List of colonial governors of Bechuanaland

This is a list of the colonial heads of Bechuanaland Protectorate, which gained independence as Botswana in 1966. From 1885 to 1891 the post was known as Deputy Commissioner; from 1891 to 1964 as Resident Commissioner; and from 1964 to independence as The Queen's Commissioner.[1]

In the table below, dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office.

No Tenure Name Notes
British Suzerainty
Bechuanaland Protectorate
1884 to January 1885 John Mackenzie, Resident  
23 March 1885 to 24 September 1885 Sir Charles Warren, Special Commissioner, Military Commander
24 September 1885 to 30 September 1885 Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Carrington, Special Commissioner, Military Commander
(30 September 1885 to 16 November 1885) Divided into British Bechuanaland Crown Colony (south) and Bechuanaland Protectorate (north)
British Bechuanaland Crown Colony
30 September 1885 to 23 October 1885 Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Carrington, Special Commissioner, Military Commander
23 October 1885 to 16 November 1885 Sidney Godolphin Alexander Shippard, Administrator
Bechuanaland Protectorate
30 September 1885 to 9 May 1891 Sidney Godolphin Alexander Shippard, Administrator knighted during tenure
Bechuanaland High Commission Territory
9 May 1891 to 1895 Sir Sidney Godolphin Alexander Shippard, Resident Commissioner  
Under the High Commissioner for Southern Africa to 3 October 1963
19 November 1895 to 1897 Francis James Newton, Resident Commissioner  
21 December 1897 to 1900 Hamilton John Goold-Adams, Resident Commissioner  
January 1901 to 1906 Sir Ralph Champneys Williams, Resident Commissioner  
1906 to 1916 Francis William Panzera, Resident Commissioner  
1916 to 1917 Edward Charles Frederick Garraway, Resident Commissioner  
1917 to 1923 James Comyn Macgregor, Resident Commissioner  knighted during tenure
1923 to 1927 Jules Ellenberger, Resident Commissioner  
1928 to 1930 Rowland Mortimer Daniel, Resident Commissioner  
1930 to 1937 Charles Fernand Rey, Resident Commissioner  
1937 to 1942 Charles Noble Arden-Clarke, Resident Commissioner  
1942 to 1946 Aubrey Denzil Forsyth-Thompson, Resident Commissioner  
1946 to 1950 Anthony Sillery, Resident Commissioner  
1950 to 1953 Edward Betham Beetham, Resident Commissioner  
1955 to 1959 Martin Osterfield Wray, Resident Commissioner  
1953 to 1955 William Forbes Mackenzie, Resident Commissioner  
1959 to 1960 John Redcliffe Maud, Resident Commissioner  
30 September 1960 Independence Day Republic of Botswana
1960 to 3 October 1963 Peter Fawcus, Resident Commissioner  
3 October 1963 to 1 August 1964 Peter Fawcus, Commissioner knighted during tenure
Bechuanaland
1 August 1964 to 3 March 1965 Sir Peter Fawcus, KBE, CMG, Commissioner  
Bechuanaland Self-Rule
3 March 1965 to 1965 Sir Peter Fawcus, KBE, CMG, Commissioner  
1965 to 30 September 1966 Hugh Selby Norman-Walker, Commissioner knighted during tenure
30 September 1966 Independence Day Republic of Botswana

For continuation after independence see: Heads of State of Botswana

Sources

  • http://www.rulers.org/rulb1.html#botswana
  • African States and Rulers, John Stewart, McFarland
  • Heads of State and Government, 2nd Edition, John V da Graca, MacMillan Press 2000
  • Whitaker's Almanack 1965, J. Whitaker and Sons Ltd

References

  1. Morton, Fred; Ramsay, Jeff; Mgadla, Part Themba (2008). "Resident Commissioner". Historical Dictionary of Botswana. African Historical Dictionaries. Vol. 108 (4th ed.). Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. pp. 288–9. ISBN 978-0-8108-5467-3.