# List of governors of the Straits Settlements

The governor of the Straits Settlements was appointed by the British East India Company until 1867, when the Straits Settlements became a Crown colony. Thereafter the governor was appointed by the Colonial Office. The position existed from 1826 to 1946. Between 1942 and 1945 the office was not filled, as the Straits Settlements was under Japanese occupation. From the late 19th century onward, the governor of the Straits Settlements was usually also British High Commissioner in Malaya and Brunei and British Agent for Sarawak and British North Borneo.

## List of British governors (1826–1946)

British Straits Settlements :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Origin | Background or previous appointment | Monarch |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) | Took office | Left office | Duration | Origin | Background or previous appointment | Monarch |
| 1 | | Robert Fullerton (1773–1831) | 27 November 1826 | 12 November 1830 | 3 years, 11 months | Edinburgh, Scotland | Second Member of Council, and President of the Board of Trade | George IV |
| 1 | | Robert Fullerton (1773–1831) | 27 November 1826 | 12 November 1830 | 3 years, 11 months | Edinburgh, Scotland | Second Member of Council, and President of the Board of Trade | William IV |
| 2 | | Robert Ibbetson (1789–1880) | 12 November 1830 | 7 December 1833 | 3 years, 25 days | England | Resident Councillor of Prince of Wales Island | William IV |
| 3 | | Kenneth Murchison (1794–1854) | 7 December 1833 | 17 November 1836 | 2 years, 11 months | Scotland | Resident Councillor of Straits Settlements | William IV |
| 4 | | Sir Samuel George Bonham (1803–1863) | 18 November 1836 | January 1843 | ~ 6 years, 1 month | Kent, England | Resident Councillor of Straits Settlements | William IV |
| 4 | | Sir Samuel George Bonham (1803–1863) | 18 November 1836 | January 1843 | ~ 6 years, 1 month | Kent, England | Resident Councillor of Straits Settlements | Victoria |
| Victoria ||||||||
| 5 | | Major General William John Butterworth (1801–1856) | August 1843 | 21 March 1855 | ~ 11 years, 9 months | Unknown | Lieutenant-Colonel of the 38th Madras Regiment | Victoria |
| 6 | | Edmund Augustus Blundell (1804–1868) | 21 March 1855 | 6 August 1859 | 4 years, 4 months | Somerset, England | Resident Councillor of Penang | Victoria |
| Victoria ||||||||
| 7 | | Major General Sir William Orfeur Cavenagh (1820–1891) | 6 August 1859 | 16 March 1867 | 7 years, 7 months | Kent, England | British Indian Army | Victoria |
| Victoria ||||||||
| 8 | | Major General Sir Harry St. George Ord (1819–1885) | 16 March 1867 | 4 March 1871 | 3 years, 11 months | Kent, England | Special Commissioner to West Africa | Victoria |
| — | | Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson (1826–1925) 1st time Acting | 4 March 1871 | 22 March 1872 | 1 year and 18 days | London, England | Lieutenant Governor of Penang | Victoria |
| 8 | | Major General Sir Harry St. George Ord (1819–1885) | 22 March 1872 | 3 November 1873 | 1 year, 7 months | Kent, England | Colonial administrator | Victoria |
| — | | Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson (1826–1925) 2nd time Acting | 3 November 1873 | 4 November 1873 | 1 day | London, England | Lieutenant Governor of Penang | Victoria |
| 9 | | Sir Andrew Clarke (1824–1902) | 4 November 1873 | 8 May 1875 | 1 year, 6 months | Hampshire, England | Director of Works at the Admiralty | Victoria |
| 10 | | Sir William Jervois (1821–1897) | 8 May 1875 | 3 April 1877 | 1 year, 10 months | Isle of Wight, England | Colonel of the Royal Engineers | Victoria |
| — | | Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson (1826–1925) 3rd time Acting | 3 April 1877 | August 1877 | ~ 4 months | London, England | Lieutenant Governor of Penang | Victoria |
| 11 | | Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson (1834–1897) | August 1877 | 10 February 1879 | ~ 1 year, 5 months | County Westmeath, Ireland | Governor of Western Australia | Victoria |
