List of governors of Malta

Governor of Malta
Coat of Arms of the Governor of Malta
Sir Thomas Maitland
Style	His Excellency
Residence	Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta
Appointer	King/Queen of the United Kingdom
Precursor	Civil Commissioner of Malta
Formation	23 July 1813
First holder	Sir Thomas Maitland
Final holder	Sir Maurice Henry Dorman
Abolished	21 September 1964
Succession	Governor-General of Malta

The Governor of Malta (Maltese: Gvernatur ta' Malta) was an official who ruled Malta during the British colonial period between 1813 and 1964. This office replaced that of the Civil Commissioner. Upon the end of British rule and the creation of the State of Malta in 1964, this office was replaced by the Governor-General, who represented the British Monarch and not the Government of the United Kingdom as did the Governor. The office of Governor-General was itself abolished in 1974 and replaced by the post of President when Malta became a Republic.

The Governor

The Governor, appointed by the British monarch (on the advice of the prime minister), maintained executive power in Malta throughout British rule. He was head of the executive council and the pre-independence government of Malta.

The Governor was the most powerful official in Malta.

List of Governors (1813–1964)

Name	Portrait	Born-Died	From	To
Thomas Maitland		1759–1824	23 July 1813	17 January 1824
Francis Rawdon-Hastings		1754–1826	22 March 1824	28 November 1826
Alexander George Woodford (acting)		1782–1870	28 November 1826	15 February 1827
Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby		1783–1837	15 February 1827	May 1835 (de jure until 30 September 1836)
George Cardew (acting)		1785–1857	May 1835	4 July 1836
Thomas Evans (acting)		1776–1863	4 July 1836	30 September 1836
Henry Bouverie		1783–1853	1 October 1836	1843
Patrick Stuart		1777–1855	1843	October 1847
Richard More O'Ferrall		1797–1880	October 1847	13 May 1851
Robert Ellice (acting)			13 May 1851	27 October 1851
William Reid		1791–1858	27 October 1851	1858
John Le Marchant		1803–1874	1858	15 November 1864
Henry Knight Storks		1811–1874	15 November 1864	15 May 1867
Patrick Grant		1804–1895	15 May 1867	3 June 1872
Charles van Straubenzee		1812–1892	3 June 1872	13 May 1878
Arthur Borton		1814–1893	10 June 1878	April 1884
John Linthorn Simmons		1821–1903	April 1884	28 September 1888
Henry Torrens		1823–1889	28 September 1888	1 December 1889
Henry Augustus Smyth		1825–1906	1890	1893
Arthur Lyon Fremantle		1835–1901	1893	6 January 1899
Francis Wallace Grenfell		1841–1925	6 January 1899	1903
Charles Clarke		1839–1932	1903	1907
Henry Grant		1848–1919	1907	1909
Leslie Rundle		1856–1934	1909	February 1915
Paul Methuen		1845–1932	February 1915	May 1919
Herbert Plumer		1857–1932	1919	1924
Walter Norris Congreve		1862–1927	29 June 1924	28 February 1927
John Philip Du Cane		1865–1947	28 February 1927	1931
David Campbell		1869–1936	June 1931	12 March 1936
Charles Bonham-Carter		1876–1955	12 March 1936	1940
William Dobbie		1879–1964	April 1940	May 1942
John Vereker (Lord Gort)		1886–1946	May 1942	26 September 1944
Edmond Schreiber		1890–1978	26 September 1944	10 July 1946
Francis Douglas		1889–1980	10 July 1946	16 September 1949
Gerald Creasy		1897–1983	16 September 1949	3 August 1954
Robert Laycock		1907–1968	3 August 1954	13 February 1959
Guy Grantham		1900–1992	13 February 1959	2 July 1962
Maurice Henry Dorman		1902–1993	2 July 1962	21 September 1964

Lieutenant Governors of Malta

Public Secretary

• Arthur Baynes 1801
• Alexander Macauley 1801
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1804–1805
• E.F. Chapman 1805
• Rev Francis Laing 1811–1813

Chief Secretary

• Rev Francis Laing 1813–1815
• Alexander Wood 1815–1817
• Richard Plasket 1817–1824
• Sir Frederick Hankey 1824–1837
• Sir Hector Greig 1837–1847
• Henry Lushington 1847–1855
• Sir Victor Houlton 1855–1883
• Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson 1883–1884

Lieutenant Governor

• Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson 1884–1889 (as Lieutenant Governor)
• Sir Gerald Strickland 1889–1902 (as Chief Secretary)
• Sir Edward Marsh Merewether 1902–1910 (as Lieutenant Governor and Chief Secretary)

Chief Secretary

• Major John E Clauson 1911–1914
• Horace A Byatt 1914–1916
• A Campbell 1959–1962
• W.C.F. Robertson 1917–1925
• Sir Thomas Van Best 1925–1930
• Sir Harry Charles Luke 1930–1938
• John Adams Hunter 1938–1940
• Sir Edward St John Campbell-Jackson 1940–1943
• Sir David Campbell 1943–1952
• Trafford Smith 1952–1959

Flag of the Governor

Flag used from 1813 to 1875	Flag used from 1875 to 1898
Flag used from 1898 to 1943	Flag used from 1943 to 1964

See also

• Commonwealth realm
• List of Civil Commissioners of Malta
• List of Governors-General of Malta
• President of Malta