Governor of Ascension

The Governor of Ascension is the representative of the monarch in Ascension Island, a constituent part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the governor is to act as the de facto head of state.

Governor of Ascension
Coat of arms of Ascension
Incumbent
Nigel Phillips
since 13 August 2022
StyleHis Excellency
AppointerMonarch of the United Kingdom
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Formation2009
First holderAndrew Gurr
Politics of Ascension Island
The Crown
Government
Judiciary
Other

Prior to 2009 Ascension Island was a dependency of Saint Helena and therefore directly represented by the Governor of Saint Helena. The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009 made Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha equal constituent parts of the territory with their own governments and established the position of Governor of Ascension.[1] Per Section 143 of the Constitution Order the person appointed as Governor of Saint Helena is ex officio Governor of Ascension. However, as Ascension Island is 809 miles (1,302 km) away from Saint Helena, an Administrator of Ascension is appointed to act as the Governor's representative on the island. This arrangement predates the current constitutional structure and the first Administrator was appointed in 1942.

The Administrator of Ascension is formally referred to as "His Honour" or "Her Honour."

Commandants, 1815–1922
CommandantFromUntil Notes
James Kearney White22 October 1815March 1816
William RobertsMarch 1816August 1817
James ThornAugust 1817September 1819
Robert CampbellSeptember 1819March 1823
Edward NicollsMarch 1823November 1828First Royal Marines officer as commandant
William Bate3 November 182815 April 1838Died in office
Hugh EvansApril 1838January 1839
Roger Sawrey TinklarJanuary 183914 September 1840Died in office
J. WadeSeptember 1840December 1840Acting
W. LeeDecember 1840April 1841Acting
H. BennettApril 1841December 1841Died in office
W. LeeDecember 1841July 1842Acting; second time
Thomas Peard DwyerJuly 1842April 1844
T. C. C. MooreApril 1844May 1844
John FraserMay 184411 October 1844
Arthur Fleming Morrell11 October 184418 January 1847
Frederick Hutton18 January 1847October 1851
William Hewgill KitchenOctober 1851June 1855
George Alexander SeymourJune 1855March 1858
William Farquharson BurnettMarch 1858July 1861
Frederick Lamport BarnardJuly 1861March 1864
Joseph Grant BickfordMarch 1864June 1864
F. HammondJune 1864September 1866
Walter James Hunt-GrubbeSeptember 1866March 1867
Arthur WilmshurstMarch 1867November 1868
J. G. MeadNovember 1868May 1869
R. W. EvansMay 1869October 1869
E. F. KirbyOctober 1869October 1872
John Brazier CreaghOctober 1872January 1874
James Wylie EastJanuary 1874February 1877
Henry Bouchier PhillimoreFebruary 1877December 1878
Arthur George Robertson RoeDecember 1878September 1882
George ParsonsSeptember 1882October 1886
Richard Henry NapierOctober 1886June 1890
Richard EvansJune 1890May 1893
J. G. JonesMay 1893May 1896
John Edric BlaxlandMay 1896July 1899
George Northmore Arthur PollardJuly 189913 May 1902
Robert Kyle McAlpine13 May 190213 March 1905
Reginald Hallward Morgan13 March 190529 April 1908
J. W. Dunstan29 April 190827 April 1910
G. Carpenter27 April 191021 April 1913
Henry Cleeve Bennett21 April 19138 June 1919
Harold George Grant8 June 191915 October 1920
Charles Arthur Tennyson15 October 192031 October 1922

Resident-magistrates, 1922–1964
Resident-magistrateFromUntil Notes
W. Haining19221925
E. Lee Lander19251928
Fred Wood19281929
E. A. Willmott19291934
Lionel Bartlett19341936
Percy Edwin Bunker19361938
C. Nias19381938
Percy Edwin Bunker19381939Second time
Stephen Harold Cardwell19391944
Maurice Campbell Clark19441947
V. W. Oelrichs1 July 19471949
Herbert Louis Nicholson Ascough15 July 19491951
F. G. Eastwood1 February 19511952
B. Stephens14 April 19521954
A. R. Harrison1 November 19541955
F. J. Atkins10 October 19551956
A. R. Harrison5 March 195618 May 1958Second time
B. R. Irving18 May 19584 November 1958
A. R. Harrison4 November 195830 April 1961Third time
J. R. Bruce30 April 196128 June 1962
J. Markham28 June 196221 December 1962
J. R. Bruce21 December 19621964Second time

Administrators, 1964–present
AdministratorFromUntil Notes
M. E. WainwrightJune 1964September 1966
Anthony Grant Ayerst BeytsSeptember 1966September 1967
H. W. D. McDonaldJune 1968September 1973
Geoffrey Colin GuySeptember 1973November 1976
G. McDonaldNovember 1976June 1977
G. B. KendalJune 1977September 1977
Simon GillettSeptember 1977June 1979
P. DuncanJune 1979September 1980
Bernard Edward PauncefortSeptember 1980August 1982
Ian George ThowAugust 1982August 1984
Michael T. S. BlickAugust 1984January 1989
J. J. BealeJanuary 1989February 1991
Brian Norman ConnellyFebruary 1991June 1995
Roger C. HuxleyJune 199523 July 1999
Geoffrey Fairhurst23 July 199910 July 2002
Andrew Michael Kettlewell22 September 2002September 2005
Michael Thomas HillSeptember 2005September 2008
Ross DennySeptember 20089 September 2011
Colin Wells27 October 2011August 2014
Marc Holland26 August 2014[2]March 2018
Justine Allan26 March 201825 November 2018
Steven Chandler9 March 2019[3]16 March 2020
Sean Burns17 March 2020[4]2 November 2022
Simon Minshull2 November 2022Incumbent

Governors, 2009–present

Prior to 2009 Ascension was a dependency of Saint Helena and therefore directly represented by the Governor of Saint Helena.

References
  1. "Constitution of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Order 2009". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  2. "Swearing in of new Administrator – Ascension Island Government".
  3. "New Administrator Arrives – Ascension Island Government". Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  4. "Administrator Sean Burns Begins Official Duties – Ascension Island Government".
  5. "Foreign & Commonwealth Office – Change of Her Majesty's Governor of St Helena". Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  6. "Change of Governor of St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 4 December 2018.
  7. "Arrival of new Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha". St Helena Government. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.


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