List of governors of Bengal Presidency

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In 1644, Gabriel Boughton procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to build a factory at Hughli, without fortifications. Various chief agents, Governors and presidents were appointed to look after company affairs in the Bengal region. In 1765, the Treaty of Allahabad granted the diwani of Bengal subah to the EIC. In 1772, Warren Hastings was appointed as the Governor-General of Fort William in Bengal which ended the title of Governor of Bengal. [1]

Contents

The Saint Helena Act 1833 enacted that the Governor-General of India shall also act as the Governor of the Bengal presidency. From this time the Governors-General of India held also the separate office of Governor of Bengal, until the year 1854. [2]

The Section 56 of Act 16 & 17 Victoria in 1853 empowered the Court of Directors of EIC to declare that the Governor-General of India shall not be Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal, but that a separate Governor shall be appointed for such Presidency. Until then, the Governor-General of India in Council will be directed to appoint a Lieutenant Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal. In 1854, F. J. Halliday was appointed as the first lieutenant governor of the Bengal presidency. [3]

At the Delhi Durbar on 12 December 1911, King George V announced the transfer of the seat of the Government of India from Calcutta to Delhi, the reunification of the five predominantly Bengali-speaking divisions into a Presidency (or province) of Bengal under a governor, the creation of a new province of Bihar and Orissa under a lieutenant-governor, and that Assam Province would be reconstituted under a chief commissioner. On 21 March 1912, Thomas Gibson-Carmichael was appointed the Governor of Bengal. On 22 March the provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and Assam were constituted. [4]

In 1947, India gained independence from the British Raj, and the new state of West Bengal was formed following the partition of India. C. Rajagopalachari was appointed as the first Governor of West Bengal. When the constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950, the office of Governor of West Bengal become a ceremonial position.

Precursors (1650–1758)

Agents, Chiefs and Governors (1650-1699)

In 1644 Gabriel Boughton, procured privileges for the East India Company which permitted them to build a factory at Hughli, without fortifications. In 1650, the factories of Balasor and Hughli were united. On 14 December 1650, James Bridgman was appointed as the chief of the factories. However, in 1653, Bridgman left suddenly and Powle Waldegrave assumed his charge.

On 27 February 1657, the company resolved its holdings into four agencies:- Fort St. George, Bantam, Persia, and Hughli. George Gawton was appointed as the Agent of Hughly. Additional three factories in Ballasore, Cassambazar and Pattana were put under the Hughly agency. In 1658, Johnathan Trevisa was appointed as the second to Gawton and was meant to succeed him after the latter's death. On 6 February 1661, the company reduced the Hughly agency under the Fort St. George, and then agent Trevisa was made the "Chief of Factories in the Bay of Bengal". On 24 November 1681, William Hedges was appointed as the "Agent and Governor for the affairs of the East India Company in the Bay of Bengal". On 21 December 1684, William Gyfford who was the President and Governor of Fort St. George was given the additional charge of Bengal due to increasing mismanagement. John Beard was appointed as the "Agent and Chief in the Bay of Bengal" and become the subordinate to Gifford.

Chief of the factories of Balasore and Hughli
NamePortraitTook OfficeLeft OfficeRemarks
James Bridgman14 December 16501653
Powle Waldegrave16531657
Agent of Hughly Agency
George Gawton27 February 165711 September 1658
John Trevisa11 September 16586 February 1661
Chief of Factories in the Bay of Bengal
John Trevisa6 February 166131 January 1662
William Blake31 January 166224 January 1668
Shem Bridges24 January 16687 December 1669
Henry Powell7 December 1669?
Walter Clavell ~June 16727 August 1677Died in office
Matthias Vincent 7 September 1677~July 1682

(position superseded)

Deposed in July 1682
Agent and Governor

for the affairs of the East India Company

in the Bay of Bengal

Sir William Hedges 24 November 1681~ August 1684Deposed in August 1864
Agent and Chief in the Bay of Bengal
John Beard21 December 186328 August 1865Died in office
Job Charnock ~ April 168610 January 1693Died in office
Francis Ellis 10 January 1693January 1694
Charles Eyre 25 January 16941 February 1699Left for England in 1699
John Beard1 February 169920 December 1699

(position superseded)

Second to Eyre

President and Governor of Fort William, in Bengal (1699-1705)

On 20 December 1699, the Court of Directors (London East India Company) declared Bengal a Presidency, and then Agent Charles Eyre was made the " President and Governor of Fort William, in Bengal". The President or Chief in the Bay of Bengal for the English East India Company was Sir Edward Littleton in whose commission and instructions, dated 12 January 1698, it was also stated that power had been obtained from his Majesty to constitute him the "Minister or Consul for the English Nation" with all powers requisite thereunto. Littleton was later deposed by the Court of Directors in 1703.