| — | | Major General Edward Archibald Harbord Anson (1826–1925) 4th time Acting | 10 February 1879 | 16 May 1880 | 1 year, 3 months | London, England | Lieutenant Governor of Penang | Victoria |
| 12 | | Sir Frederick Weld (1823–1891) | 16 May 1880 | 17 October 1887 | 7 years, 5 months | Dorset, England | Governor of Tasmania | Victoria |
| 13 | | Sir Cecil Clementi Smith (1840–1916) | 17 October 1887 | 30 August 1893 | 5 years, 10 months | London, England | Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements | Victoria |
| — | | William Edward Maxwell (1846–1897) Acting | 30 August 1893 | 1 February 1894 | 5 months and 2 days | unknown | Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements | Victoria |
| 14 | | Sir Charles Mitchell (1836–1899) Died while in office | 1 February 1894 | 7 December 1899 | 5 years, 10 months | London, England | Governor of Natal | Victoria |
| — | | James Alexander Swettenham (1846–1933) Acting | 7 December 1899 | 5 November 1901 | 1 year, 10 months | Derbyshire, England | Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements | Victoria |
| — | | James Alexander Swettenham (1846–1933) Acting | 7 December 1899 | 5 November 1901 | 1 year, 10 months | Derbyshire, England | Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements | Edward VII |
| 15 | | Sir Frank Swettenham (1850–1946) | 5 November 1901 | 16 April 1904 | 2 years, 5 months | Derbyshire, England | Resident-General of the Federated Malay States | Edward VII |
| 16 | | Sir John Anderson (1858–1918) | 16 April 1904 | 2 September 1911 | 7 years, 4 months | Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Colonial administrator | Edward VII |
| 16 | | Sir John Anderson (1858–1918) | 16 April 1904 | 2 September 1911 | 7 years, 4 months | Aberdeenshire, Scotland | Colonial administrator | George V |
| 17 | | Sir Arthur Henderson Young (1854–1938) | 2 September 1911 | 17 February 1920 | 8 years, 5 months | unknown | Resident-General of the Federated Malay States | George V |
| 18 | | Sir Laurence Guillemard (1862–1951) | 17 February 1920 | 3 June 1927 | 7 years, 3 months | unknown | Colonial administrator | George V |
| 19 | | Sir Hugh Clifford (1866–1941) | 3 June 1927 | 21 October 1929 | 2 years, 4 months | London, England | Governor of British Ceylon | George V |
| — | | Sir John Scott (1878 – 1946) Acting | 21 October 1929 | 5 February 1930 | 3 months and 15 days | unknown | Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements | George V |
| 20 | | Sir Cecil Clementi (1875–1947) | 5 February 1930 | 17 February 1934 | 4 years and 12 days | Cawnpore, British India | Governor of Hong Kong | George V |
| — | | Sir Andrew Caldecott (1884–1951) Acting | 17 February 1934 | 9 November 1934 | 8 months and 23 days | Kent, England | Colonial Secretary of Straits Settlements | George V |
| | | Sir Shenton Thomas (1879–1962) | 9 November 1934 | 15 February 1942 | 7 years, 3 months | London, England | Governor of the Gold Coast | George V |
| 21 | | Sir Shenton Thomas (1879–1962) | 9 November 1934 | 15 February 1942 | 7 years, 3 months | London, England | Governor of the Gold Coast | George V |
| 21 | | Sir Shenton Thomas (1879–1962) | 9 November 1934 | 15 February 1942 | 7 years, 3 months | London, England | Governor of the Gold Coast | Edward VIII |
| 21 | | Sir Shenton Thomas (1879–1962) | 9 November 1934 | 15 February 1942 | 7 years, 3 months | London, England | Governor of the Gold Coast | George VI |
| Japanese occupation of Singapore From 15 February 1942 to 12 September 1945. |||||||||
| British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | British Military Administration of the Straits Settlements From 12 September 1945 to 31 March 1946. | George VI |
| — | | Lord Louis Mountbatten (1900–1979) British High Command | 12 September 1945 | 31 March 1946 | 6 months and 19 days | Berkshire, England | Supreme Allied Commander of the Southeast Asia Theatre | George VI |
| George VI ||||||||
| 21 | | Sir Shenton Thomas (1879–1962) | 12 September 1945 | 31 March 1946 | 6 months and 19 days | London, England | Colonial administrator | George VI |
| George VI ||||||||