List of governors of Barbados

This page contains a list of viceroys in Barbados from when Great Britain started a colony in 1627 by England until Barbados received independence in 1966. From 1833 to 1885, Barbados was part of the colony of the Windward Islands, and the Governor of Barbados represented the monarch in all the Windward Islands. In 1885 Barbados became an independent colony again.

Governors of Barbados (1627–1833)

Henry Powell, 17 February 1627–1628
William Deane, 1628–June 1628
Charles Wolferston, June 1628–26 February 1629
John Powell, 26 February 1629–29 August 1629
Robert Wheatley, 29 August 1629–September 1629, acting
Sir William Tufton, 21 December 1629–16 July 1630
Henry Hawley, 1630–June 1640
- Richard Peers, 1633–1634, acting for Hawley
- William Hawley, 1638–1639, acting for Henry Hawley
Sir Henry Huncks, June 1640–1641
Philip Bell, 1641–1650
Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham, May 1650–1651, in dissidence to January 1652
Sir George Ayscue, October 1651–1652
Daniel Searle, 1652–July 1660, acting
Thomas Modyford, July 1660–1660, acting
Humphrey Walrond, 1660–August 1663, acting
Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham, August 1663–23 July 1666, restored
- Henry Willoughby, 1664, acting for the Lord Willoughby of Parham
Henry Willoughby, July 1666–1667, acting, second time
William Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby of Parham, 1667, acting
Samuel Barwick, 1667, acting
Henry Hawley, 1667–April 1667, acting, second time
William Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby of Parham, April 1667–1673
- Christopher Codrington, 1668–1669, acting for the Lord Willoughby of Parham
Sir Peter Colleton, 1673–1674, acting
Sir Jonathan Atkins, 1674–1679
Sir John Witham, 1680–1683, acting
Sir Richard Dutton, 1683–1685
Edwyn Stede, 1685–1690, acting
James Kendall, 1690–1694
Francis Russell, 1694–1696
Francis Bond, 1696–December 1697, acting
Ralph Grey, December 1697–1701
John Farmer, 1701–1703, acting
Sir Bevil Granville, 1703–1706
Mitford Crow, 1707–1710
George Lillington, 1710–1711, acting
Robert Lowther, 1711–1720
- William Sharpe, January 1714–1715, acting for Lowther
John Frere, 1720–1721, acting
Samuel Cox, 1721–1722, acting
Henry Worsley, 1722–1727
Thomas Catesby Paget, 1727–1731
James Dotin, 1731, acting, first time
Walter Chetwynd, 1731–1732
Emanuel Howe, 2nd Viscount Howe, 1733–29 March 1735
James Dotin, 1735–1737, acting, second time
Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 2nd Baronet, 1737–1738
Humphrey Howarth, 1738
Thomas Gage, 1st Viscount Gage, 1738–1739
Robert Byng, May 1739–1740
James Dotin, 1740, acting, third time
Sir Thomas Robinson, 1st Baronet Rokeby, 1742–1747
Henry Grenville, 1747–1756
Charles Pinfold, 1756–1766
Samuel Rous, 1766–1768, acting, first time
William Spry, 1768–1772
Samuel Rous, 1772, acting, second time
Edward Hay, 1772–1779
John Dotin, 1779–1780, acting, first time
James Cunninghame, 1780–1782
John Dotin, 1783–1784, acting, second time
David Parry, 1784–1793
William Bishop, 1793–1794, acting, first time
George Poyntz Ricketts, 1794–1800
William Bishop, 1800–1801, acting, second time
Francis Humberstone Mackenzie, 1802–1806
John Spooner, 1806–1810, acting
Sir George Beckwith, 1810–1815
Sir James Leith, 10 May 1815–16 October 1816
John Foster Alleyne, 1817, acting
Stapleton Stapleton-Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere, 1817–1820
John Brathwaite Skeete, 1820, acting
Samuel Hinds, 1821, acting
Sir Henry Warde, 1821–1829
Sir James F. Lyon, 1829–1833

Governors of Barbados and the Windward Islands (1833–1885)

In 1833, Barbados became part of the new colony of the Windward Islands and the Governor of Barbados became viceroy over the new colony as well.

Sir Lionel Smith, 1833–1836
Sir Evan John Murray MacGregor, 1836–1841
Charles Henry Darling, 1841
Sir Charles Edward Grey, 1841–1846
William Reid, 1846–1848
William MacBean George Colebrooke, 1848–1856
Francis Hincks, 1856–4 January 1862
James Walker, 4 January 1862–1868
Rawson William Rawson, 1868–1875
Sanford Freeling, 1875, acting
Sir John Pope Hennessy, 1875–1876
George Cumine Strahan, 1876–1880
D. J. Gamble, 1880, acting
William Robinson, 1880–1885

Governors of Barbados (1885–1966)

In 1885, Grenada took over responsibility for the Windward Islands instead of Barbados.

Sir Charles Cameron Lees, 1885–1889
Sir Walter Joseph Sendall, 1889–1891
Sir James Shaw Hay, 1891–1900
Sir Frederick Mitchell Hodgson, 18 February 1900–1904
Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter, 14 October 1904–1911
Sir Leslie Probyn, 13 February 1911–1918
Sir Charles Richard Mackey O'Brien, 27 September 1918–1925
Sir William Charles Fleming Robertson, 31 December 1925–January 1933
Harry Scott Newlands, January 1933–12 March 1933
Sir Mark Aitchison Young, 5 August 1933–March 1938
Sir Eubule John Waddington, 6 August 1938–1941
Sir Henry Grattan Bushe, 23 October 1941–1947
Sir Hilary Rudolph Robert Blood, 5 February 1947–1949
Sir Alfred William Lungley Savage, 1 November 1949–1953
Brigadier Robert Arundell, 14 May 1953–1959
Sir John Montague Stow, 8 October 1959–29 November 1966

On 29 November 1966, Barbados achieved independence from the United Kingdom. For a list of viceroys in Barbados after independence, see Governor-General of Barbados.