The union of the two East India Companies took place on 23 July 1702. For united trade in Bengal, a Council was appointed, of which Nathaniel Halsey and Robert Hedges were to take chair each in their week alternatively as per the dispatch from United Company on 26 February 1702. In a dispatch of 12 February 1704, it was ordered that if Beard shall die, no one will be appointed as President to succeed him. After the departure of John Beard to Madras, Ralph Sheldon assumed the position of Chief of Council, and his appointment was confirmed in a dispatch of 7 February 1706.

President and Governor of Fort William, in Bengal
NamePortraitTook OfficeLeft OfficeRemarks
Sir Charles Eyre 20 December 16997 January 1701Left on account of health issues
John Beard7 January 17017 July 1705Died in Office

President in the Bay, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief for Fort William, in Bengal (1705-1774)

On 30 December 1709, Anthony Weldon was appointed as the "President in the Bay, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief for Fort William, in Bengal" for the United East India Company. His appointment was later revoked and was supposed to be succeeded by Sheldon. Since Sheldon had died by the time dispatch arrived in Bengal, John Russell was ordered to succeed as the Governor. By a letter of 8 May 1771, the Court appointed Warren Hastings to be Governor of Bengal. By Act of Parliament 13 Geo. III., cap. 63, the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal will headed by a Governor-General, and Hastings was appointed as the first Governor-General. He assumed the office on 20 October 1774.

President in the Bay, and Governor and Commander-in-Chief for Fort William, in Bengal
#NamePortraitTook OfficeLeft OfficeRemarksAppointee
1Anthony Weldon30 December 17094 March 1711Appointment revoked by the Court of Directors

Resigned on March 1711

East India
Company

Coat of arms of the East India Company.svg
2John Rusell4 March 17113 December 1713Dismissed by the Court
3 Robert Hedges 3 December 171328 December 1717died in office
4Samuel Feake12 January 171817 January 1723Left for England due to illness
5 John Deane 17 January 172330 January 1726Returned to England
6 Henry Frankland 30 January 172625 February 1732Returned to Europe
7 John Stackhouse 25 February 173229 January 1739Resigned
8 Thomas Broddyll 29 January 17394 Feb 1746Left for England
9 John Forster 4 Feb 1746March 1748Died in office
10 William Barwell 18 April 17481749Dismissed by the Court
11 Adam Dawson 17 July 17491752Dismissed by the Court
12 William Fytche Thomas Hudson (attributed) - Portrait of William Fytche of Bengal 1752.jpg 5 July 17528 August 1752Died in Office
13 Roger Drake 8 August 175220 June 1758Deposed by the Court
14Colonel Robert Clive Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive by Nathaniel Dance, (later Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Bt).jpg 27 June 175823 January 1760Resigned
15 John Zephaniah Holwell John Zephaniah Holwell.jpg 28 January 176027 July 1760Handed over to Vansittart who was appointed on

23 November 1759 to the office

16 Henry Vansittart Henry Vansittart.jpg 27 July 176026 November 1764Returned to England
17John Spencer3 December 17643 May 1765
18 Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive by Nathaniel Dance, (later Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Bt).jpg 3 May 176520 January 1767Returned to England
19 Harry Verelst 29 January 176724 December 1769Retired from the service
20 John Cartier 26 December 176913 April 1772
21 Warren Hastings Warren Hastings by Joshua Reynolds.jpg 13 April 177220 October 1773

(office superseded)

