The Governor of Hong Kong was a British official who ruled Hong Kong during the colonial period between 1841 and 1997 and was ex officio Commander-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral of Hong Kong.

Governor of Hong Kong's Flag 1959-1997

Upon the reunification of Hong Kong with the People's Republic of China in 1997, this office was replaced by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.

The Governor, appointed by the British monarch, maintained executive power in Hong Kong throughout British rule, and with the exception of a brief experiment after World War II, there was no serious attempt was being made to introduce representative government, until the final years prior to the reunification. The Governor appointed most, if not all, of the members of the colony's legislature the Legislative Council (known colloquially as LegCo) until the first direct elections of LegCo in 1991, and all members of the Executive Council (ExCo), effectively the cabinet of the colonial government. Initially both Councils were dominated by British expatriates, although this gave way to more local Hong Kong Chinese appointees in later years. Most recent governors of Hong Kong were professional diplomats, but the last Governor, Chris Patten, was a career politician.

Hong Kong British Ensign 1959-1997

Residences of the governors

• The first governor, Sir Henry Pottinger resided in the Former French Mission Building from 1843 to 1846. The building is now housing the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. His successor, John Francis Davis also lived there for a while, before moving to Caine road.
• From the 4th governor (Sir John Bowring) until the last one (Chris Patten), governors resided at the Government House.

List

Hong Kong had 28 governors, and 9 administrators (whose names are further indented in the following list).

January 1841 - August 1841 - Captain Elliot (Administrator)

August 1841 - June 1843 - Sir Henry Pottinger (Administrator)

1. June 1843 - May 1844 - Sir Henry Pottinger (Governor)
2. May 1844 - March 1848 - Sir John Francis Davis
3. March 1848 - April 1854 - Sir Samuel George Bonham
4. April 1854 - May 1859 - Sir John Bowring
5. September 1859 - March 1865 - Lord Hercules George Robert Robinson

   March 1865 - March 1866 - Wiliam T. Mercer (Administrator)

6. March 1866 - April 1872 - Sir Richard Graves Macdonell
7. April 1872 - March 1877 - Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy
8. April 1877 - March 1882 - Sir John Pope Hennessy

   March 1882 - March 1883 - Sir William H. Marsh (Administrator)

9. March 1883 - December 1885 - Sir George Ferguson Bowen

   December 1885 - April 1887 - Sir William H. Marsh (Administrator)

   April 1887 - October 1887 - Major-General N.G. Cameron (Administrator)

10. October 1887 - May 1891 - Sir George William Des Voeux

    May 1891 - December 1891 - Major-General Digby Barker (Administrator)

11. December 1891 - January 1898 - Sir William Robinson

    February 1898 - November 1898 - Major-General W. Black (Administrator)

12. November 1898 - July 1903 - Sir Henry Arthur Blake

    November 1903 - July 1904 - Sir Francis H. May (Administrator)

13. July 1904 - April 1907 - Sir Matthew Nathan
14. July 1907 - March 1912 - Lord Frederick Lugard
15. July 1912 - February 1919 - Sir Francis Henry May
16. September 1919 - October 1925 - Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs
17. November 1925 - February 1930 - Sir Cecil Clementi
18. May 1930 - May 1935 - Sir William Peel
19. December 1935 - April 1937 - Sir Andrew Caldecott
20. November 1937 - May 1940 - Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote
21. September 1941 - May 1947 - Sir Mark Aitchison Young
22. July 1947 - December 1957 - Sir Alexander William George Herder Grantham
23. January 1958 - March 1964 - Sir Robert Brown Black
24. April 1964 - October 1971 - Sir David Clive Crosbie Trench
25. November 1971 - May 1982 - Lord MacLehose of Beoch
26. May 1982 - December 1986 - Sir Edward Youde
27. April 1987 - July 1992 - Lord Wilson of Tillyorn
28. July 1992 - June 1997 - Christopher Francis Patten