Grenada Heritage: Governors of Grenada

Governors of Grenada

— know your history

This is a list of colonial Governors of Grenada from the establishment of French political rule in 1649 until the islanders sought their independence from rule by the United Kingdom in 1974.

French Governors of Grenada (1649–1762)

The first European inhabitants of the West Indian or Caribbean island of Grenada were the French.

• Jean Le Comte (d. 1654), 1649–1654 (cousin to Capt. La Rivière)
• Louis Cacqueray de Valminière, 1654–1658
• Dubuc 1658
• Jean Faudoas de Cérillac, 1658–1664
• Vincent, 1664–1670
• Louis de Canchy de Lerole, 1671–1674
• Pierre de Sainte-Marthe de Lalande, 1675–1679
• Jacques de Chambly, 1679–1680
• Nicholas de Gabaret, 1680–1689
• Louis Ancelin de Gemostat, 1690–1695
• Jean-Léon Fournier de Carles de Pradine, 1695?–1696?
• De Bellair de Saint-Aignan, 1696–1700
• Joseph de Bouloc, 1701–1708
• Guillaume-Emmanuel-Théodore de Maupeou, comte de l'Estrange, 1711–1716
• Jean-Michel de Lespinay, 1717–3 January 1721
• Jean Balthazard du Houx, 1721–1722
• Robert Giraud du Poyet, 1723–1727
• Charles de Brunier, marquis de Larnage, 1727–1734
• Jean-Louis Fournier de Charles de Pradine, 1734–1748
• Longvilliers de Poincy, 1748–1757
• Pierre-Claude Bonvoust d'Aulnay de Prulay, 1757–1762

British Governors of Grenada (1762–1802)

In 1763, the Treaty of Paris ceded Grenada to the United Kingdom.

• George Scott (—d.1767), 1762–1764

• Robert Melville (1723—1809), 1764, acting, first time
• Ulysses FitzMaurice, 1764–1770, first time
• Robert Melville, 1770–1771, second time
• Ulysses FitzMaurice, 1771, second time

• William Leybourne (—d.1775), 1771–1775
• William Young (1724–1788), 1776

• The Lord George Macartney (1737–1806), 1776–1779

• Jean-François, comte de Durat (1736–1830), 1779–1783, Governor-General, (French occupation)

• Baron de La Borie ?, 1782-1784
• Edward Mathew (1729–1805), 1784–1785
• William Lucas, 1785–1787, acting
• Samuel Williams (—d.1808), 1787–1788, acting, first time
• James Campbell (1737–1805), 1788–1789, acting
• Samuel Williams (—d.1808), 1789–1792, acting, second time
• Ninian Home (1732–1795), 17 November 1792–1795
• Kenneth Francis Mackenzie (1749–1831), 1795, acting
• Samuel Mitchell (1750–1805), 1795–1796, acting

• Alexander Houstoun (1770–1822), 1796–1797

• Charles Green, 30 September 1797–1801
• Rev. Samuel Dent, 1801–1802, acting

Lieutenant Governors of Grenada (1802–1882)

In 1802, the Governor of Grenada was replaced by a lieutenant governor, subordinate to the Governor of Barbados.

• George Vere Hobart (1761–1802), 1802–5 November 1802
• Thomas Hislop (1764–1843), 1803–1804
• William Douglas MacLean Clephane, 1804–1805
• Frederick Maitland (1763–1848), 29 March 1805–1811
• Abraham Charles Adye, 1811–1812

• George Robert Ainslie (1776–1839), 1812–1813

• Charles Shipley (1755–1815), 1813–1815, acting
• George Paterson, 1815–1816, acting, first time

• Phineas Riall (1755–1850), 1816–1823
• George Paterson, 1823–1826, acting, second time
• James Campbell (1773–1835), 1826–1833

In 1833, Grenada was incorporated into the British Windward Islands along with Barbados, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines. The Governor of Barbados retained overall responsibility for Grenada with the Lieutenant Governor of Grenada as his subordinate.

• George Middlemore (—1850), 1833–1835
• John Hastings Mair, 1835–1836
• Carlo Joseph Doyle, 1836–1846
• Ker Baillie Hamilton (1804–1889), 1846–1853
• Robert William Keate (1814-1873), 1853–1857

• Cornelius Hendricksen Kortright (1817–1897), 1857–1864

• Robert Miller Mundy (1813–1892), 1864–1871
• Sanford Freeling (1828–1894), 1871–1875
• Cyril Clerke Graham (1834–1895), 1875–1877
• Robert William Harley (1829–1892), 1877–1882

Administrators of Grenada (1882–1967)

In 1882, the role of the Lieutenant Governor of Grenada was replaced by that of an administrator. The administrator remained subordinate to the Governor of Barbados. In 1885, Barbados left the administrative control of the Windward Islands. A new Governor of the Windward Islands was appointed, with his seat in Grenada. The Administrator of Grenada remained a subordinate position concerned with matters local to Grenada itself.

• Irwin Charles Maling, 1882, first time
• Roger Tuckfield Goldsworthy, 1882–1883
• Edward Laborde, 1883–1886, first time
• Irwin Charles Maling, 1886–1887, second time
• Henry Rawlins Pipon Schooles, 1887–1888
• Edward Laborde, 1889, second time
• John Elliott, 1889–1892
• Edward Rawle Drayton, 1892–1915
• Herbert Ferguson, 1915–1930
• Hilary Rudolph Robert Blood, 1930–1935
• William Leslie Heape, 1935–1940
• Charles Henry Vincent Talbot, 1940–1942
• George Conrad Green, 1942–1951
• Wallace MacMillan, 1951–1957
• James Monteith Lloyd, 1957–1962

Between 1958 and 1962, Grenada was part of the short-lived Federation of the West Indies.

• Lionel Achille Pinard, 1962–1964
• Ian Turbott, 1964–1967

Governors of Grenada (1967–1974)

On 3 March 1967, Grenada became an Associated State of the United Kingdom, responsible for its own internal affairs. A governor was again appointed as the United Kingdom's official representative.

• Ian Turbott, continued (1967–1968)
• Dame Hilda Bynoe, First, and only, female Governor of Grenada (1968–1974)
• Sir Leo de Gale, acting (1974–1974)

On 7 February 1974, Grenada achieved independence from Great Britain. After independence, the vice regal office in Grenada became the office of the Governor-General of Grenada.

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Sources:

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Kimber, Isaac, The London Magazine, Or, Gentleman's Monthly Intelligencer, 1783
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