Appointed as the Governor-General of Fort William

in Bengal in 1773

List

PortraitNameTermAppointer
Before 1773 the Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William was named as Governor of Bengal (1757–1772).
Governors General of the Presidency of Fort William (1773–1833)
Warren Hastings greyscale.jpg Warren Hastings [nb 1] 20 October
1773
8 February
1785
East India Company
Coat of arms of the East India Company.svg
(1773–1858)
Captain John Macpherson (1726 - 1792) by anonymous (circa 1772-1792).jpg John Macpherson
(acting)
8 February
1785
12 September
1786
Lord Cornwallis.jpg Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis [nb 2] 12 September
1786
28 October
1793
JohnShore.jpg John Shore 28 October
1793
18 March
1798
Alured Clarke.jpg Alured Clarke
(acting)
18 March
1798
18 May
1798
Richard Wellesley 2.JPG Richard Wellesley, 2nd Earl of Mornington [nb 3] 18 May
1798
30 July
1805
Lord Cornwallis.jpg Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis 30 July
1805
5 October
1805
Sir George Barlow, 1st Bt from NPG crop.jpg Sir George Barlow, 1st Baronet
(acting)
10 October
1805
31 July
1807
Gilbert Eliot, 1st Earl of Minto by James Atkinson.jpg Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Baron Minto 31 July
1807
4 October
1813
Francis, 1st Marquess of Hastings (Earl of Moira).jpg Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings [nb 4] 4 October
1813
9 January
1823
John Adam
(acting)
9 January
1823
1 August
1823
Sir Thomas Lawrence - Lord Amherst - Google Art Project.jpg William Amherst, 2nd Baron Amherst [nb 5] 1 August
1823
13 March
1828
William Butterworth Bayley
(acting)
13 March
1828
4 July
1828
Governors-General of India (1834 [5] –1858)
Bentinck william.png Lord William Bentinck 4 July
1828
20 March
1835
East India Company
Coat of arms of the East India Company.svg
(1773–1858)
Charles Theophilus Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe by George Chinnery.jpg Sir Charles Metcalfe, 3rd Baronet
(acting)
20 March
1835
4 March
1836
George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland.png George Eden, 2nd Baron Auckland [nb 6] 4 March
1836
28 February
1842
1stEarlOfEllenborough.jpg Edward Law, 2nd Baron Ellenborough 28 February
1842
June
1844
William Wilberforce Bird
(acting)
June
1844
23 July
1844
Henryhardinge.jpg Henry Hardinge [nb 7] 23 July
1844
12 January
1848
Dalhousie.jpg James Broun-Ramsay, 10th Earl of Dalhousie [nb 8] 12 January
1848
28 February
1856
Lord Viscount Canning.jpg Charles Canning, 2nd Viscount Canning [nb 9] 28 February
1856
31 October
1858
Viceroys and Governors-General of India (1858–1947)
Lord Viscount Canning.jpg Charles Canning, 2nd Viscount Canning [nb 10] 1 November
1858
21 March
1862
Victoria
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1837-1952).svg
(1837–1901)
Elgin.png James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin 21 March
1862
20 November
1863
Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala - Project Gutenberg eText 16528.jpg Robert Napier
(acting)
21 November
1863
2 December
1863
William Denison 2.jpg William Denison
(acting)
2 December
1863
12 January
1864
SirJohnLawrence 16246.jpg Sir John Lawrence, 1st Baronet 12 January
1864
12 January
1869
6th Earl of Mayo.jpg Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo 12 January
1869
8 February
1872
John Strachey (civil servant) (cropped).jpg Sir John Strachey
(acting)
9 February
1872
23 February
1872
FrancisNapier10thLordNapier.jpg Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier
(acting)
24 February
1872
3 May
1872
1stEarlOfNorthbrooke.jpg Thomas Baring, 2nd Baron Northbrook 3 May
1872
12 April
1876
Robert Bulwer-Lytton by Nadar.jpg Robert Bulwer-ytton, 2nd Baron Lytton 12 April
1876
8 June
1880
George Robinson 1st Marquess of Ripon.jpg George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon 8 June
1880
13 December
1884
Young Lord Dufferin.jpg Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Earl of Dufferin 13 December
1884
10 December
1888
Marquess of Lansdowne crop.jpg Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne 10 December
1888
11 October
1894
9thEarlOfElgin.jpg Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin 11 October
1894
6 January
1899
George Curzon2.jpg The Lord Curzon of Kedleston [nb 11] 6 January
1899
18 November
1905
Earl Minto.jpg Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto 18 November
1905
23 November
1910
Edward VII
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1837-1952).svg
(1901–1910)
Charles Hardinge01 crop.jpg Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst 23 November
1910
4 April
1916
George V
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1837-1952).svg
(1910–1936)
1stViscountChelmsford.jpg Frederic Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford 4 April
1916
2 April
1921
Rufus Isaacs.jpg Rufus Isaacs, 1st Earl of Reading 2 April
1921
3 April
1926
1st Earl of Halifax 1947.jpg E. F. L. Wood, 1st Baron Irwin 3 April
1926
18 April
1931
Freeman Freeman-Thomas by Henry Walter Barnett.jpg Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Earl of Willingdon 18 April
1931
18 April
1936
Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow.jpg Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow 18 April
1936
1 October
1943
Edward VIII
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1837-1952).svg
(1936)
Archibald Wavell2.jpg Archibald Wavell, 1st Viscount Wavell 1 October
1943
21 February
1947
George VI
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1837-1952).svg
(1936–1947)
(As Emperor of India)

