governors of the Bahamas (1717–1969)

In 1717 the Bahamas became a British crown colony. The pirates were driven out in 1718 by Woodes Rogers, the colony's first governor.

• Woodes Rogers, 26 July 1718–1721, first time
• George Phenney, 1721–1728
• Woodes Rogers, August 1729–16 July 1732, second time
• Richard Thompson, 1732–1733, acting
• Richard Fitzwilliams, November 1733–1740
• John Tinker, 1740–1758
• John Gambier, 1758–1760, acting, first time
• William Shirley, 1760–1768
• Thomas Shirley, 28 November 1768–1774
• Montfort Browne, 1774–3 March 1776
• Samuel Nicholas, March 3 1776–17 March 1776, Commandant (American occupation)
• John Gambier, March 17 1776–1778, acting, second time
• Montfort Browne, 1778–1779, restored
• John Robert Maxwell, 1780–8 May 1782
• Bernardo de Gálvez, May 8 1782–19 April 1783, Governor of Louisiana (Spanish occupation)
• Andrew de Vau, 1783 acting
• John Robert Maxwell, 1783–1784, restored
• James Edward Powell, 1784–1786
• John Brown, 1786–1787, acting
• Lord Dunmore, 1787–1796
• Robert Hunt, 1796–14 February 1797, acting
• John Forbes, February 14 1797–June 1797
• William Dowdeswell, November 20 1797–1801
• John Halkett, 1801–1804
• Charles Cameron, May 8 1804–1820
• Lewis Grant, 1821–1829
• James Carmichael Smyth, 1829–1833
• Blayney Townley Balfour, 1833–1835
• William Macbean George Colebrooke, 1835–1837
• Francis Cockburne, 1837–1844
• George Benvenuto Matthew, 1844–1849
• John Gregory, 1849–1854
• Sir Alexander Bannerman, 1854–1857
• Charles John Bayley, 1857–1864
• Rawson William Rawson, 1864–1869
• Sir James Walker, 1869–1871
• George Cumine Strahan, 1871–1873
• Sir John Pope Hennessy, 1873–1874
• Sir William Robinson, 1874–1880
• Jeremiah Thomas Fitzgerald Callaghan, 1880–1881
• Sir Charles Cameron Lees, 1882–January 1884
• Sir Henry Arthur Blake, January 4 1884–1887
• Sir Ambrose Shea, 1887–1895
• Sir William Frederick Haynes Smith, 1895–1898
• Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter, 1898–1904
• Sir William Grey-Wilson, November 29 1904–1912
• Sir George Basil Haddon-Smith, October 29 1912–1914
• Sir William Lamond Allardyce, June 15 1914–1920
• Sir Harry Edward Spiller Cordeaux, December 8 1920–1926
• Sir Charles William James Orr, March 15 1927–January 1932
• Sir Bede Edmund Hugh Clifford, 10 January 1932–1934
• Sir Charles Cecil Farquharson Dundas, 1934–1940, acting to 1937
• HRH The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, 18 August 1940–1945
• Sir William Lindsay Murphy, 28 July 1945–1950
• Sir George Ritchie Sandford, 5 January 1950–December 1950
• Sir Robert Arthur Ross Neville, 7 December 1950–1953
• Thomas Daniel Knox, 6th Earl of Ranfurly, 21 December 1953–1956
• Sir Oswald Raynor Arthur, 1 April 1957–1960
• Sir Robert Stapeldon, 18 July 1960–1964
• Ralph Francis Alnwick Grey, 3 June 1964–1968
• Sir Francis Edward Hovell-Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce, 1 November 1968–1969

Governors of the Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands (1969–1973)

In 1969, the crown colony became the Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands.

• Sir Francis Edward Hovell-Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce, 1969–1972, continued.
• Sir John Warburton Paul, 14 May 1972–10 July 1973

On July 10 1973, the Bahamas achieved independence from Britain. Following independence, the viceroy in the Bahamas was the Governor-General of the Bahamas.

Other websites

• Rulers.org