Administrative posts of the British South Africa Company in Southern Rhodesia
The British South Africa Company appointed a variety of officials to govern Southern Rhodesia (called Zimbabwe since 1980) between 1890 to 1923. The most prominent of these were the Administrator and the Chief Magistrate, the first of which was in effect the head of government during this time. As such, he held a seat on the Legislative Council of Southern Rhodesia ex officio.
The post of Administrator was officially created by section 8 of the Southern Rhodesia Order in Council of 1894, but in practice had existed as a deputy to the Chief Magistrate, who was the principal officer from 1890. The term of office was theoretically three years, though it was common to reappoint incumbents. There was, in addition, an Acting Administrator, who was a deputy.
The Administrator office became defunct when Southern Rhodesia received responsible government within the British Empire in October 1923. It was replaced by the post of Premier, which was renamed Prime Minister in 1933.
Chief Magistrates of Southern Rhodesia
- July 24, 1891 – September 18, 1891: A. R. Colquhoun (acting)
- September 18, 1891 – October 7, 1893: Dr Leander Starr Jameson KCMG, CB
- October 7, 1893 – September 10, 1894: A. H. F. Duncan (acting)
Administrators of Southern Rhodesia
- October 1, 1890 – September 10, 1894: A. R. Colquhoun
- September 10, 1894 – April 2, 1896: Dr Leander Starr Jameson KCMG, CB
- April 2, 1896 – December 5, 1898: Earl Grey
- December 5, 1898 – December 20, 1901: William Henry Milton (Administrator of Mashonaland and Senior Administrator of Southern Rhodesia)
- December 5, 1898 – March 1901: Hon. Arthur Lawley (Administrator of Matabeleland)
- December 20, 1901 – November 1, 1914: Sir William Henry Milton KCMG KCVO
- November 1, 1914 – September 1, 1923: Sir Francis Chaplin
Acting Administrators of Southern Rhodesia
- 1894 – 1895: Colonel Francis Rhodes
- 1895 – 1897: Mr Justice Joseph Vintcent
- 1897 – 1898: William Henry Milton
- 1898 – 1899: Hon. Sir Thomas Charles Scanlen
- 1899 – 1902: Hon. Arthur Lawley (Mashonaland)
- 1902 – 1903: John Gilbert Kotzé
- 1903 – 1903: Hon. Sir Thomas Charles Scanlen
- 1903 – 1904: John Gilbert Kotzé
- 1904 – 1909: Hon. Sir Thomas Charles Scanlen
- 1909 – 1914: Francis James Newton
- 1914 – 1923: Sir Clarkson Henry Tredgold, Sir Ernest William Sanders Montagu, and P. D. L. Fynn at various times.
Resident Commissioner
After the Jameson Raid, the British Imperial Government determined by order in council to appoint a Resident Commissioner to supervise the affairs of the British South Africa Company.[1] Reporting to the High Commissioner for Southern Africa, who in turn reported to the Colonial Office in London, the resident commissioner's function was to protect African interests and to prevent the company from inducing another expensive rebellion.[2]
- December 5, 1898 – April 1, 1905: Sir Marshal James Clarke
- April 1, 1905 – April 1, 1908: Richard Chester-Master
- April 1, 1908 – April 1, 1911: James George Fair
- April 1, 1911 – April 1, 1915: Robert Burns-Begg
- April 1, 1915 – April 1, 1918: Herbert James Stanley
- April 1, 1918 – October 1, 1923: Crawford Douglas Douglas-Jones
References
- ↑ Warhurst 1999, p. 223.
- ↑ Chanock 1977, p. 44.
- Holders of Administrative and Ministerial Office 1894-1964 by F.M.G. Willson and G.C. Passmore, assisted by Margaret T. Mitchell (Source Book No. 3, Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1966)
Bibliography
- Chanock, Martin (1977). Unconsumated union Britain, Rhodesia and South Africa 1900–1945.
- Warhurst, P. R. (May 1999). "Imperial Watchdog: Sir Marshal Clarke as Resident Commissioner in Southern Rhodesia". South African Historical Journal 40 (1): 223–238. doi:10.1080/02582479908671356.