Lord Mountbatten 4 Allan Warren.jpg Louis Mountbatten, 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma 21 February
1947
15 August
1947
Governors-General of the Dominion of India (1947–1950)
Lord Mountbatten 4 Allan Warren.jpg The Viscount Mountbatten of Burma [nb 12] 15 August
1947
21 June
1948
George VI
(1947–1950)
(As King of India)

Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari.jpg Chakravarti Rajagopalachari 21 June
1948
26 January
1950

Governors of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal (1834-1854)

By an Act of 1833 (3 & 4 William IV. , cap. lxxxv., Section lvi . ), it was enacted " that the Executive Government of each of the several Presidencies of Fort William in Bengal, Fort St. George, Bombay, and Agra shall be administered by a Governor and three Councilors, to be styled the Governor-in-Council of the said Presidencies of Fort William in Bengal , Fort St. George, Bombay, and Agra respectively, and that the Governor General of India for the time being shall be Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal. From this time the Governors General of India held also the separate office of Governor of Bengal, until the year 1854. [2] Under the Charter Act 1853 the Governor General of India was relieved of his concurrent duties as Governor of Bengal and empowered to appoint a lieutenant-governor from 1854.

Governors of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal

(ex-officio Governor-General of India, 1833-1857)

#Name

(birth–death)

PortraitTook officeLeft officeAppointee
1Lord William Bentick

(1774–1839)

Bentinck william.png 15 November 1834

(1833)

20 March 1835 East India
Company

Coat of arms of the East India Company.svg
- Sir Charles Metcalfe, 3rd Baronet, ICS [6]

(acting)

(1785–1846)

Charles Theophilus Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe by George Chinnery.jpg 20 March 18354 March 1836
2 George Eden, 2nd Baron Auckland (1784–1849) George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland.png 4 March 183628 February 1842
3 Edward Law, 2nd Baron Ellenborough (1790–1871) 1stEarlOfEllenborough.jpg 28 February 1842June 1844
- William Wilberforce Bird, ICS [6]

(acting)

(1784–1857)

June 184423 July 1844
4Sir Henry Hardinge (1785–1856) Henryhardinge.jpg 23 July 184412 January 1848
5 James Broun-Ramsay, 10th Earl of Dalhousie (1812–1860) Dalhousie.jpg 12 January 18481 May 1854

(28 February 1856)

Lieutenant Governors of the Bengal Presidency (1854-1912)

Lieutenant Governors of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal (1854-1912)

Under the Charter Act 1853 the Governor General of India was relieved of his concurrent duties as Governor of Bengal and a separate Governor of Bengal shall be appointed. Until then a Lieutenant Governor will be appointed. F. J. Halliday became the first lieutenant governor of the Bengal presidency. William Duke served as the last lieutenant governor after which the office was superseded by the Governor of Bengal province in 1912.

Lieutenant Governors of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal
#NamePortraitTook officeLeft officeAppointee
1 Frederick James Halliday Sir Frederick James Halliday.png 18541859 James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
2 John Peter Grant Sir John Peter Grant.png 18591862 Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
3 Cecil Beadon Cecil Beadon.jpg 18621866
4 William Grey William Grey - Grant.jpg 18671870 Sir John Lawrence, 1st Baronet
5 George Campbell George Campbell.jpg 18701874 Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo
6Sir Richard Temple Hart Richard Temple 1826-1902.jpg 18741877 Thomas Baring, 2nd Baron Northbrook
7Sir Ashley Eden Sir Ashley Eden.png 18771882
8 Sir Augustus Thompson Sir Augustus Rivers Thompson.png 18821887 George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon
9Sir Steuart Bayley Sir Steuart Colvin Bayley.png 18871890 Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Earl of Dufferin
10Sir Charles Alfred Elliott 18901893 Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
11Sir Anthony MacDonnell Antony MacDonnell.jpg 18931895
12Sir Alexander Mackenzie Alexander Mackenzie Bengal.jpg 18951897 Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin
13 Sir Charles Stevens 18971898
14Sir John Woodburn 18981902
15 James Bourdillon 19021903 George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston
16Sir Andrew Henderson Leith Fraser Sir Andrew Fraser LCCN2014683484.jpg 19031906
17 Francis Slacke 19061908 Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
18Sir Edward Norman Baker Edward Norman Baker.jpg 19081911
19 Frederick William Duke 19111912 Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst

