List of governors of Bombay Presidency

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Bombay Presidency in 1906

Until the 18th century,

Marathas to secure the hinterland.[1]

Aden protectorate in Yemen, and the western two-thirds of modern-day Maharashtra.[2][3]

During British rule, a Governor was the chief administrative and political officer of Bombay. The executive Government of the Presidency was administered by the Governor. He had the same power and right in the Presidency as the Governor-General of India, and observed the same order and course in their proceedings.[4] Governors of Bombay and Madras Presidencies, who were appointed by the British Crown, were the most important officials after the Viceroy.[5] Bombay Castle was the official residence of the governor of Bombay until the 1770s, when it was moved to Parel; a century later, in 1883, it was moved to Malabar Hill.[6][7]

George Oxeden was appointed the first Company Governor of Bombay on 23 September 1668. In 1687, the Company relocated its headquarters from Surat to Bombay.[8] In 1858, the British Crown took formal repossession of the territory after the company was disbanded. After India's independence in 1947, the territory was restructured into Bombay State. The area of Bombay State increased, after several erstwhile princely states that acceded to the Indian union were integrated into Bombay State. Raja Maharaj Singh was the first Indian Governor of Bombay after independence. On 1 May 1960, Bombay State was restructured on linguistic lines—Gujarati-speaking areas were partitioned into the state of Gujarat, and Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay State, Central Provinces and Berar, and Hyderabad State were integrated as the state of Maharashtra. The last person to hold the title of "Governor of Bombay" was Sri Prakasa
in 1960.

Royal governors (1662–1668)

Charles II of England, who received Bombay as part of his dowry

The marriage treaty of

North Canara and died there in October 1664. In November 1664, Shipman's successor Humphrey Cooke agreed to accept Bombay Island without its dependencies.[10] The first four governors held Bombay for the Crown.[11]

No. Name Assumed office Left office Years in office Remarks[a]
1 Abraham Shipman 19 March 1662 October 1664 2
2 Humphrey Cooke February 1665 5 November 1666 1 Acting
3 Gervase Lucas 5 November 1666 21 May 1667 1
4
Henry Gary
 22 May 1667 23 September 1668 1 Acting

Sources: The India List and India Office List[11] and Origin of Bombay[12]

Company governors (1668–1862)

Map of India showing Bombay as a British possession (c. 1783)
Map of India (c. 1804)
Bombay Presidency in 1832

On 21 September 1668, the

Deputy Governor.[11]

In 1687, the Company shifted its main holdings from Surat to Bombay, which had become the administrative centre of all the west coast settlements.

Nicholas Waite, and William Aislabie (1694–1715), the Bombay Governors also held the title of "General".[11][17]
Their main title, meanwhile, continued to be "President", with Governor of Bombay being a supplementary title and role.

During the 18th century, the

Scindia.[20] The British annexed Surat on 15 May 1800.[21] The British received the districts of Ahmadabad, Bharuch and Kaira in 1803 after British victory in the Second Anglo-Maratha War.[22]

The framework of the Presidency formed between 1803 and 1827. The districts of Ahmadabad, Bharuch, and Kaira in Gujarat were taken over by the Bombay Government in 1805 and enlarged in 1818. The numerous small states of

North Canara and South Canara in 1860. South Canara remained under Madras Presidency, while North Canara was transferred to Bombay Presidency in 1861.[26][30] Between 1818 and 1858, certain princely states like Mandvi in Surat and some in Satara were lapsed to the Presidency.[26]

