list of governors
Presidents of the British Virgin Islands
1833 to 1839 William Rogers Isaacs
1839 to 1850 Edward Hay Drummond Hay
1852 to 1854 John Cornell Chads
1854 to 1857 Cornelius Hendricksen Kortright - KCMG (photo below)
1833 to 1839 William Rogers Isaacs
1839 to 1850 Edward Hay Drummond Hay
1852 to 1854 John Cornell Chads
1854 to 1857 Cornelius Hendricksen Kortright - KCMG (photo below)
1859 to 1861 Thomas Price
1861 to 1864 James Robert Longden
1866 to 1869 Sir Arthur Carlos Henry Rumbold
1869 to 1872 Alexander Wilson Muir
1873 to 1879 Richard Mahoney Hickson
1879 to 1882 John Kemys Spencer-Churchill
1882 to 1884 Richard Henry Kortright Dyett
1884 to 1887 Fredrick Augustus Pickering
Fredrick Augustus Pickering was the last President of the British Virgin Islands; after he stepped down in 1887, no replacement was appointed. In 1889 the office was replaced by that of Commissioner. Pickering served from 1884 to 1887 and having previously served as the President's clerk, was a popular local figure. In the 1880s, the dissolution of the Legislative Council was only prevented by the appointment of two popular local figures, Pickering and Joseph Romney to the Council.
The appointment of Pickering occurred at a time of considerable
decline in the history of the British Virgin Islands. Not long after
Pickering stepped down, the Legislative Council itself was dissolved,
and the legislative powers were transferred by the Colonial Office
to the Federal Legislature of the Leeward Islands, in which the
British Virgin Islands had no representation. The Commissioner had
virtually no real power; executive authority was vested in the
Governor of the Leeward Islands.
Commissioners of the British Virgin Islands
1889 to 1893 Edward John Cameron - KCMG CMG
1894 to 1896 Alexander R. Mackay
1896 to 1903 Nathaniel George Cookman
1903 to 1910 Robert Stephen Earl
1910 to 1919 Thomas Leslie Hardtman Jarvis
1919 to 1922 Herbert Walter Peebles - CMG DSO OBE (photo below)
1861 to 1864 James Robert Longden
1866 to 1869 Sir Arthur Carlos Henry Rumbold
1869 to 1872 Alexander Wilson Muir
1873 to 1879 Richard Mahoney Hickson
1879 to 1882 John Kemys Spencer-Churchill
1882 to 1884 Richard Henry Kortright Dyett
1884 to 1887 Fredrick Augustus Pickering
Fredrick Augustus Pickering was the last President of the British Virgin Islands; after he stepped down in 1887, no replacement was appointed. In 1889 the office was replaced by that of Commissioner. Pickering served from 1884 to 1887 and having previously served as the President's clerk, was a popular local figure. In the 1880s, the dissolution of the Legislative Council was only prevented by the appointment of two popular local figures, Pickering and Joseph Romney to the Council.
The appointment of Pickering occurred at a time of considerable
decline in the history of the British Virgin Islands. Not long after
Pickering stepped down, the Legislative Council itself was dissolved,
and the legislative powers were transferred by the Colonial Office
to the Federal Legislature of the Leeward Islands, in which the
British Virgin Islands had no representation. The Commissioner had
virtually no real power; executive authority was vested in the
Governor of the Leeward Islands.
Commissioners of the British Virgin Islands
1889 to 1893 Edward John Cameron - KCMG CMG
1894 to 1896 Alexander R. Mackay
1896 to 1903 Nathaniel George Cookman
1903 to 1910 Robert Stephen Earl
1910 to 1919 Thomas Leslie Hardtman Jarvis
1919 to 1922 Herbert Walter Peebles - CMG DSO OBE (photo below)
1922 to 1923 R. Hargrove
1923 to 1926 Otho Lewis Hancock OBE
1926 to 1934 Frank Cecil Clarkson MBE
1934 to 1946 Donald Percy Wailling OBE
1946 to 1954 John Augustus Cockburn Cruikshank
1954 to 1956 Henry Anthony Camillo Howard - CMG
Administrators of the British Virgin Islands
1956 to 1959 Geoffrey Poole Allsebrook
1959 to 1962 Gerald Jackson Bryan - CMG CVO OBE MC
1962 to 1967 Martin Samuel Staveley - CMG CVO CBE MBE
1967 to 1971 John Sutherland Thomson - KBE CMG MBE
1923 to 1926 Otho Lewis Hancock OBE
1926 to 1934 Frank Cecil Clarkson MBE
1934 to 1946 Donald Percy Wailling OBE
1946 to 1954 John Augustus Cockburn Cruikshank
1954 to 1956 Henry Anthony Camillo Howard - CMG
Administrators of the British Virgin Islands
1956 to 1959 Geoffrey Poole Allsebrook
1959 to 1962 Gerald Jackson Bryan - CMG CVO OBE MC
1962 to 1967 Martin Samuel Staveley - CMG CVO CBE MBE
1967 to 1971 John Sutherland Thomson - KBE CMG MBE
Governors of the British Virgin Islands
1971 to 1974 Derek George Cudmore - CBE OBE
1974 to 1978 Walter Wilkinson Wallace - CVO CBE OBE DSC
1978 to 1981 James Alfred Davidson - OBE
1982 to 1986 David Robert Barwick - CBE QC
1986 to 1991 (John) Mark (Ambrose) Herdman - CBE LVO
1991 to 1995 Peter Alfred Penfold - CMG OBE
1995 to 1998 David Mackilligin - CMG
1971 to 1974 Derek George Cudmore - CBE OBE
1974 to 1978 Walter Wilkinson Wallace - CVO CBE OBE DSC
1978 to 1981 James Alfred Davidson - OBE
1982 to 1986 David Robert Barwick - CBE QC
1986 to 1991 (John) Mark (Ambrose) Herdman - CBE LVO
1991 to 1995 Peter Alfred Penfold - CMG OBE
1995 to 1998 David Mackilligin - CMG
The above collage is of the past 4 Governors prior to current Governor John Duncan
1998 to 2002 Frank (Francis Joseph) Savage - CMG LVO OBE
2002 to 2006 Tom Macan
2006 to 2010 David Pearey
2010 to 2014 William Boyd McCleary - CMG CVO
2014 to present John Duncan (image below)
2002 to 2006 Tom Macan
2006 to 2010 David Pearey
2010 to 2014 William Boyd McCleary - CMG CVO
2014 to present John Duncan (image below)