Lieutenant Governors of the Province of Eastern Bengal and Assam (1905-1912)

Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India, proposed the Partition of Bengal on religious lines into hindu-majority Bengal and muslim-majority Eastern Bengal and Assam and put it into effect on 16 October 1905. Dacca became the capital. The partition stoked controversy among Indian nationalists, who described it as an attempt to "divide and rule" the Bengali homeland. [7] Sir Bampfylde Fuller was the province's first Lieutenant Governor. However, at the Delhi Durbar in 1911, King George V announced that the British government had decided to annul the partition. Eastern Bengal was reunited with western Bengali districts, and Assam was made a Chief-Commissionership.

Lieutenant Governors of the Province of Eastern Bengal and Assam
#NamePortraitTook officeLeft officeAppointee
1Sir Bampfylde Fuller 16 October 190520 August 1906 George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston
2 Lancelot Hare Lancelot Hare.jpg 20 August 19061911 Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
3Sir Charles Stuart Bayley 191121 March 1912 Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst

Governors of Bengal (1912–1947)

On 12 December 1911 at the Delhi Durbar, King George V announced the transfer of the seat of the Government of India from Calcutta to Delhi and the reunification of the five predominantly Bengali-speaking divisions into a Presidency (or province) of Bengal under a Governor. On 1 April 1912 Thomas Gibson-Carmichael was appointed the Governor of Bengal. Sir Frederick Burrows became the last Governor of the Bengal province following the Independence of India.

Governors of Bengal
NamePortraitTook officeLeft officeAppointee
Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael Thomas Gibson-Carmichael.jpg 1 April 191226 March 1917 Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst
Lawrence Dundas, Earl of Ronaldshay Lord Zetland.jpg 26 March 191728 March 1922 Frederic Thesiger, 3rd Baron Chelmsford
Victor Bulwer-Lytton, 2nd Earl of Lytton Lord Lytton 2nd.jpg 28 March 192228 March 1927 Rufus Isaacs, 1st Earl of Reading
Sir Francis Stanley Jackson Stanley Jackson MP.jpg 28 March 192728 March 1932 E. F. L. Wood, 1st Baron Irwin
Sir John Anderson John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley 1943.jpg 29 March 193230 May 1937 Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Earl of Willingdon
Michael Knatchbull, 5th Baron Brabourne 30 May 193723 February 1939 Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow
Sir John Arthur Herbert 1 July 19391 December 1943
Richard Casey, Baron Casey Richard Casey 1965.jpg 14 January 194419 February 1946 Archibald Wavell, 1st Viscount Wavell
Sir Frederick Burrows 19 February 194615 August 1947

See also

Notes

  1. Originally joined on 28 April 1772
  2. Earl Cornwallis from 1762; created Marquess Cornwallis in 1792.
  3. Created Marquess Wellesley in 1799.
  4. Earl of Moira prior to being created Marquess of Hastings in 1816
  5. Created Earl Amherst in 1826.
  6. Created Earl of Auckland in 1839.
  7. Created Viscount Hardinge in 1846.
  8. Created Marquess of Dalhousie in 1849.
  9. Created Earl Canning in 1859.
  10. Created Earl Canning in 1859.
  11. Oliver Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill was acting Governor-General in 1904
  12. Created Earl Mountbatten of Burma on 28 October 1947.

References

  1. Danvers, F.C. (22 June 2016). Bengal: Its Chiefs, Agents, and Governors. Forgotten Books. pp. –6. ISBN   978-1332869954.
  2. 1 2 Danvers, F.C. (22 June 2016). Bengal: Its Chiefs, Agents, and Governors. Forgotten Books. p. 21. ISBN   978-1332869954.
  3. Danvers, F.C. (22 June 2016). Bengal: Its Chiefs, Agents, and Governors. Forgotten Books. pp. 21–22. ISBN   978-1332869954.
  4. Ilbert, Sir Courtenay Peregrine (1922). The Government of India, Third Edition, revised and updated. Clarendon Press. pp. 117–118.
  5. Government of India Act 1833, Keith, Arthur Berriedale, Speeches & Documents on Indian Policy, 1750-1921, see section 41 of the Act
  6. 1 2 "Raj Bhavan Kolkata" (PDF).
  7. "Eastern Bengal and Assam - Banglapedia". En.banglapedia.org. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.