No. Name Portrait Assumed office Left office Years in office Remarks[a]
1 George Oxenden 23 September 1668 14 July 1669 1
2 Gerald Aungier 14 July 1669 30 June 1677 8
3 Henry Oxenden 30 June 1677 27 October 1681 4
4 John Child 27 October 1681 4 February 1690 8
5
Richard Keigwin[b]
 27 December 1683 19 November 1684 1 Unofficial
6 Bartholomew Harris 4 February 1690 10 May 1694 4
7 Daniel Annesley 10 May 1694 17 May 1694 Acting
8 John Gayer 17 May 1694 November 1704 10
9
Nicholas Waite
 November 1704 September 1708 4
10 William Aislabie September 1708 11 October 1715 7
11 Stephen Strutt 11 October 1715 26 December 1715 Acting
12 Charles Boone 26 December 1715 9 January 1722 7
13 William Phipps 9 January 1722 10 January 1729 7
14 Robert Cowan 10 January 1729 22 September 1734 5
15 John Horne 22 September 1734 7 April 1739 5
16 Stephen Law 7 April 1739 15 November 1742 3
17 John Geekie 15 November 1742 26 November 1742 Acting
18 William Wake 26 November 1742 17 November 1750 8
19 Richard Bourchier 17 November 1750 1760 10
20
Sir John Holkell
 1760 28 February 1760 Acting
21 Charles Crommelin 28 February 1760 27 January 1767 7
22 Thomas Hodges 27 January 1767 23 February 1771 4
23 William Hornby 26 February 1771 1 January 1784 13
24 Rawson Hart Boddam 1 January 1784 9 January 1788 4
25 Andrew Ramsay 9 January 1788 6 September 1788 1 Acting
26 William Medows 6 September 1788 21 January 1790 2
27
Robert Abercromby
 21 January 1790 26 November 1792 2
28 George Dick 26 November 1792 9 November 1795 3 Acting
29 John Griffith 9 November 1795 27 December 1795 Acting
30 Jonathan Duncan 27 December 1795 11 August 1811 16
31 George Brown 11 August 1811 12 August 1812 1 Acting
32 Sir Evan Nepean, Bt. 12 August 1812 1 November 1819 7
33 Mountstuart Elphinstone 1 November 1819 1 November 1827 8
34 Sir John Malcolm 1 November 1827 1 December 1830 3
35
Sir Thomas Sidney Beckwith
 1 December 1830 15 January 1831 1 Acting
36 John Romer 17 January 1831 21 March 1831 Acting
37 John FitzGibbon, 2nd Earl of Clare 21 March 1831 17 March 1835 4
38 Sir Robert Grant 17 March 1835 9 July 1838 3
39 James Farish 11 July 1838 31 May 1839 1 Acting
40 James Rivett Carnac 31 May 1839 27 April 1841 2
41
William Hay Macnaghten
 27 April 1841 28 April 1841 Acting
42 George William Anderson 28 April 1841 9 June 1842 1 Acting
43
George Arthur
 9 June 1842 6 August 1846 4
44 Lestock Robert Reid 6 August 1846 23 January 1847 1 Acting
45 George Russell Clerk 23 January 1847 1 May 1848 1 Acting
46 Lucius Cary (Lord Falkland) 1 May 1848 26 December 1853 5
47 John Elphinstone (Lord Elphinstone) 26 December 1853 11 May 1860 7
48 George Russell Clerk 11 May 1860 24 April 1862 2 Acting

Sources: The India List and India Office List[11][17][31] and Oxford Dictionary of National Biography[27]

Deputy Governors of Bombay (1668–1690)
The transfer of the headquarters of the company's power to Bombay largely eliminated the need for a

Executive Council
of the Governor. It fell into disuse sometime between 1720 and 1758.

No. Name Assumed office Left office Years in office
1
Henry Young
 1668 13 November 1669 2
2 Matthew Gray 1670 1670
3 Phillip Gifford 1670 1676 6
4 Henry Oxenden 1676 1682 6
5
Charles Ward[b]
 1682 1683 1
6 Charles Zinzan 1684 1686 2
7 John Wyborne 1686 1688 2
8 John Vaux 1689 1689
9 George Cooke 1689 1690 1
10 George Weldon 1690 1690
11
John Burniston
 1690 1704 14

Source: Origin of Bombay[32]

Crown governors (1862–1948)

Bombay Presidency in 1893
Bombay Presidency in 1909 (northern portion)
Bombay Presidency in 1909, (southern portion)

Following the

Princely States that were ruled by Indian rulers.[36][37]

Laws were made for British India by a Legislative Council under the

Executive Council of two members of the Indian Civil Service for 12 years standing, appointed by the Crown.[35][39]

The Governor would consult the Executive Council in the exercise of all his functions (except on trivial or urgent matters or where the public interest made it undesirable). He would not be required to consult in cases where he was specifically authorised by the Constitution to act in his discretion or on the advice of, or after consultation with, some other person or authority. He would in general act in accordance with the advice of the Executive Council but could act against such advice, where he considered it necessary in the interests of the public order, public faith or good government; in such cases he would be required to seek approval of the Secretary of State for India.[40]

