Governors of Bencoolen
Open-knowledge reference entry
This is a list of governors, deputy governors, residents, and lieutenant-governors of the presidency and residency versions of British Bencoolen.
List
Deputy governors
Subordinated to Madras Presidency
1685: Ralph Ord
1685 – 1690: Benjamin Bloom
1690 – 1691: James Sowdon
1691 – 1695: Charles Fleetwood
1695 – 1696: Charles Barwell
1696 – 1699: Matthew Mildmay
1699 – 1700: Robert Broughton
1700 – 17 Dec 1705: Richard Watts
1705 – 1708: Matthew Ridley
1708: James Cross
1708: Abraham Hoyle
1708: John Delapie
1708 – 1710: Robert Skingle
1710: Jeremiah Harrison (Supervisor)
1710 – 1711: Anthony Ettricke
1711 – 1712: John Daniell
1712 John Hunter
1712 – 1716: Joseph Collett - On 1 September 1712, Collett arrived at York Fort in Bencoolen in Sumatra and was subsequently appointed Governor.
1716 – 1717: Theophilus Shyllinge
1717 – 1718: Richard Farmer
1718 – 1719: Thomas Cooke (Supervisor)
1719 – 1723: Isaac Pyke
1723: Thomas Dunster
1723 – 1728: Joseph Walsh
1728 – 1730: Nicholas Morse
1730 – 1731: Stephen Newcome
1731 – 1736: Francis Everest
1736 – 1746: Robert Lennox
1746 – 1752: Joseph Hurlock
1752 – 1754: Robert Hindley
1754 – 1755: John Walsh (Supervisor)
1755: John Pybus
1755 – 1756: Thomas Combes
1757 – 1758: Randolph Marriott
1758 – 2 April 1760: Roger Carter
2 Apr 1760 – 1760: Charles Henri Hector d'Estaing (French Commander)
Governors of Bencoolen Presidency
Feb 1762 – Jul 1762: Samuel Ardley (acting)
1760 – 1767: Roger Carter
1767 – 1776: Richard Wyatt
1776: Robert Hay
1776 – 1780: William Broff
1780 – 1781: Hew Steuart
1781 – 1785: Edward Coles
In 1785, Bencoolen became a Residency, within the Bengal Presidency
Deputy governors of Bencoolen
1785 – 1786: John Crisp (1st time)
1786 – 1787: Thomas Palmer
1787 – 1789: George Salmon (Supervisor)
1789 – 1793: John Crisp (2nd time)
1793 – 1799: Robert Broff
1799: John Crisp (3rd time)
1799 – 1800: Philip Braham (acting)
1800 – 1805: Walter Ewer
Residents of Bencoolen
April 1805 – 23 December 1807: Thomas Parr
1808 – 1810: Richard Parry
1810 – 1812: William Parker
1812 – 22 Mar 1818: George John Siddons
Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen
1818 – 1824: Stamford Raffles - who enacted major reforms, including the abolishment of slavery, as well as founding of Singapore.
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