The Governor didn't have the right to make or suspend any laws, unless in cases of urgent necessity, he could do it with the consent of the Governor-General of India. He didn't have the power of creating a new office, or granting any salary, gratuity, or allowance, without the sanction of the Governor-General of India.[4] The Governor-General had full power to superintend and control the Governor in all points relating to the civil or military administration of the Presidency, and the Governor had to obey the orders and instructions of the Governor-General in all cases.[41] The Governors could propose to the Governor-General drafts of any laws which they thought expedient, together with their reasons for the same; and the Governor-General communicated the resolutions to the Governor, after considering the reasons.[42] The Governors regularly transmitted to the Governor-General true copies of all orders and acts of their governments, and also advice of all matters which they felt to be communicated to the Governor-General.[43] The powers of the Governors were not suspended when the Governor-General visited the Presidency.[44] The departure of the Governor from India with intent to return to Europe was deemed to be a resignation from his office. Alternately, the Governor could resign by declaring it in writing and delivering it to the secretary for the public department of the Presidency.[45]

In 1906, Bombay Presidency had four commissionerships and twenty-six districts with Bombay City as its capital. The four commissionerships were the northern province of

Thar and Parkar and Upper Sind Frontier.[2][46][47] Aden separated from Bombay Presidency in 1932,[27] and Sind separated in 1936.[29]

No. Name Portrait Assumed office Left office Years in office Remarks[a]
1 Sir Bartle Frere 24 April 1862 6 March 1867 5
2
Sir William Vesey-FitzGerald
 6 March 1867 6 May 1872 5
3 Sir Philip Wodehouse 6 May 1872 30 April 1877 5
4 Sir Richard Temple, Bt. 30 April 1877 13 March 1880 3
5 Lionel Robert Ashburner 13 March 1880 28 April 1880 Acting
6 Sir James Fergusson, Bt. 28 April 1880 27 March 1885 5
7
James Braithwaite Peile
 27 March 1885 30 March 1885 Acting
8 The Lord Reay 30 March 1885 12 April 1890 5
9 The Lord Harris 27 March 1890 16 February 1895 5
10 Herbert Mills Birdwood 16 February 1895 18 February 1895 Acting
11 The Lord Sandhurst 18 February 1895 17 February 1900 5
12 The Lord Northcote 17 February 1900 5 September 1903 3
13
James Monteath
 5 September 1903 12 December 1903 Acting
14 The Lord Lamington 12 December 1903 27 July 1907 4
15
John William Muir Mackenzie
 27 July 1907 18 October 1907 Acting
16 Sir George Sydenham Clarke 18 October 1907 5 April 1913 6
17 The Lord Willingdon 5 April 1913 16 December 1918 5
18 Sir George Lloyd 16 December 1918 8 December 1923 5
19
Maurice Hayward
 8 December 1923 10 December 1923 Acting
20
Sir Leslie Orme Wilson
 10 December 1923 20 March 1926 3
21 Sir Henry Staveley Lawrence 20 March 1926 8 December 1928 2 Acting
22 Sir Frederick Sykes 9 December 1928 9 December 1933 5
23
John Ernest Buttery Hotson[e]
 1931 1931 Acting
24 The Lord Brabourne 9 December 1933 30 May 1937 4
25 Robert Duncan Bell 30 May 1937 18 September 1937 Acting
26
The Earl of Scarbrough
 18 September 1937 24 March 1943 6
27 The Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai 20 September 1940 20 March 1942 2 A temporary appointment for the functioning of the MNGFTDA Trust as a Governorv of Bombay for Trust - NGO) was made under the direction of the Earl of Scarbrough (governor of bombay) appointment.
28 Sir John Colville 24 March 1943 5 January 1948 5

Sources:

Governor of Maharashtra[48]

Chief Ministers of Bombay (1937–1947)

No. Name Portrait Assumed office Left office Years in Office
1
Bal Gangadhar Kher
 1937 October 1939 2
2 Governor's rule October 1939 30 March 1946 7
3
Bal Gangadhar Kher
 30 March 1946 15 August 1947 1

Source: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography[27]

Post independence (1948–1960)

Maharashtra State

After

Governor of Maharashtra.[48]

No. Name Portrait Assumed office Left office Years in Office
1 Raja Sir Maharaj Singh 6 January 1948 30 May 1952 4
2 Sir Girija Shankar Bajpai 30 May 1952 5 December 1954 2
3 Harekrushna Mahatab 2 March 1955 14 October 1956 1
4 Sri Prakasa[f] 10 December 1956 16 April 1962 6

Sources:

Governor of Maharashtra[48] and Greater Bombay District Gazetteer[56]

See also

Notes

a

Executive Council of the Governor, next in rank to the Governor, other than the Commander-in-chief of the Presidency, would be selected as the Governor. If the Executive Council was not available, then the senior secretary of Government of the Presidency, executed the office of Governor until a successor arrived. Every Acting Governor was entitled to the emoluments and salaries appertaining to the office of Governor, until the time he held the post.[57]

b
Charles Ward under arrest, Keigwin ruled Bombay in the King's name from 27 December 1683 to 19 November 1684, when on promise of pardon he handed over the island to Admiral Thomas Grantham.[58]

c
Collector.[2]

d
West Khandesh in 1906.[2]

e
John Ernest Buttery Hotson, Member of the Executive Council of Bombay (1926–31), was appointed Acting Governor of Bombay for a short period on the departure of Frederick Sykes.[59][60]

f ^ Sri Prakasa was Governor of Bombay from 10 December 1956 to 1 May 1960 and Governor of Maharashtra thereafter from 1 May 1960 to 16 April 1962.

Citations

  1. ^ "Bombay: History of a City". The British Library. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
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  3. ^ a b c Dupont 2001, p. 563
  4. ^ a b The Law-dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law 1835, p. 364, § 59
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  6. Governor of Maharashtra. Archived from the original
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  9. ^ "Catherine of Bragança (1638–1705)". BBC. Retrieved 5 November 2008.
  10. ^ Thana District Gazetteer 1986, Portuguese (1500–1670)
  11. ^ a b c d e The India List and India Office List 1905, p. 125
  12. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 323
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  14. ^ a b c d Dupont 2001, p. 564
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  16. ^ Hughes, William (1863), The geography of British history, Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green, p. 227, retrieved 15 January 2009
  17. ^ a b The India List and India Office List 1905, p. 126
  18. ^ Thana District Gazetteer 1986, The Marathas
  19. ^ Ratnagiri and Savantvadi District Gazetteer 1996, Justice
  20. ^ Thana District Gazetteer 1986, Acquisition, Changes, and Staff (Acquisition, 1774–1817
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  22. ^ Farooqui 2005, p. 18
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  25. ^ Cox 1887, pp. 257–261
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  27. ^ a b c d e "Colonial administrators and post-independence leaders in India (1616–2000)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  28. ^ Cox 1887, pp. 320, 321
  29. ^ a b "History of Sindh". Government of Sindh. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
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  31. ^ The India List and India Office List 1905, p. 127
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  36. ^ The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 4, p. 59
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  38. ISBN 978-1-4021-8555-7
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  41. ^ The Law-dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law 1835, p. 365, § 65
  42. ^ The Law-dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law 1835, p. 365, § 66
  43. ^ The Law-dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law 1835, p. 365, § 68
  44. ^ The Law-dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law 1835, p. 365, § 67
  45. ^ The Law-dictionary, Explaining the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the British Law 1835, p. 365, § 79
  46. ISBN 978-81-7991-102-0, retrieved 8 November 2008{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
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    Governor of Maharashtra. Archived from the original
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  50. ^ "States Reorganization Act 1956". Commonwealth Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  51. ^ "The battle for Bombay". The Hindu. 13 April 2003. Archived from the original on 14 May 2005. Retrieved 12 November 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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  53. ^ "Sons of soil: born, reborn". Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. 6 February 2008. Retrieved on 12 November 2008.
  54. ^ "Gujarat". Government of India. Retrieved 16 January 2008.
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  59. ^ "Monday, Aug. 03, 1931". Time. 3 August 1931. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  60. ^ Bulletin of International News, vol. 8, Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1931–1932, p. 86.

References

External links

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