View source for Governor of Fiji

{{Short description|none}}

{{No footnotes|date=October 2025}}{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor
| body = Fiji
| insignia = Flag of the Governor of Fiji (1908-1970).svg
| insigniasize = 220px
| insigniacaption = [[List of Fijian flags#Viceregal flags|Flag of the governor of Fiji from 1908 to 1970]]
| image = 
| imagesize = 120px
| imagecaption = 
| style = [[Excellency|His Excellency]] [[The Right Honourable]]
| residence = [[Government House, Suva|Government House]], [[Suva]]
| appointer = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King/Queen of the United Kingdom]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| precursor = 
| formation = 10 October 1874
| first = [[Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead|Sir Hercules Robinson]]
| last = [[Robert Sidney Foster|Sir Robert Sidney Foster]]
| abolished = 10 October 1970
| succession = [[Governor-General of Fiji]]
| salary = 
}}
{{Politics of Fiji}}

Fiji was a British [[Colony of Fiji|Crown colony]] from 1874 to 1970, and an independent [[Dominion of Fiji|dominion]] in the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] from 1970 to 1987. During this period, the [[List of heads of state of Fiji|head of state]] was the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British monarch]], but in practice the functions of the crown were normally exercised locally by the [[governor]] prior to independence (on 10 October 1970), and by the [[Governor-General of Fiji|governor-general]] prior to the proclamation of a republic on 7 October 1987.

From 1877 to 3 July 1952, governors of Fiji were also [[High Commissioner for the Western Pacific|high commissioners for the Western Pacific]].

==List of governors of Fiji (1874–1970)==
Following is a list of people who have served as governor of Fiji.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan="2" | Portrait
! rowspan="2" | Name<br>{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! colspan="2" | Term of office
! rowspan="2" | Monarch
|-
! Took office
! Left office
|- bgcolor=#EEEEEE
| colspan="6" |'''[[Colony of Fiji]]'''
|-
| 1
| [[Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead|'''Sir Hercules Robinson''']]<br>{{small|(1824–1897)}}
| [[File:LordRosmead.jpg|60px]]
| 10 October 1874
| June 1875
| rowspan="7" | [[File:Queen Victoria by Bassano.jpg|70px]]<br />[[Queen Victoria|'''Victoria''']]
|-
| 2
| [[Arthur Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Baron Stanmore|'''Sir Arthur Hamilton-Gordon''']]<br>{{small|(1829–1912)}}
| [[File:Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon.jpg|60px]]
| 19 August 1875
| 1880
|-
| 3
| [[William Des Vœux|'''Sir William Des Vœux''']]<br>{{small|(1834–1909)}}
| [[File:Sir G. William Des Voeux.jpg|60px]]
| 20 December 1880
| 21 January 1885
|-
| —
| [[John Bates Thurston]]<br>{{small|(1836–1897)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:John Bates Thurston.jpg|60px]]
| 21 January 1885
| 1 January 1887
|-
| 4
| [[Charles Mitchell (colonial administrator)|'''Sir Charles Mitchell''']]<br>{{small|(1836–1899)}}
| [[File:Charles Mitchell.jpg|60px]]
| 1 January 1887
| February 1888
|-
| 5
| [[John Bates Thurston|'''Sir John Bates Thurston''']]<br>{{small|(1836–1897)}}
| [[File:John Bates Thurston.jpg|60px]]
| February 1888
| 7 February 1897
|-
| 6
| [[George Thomas Michael O'Brien|'''Sir George T. M. O'Brien''']]<br>{{small|(1844–1906)}}
| [[File:George Thomas Michael O'Brien.jpg|60px]]
| March 1897
| 1901
|-
| —
| [[William Allardyce|Sir William Allardyce]]<br>{{small|(1861–1930)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:William Lamond Allardyce.jpg|60px]]
| 1901
| 10 September 1902
| rowspan="4" | [[File:Edward VII in coronation robes.jpg|70px]]<br />'''[[Edward VII]]'''
|-
| 7
| [[Henry Jackson (colonial administrator)|'''Sir Henry Jackson''']]<br>{{small|(1849–1908)}}
| [[File:Henrymoorejackson.jpg|60px]]
| 10 September 1902
| 11 October 1904
|-
| 8
| [[Everard im Thurn|'''Sir Everard im Thurn''']]<br>{{small|(1852–1932)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 11 October 1904
| 1910
|-
| rowspan="2" | —
| rowspan="2" | [[Charles Henry Major|Sir Charles Major]]<br>{{small|(1860–1933)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | 1910
| rowspan="2" | 21 February 1911
|-
| rowspan="8" | [[File:Kinggeorgev1923.jpg|70px]]<br />'''[[George V]]'''
|-
| 9
| [[Francis Henry May|'''Sir Francis May''']]<br>{{small|(1860–1922)}}
| [[File:Francis Henry May.gif|60px]]
| 21 February 1911
| 25 July 1912
|-
| 10
| [[Bickham Sweet-Escott|'''Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott''']]<br>{{small|(1857–1941)}}
| [[File:Sir (Ernest) Bickham Sweet-Escott.jpg|60px]]
| 25 July 1912
| 10 October 1918
|-
| —
| [[Eyre Hutson (colonial administrator)|Sir Eyre Hutson]]<br>{{small|(1864–1936)}}<br />{{small|''Acting for Sweet-Escott''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 1915
| 1916
|-
| 11
| [[Cecil Hunter-Rodwell|'''Sir Cecil Hunter-Rodwell''']]<br>{{small|(1874–1953)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 10 October 1918
| 25 April 1925
|-
| —
| [[Eyre Hutson (colonial administrator)|Sir Eyre Hutson]]<br>{{small|(1864–1936)}}<br />{{small|''Acting for Hunter-Rodwell''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 1919
| 1919
|-
| 12
| [[Eyre Hutson (colonial administrator)|'''Sir Eyre Hutson''']]<br>{{small|(1864–1936)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 25 April 1925
| 22 November 1929
|-
| rowspan="2" | 13
| rowspan="2" | [[Murchison Fletcher|'''Sir Murchison Fletcher''']]<br>{{small|(1878–1954)}}
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Sir Murchison Fletcher.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | 22 November 1929
| rowspan="2" | May 1936
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[File:HRH The Prince of Wales No 4 (HS85-10-36416).jpg|70px]]<br />'''[[Edward VIII]]'''
|-
| —
| [[Juxon Barton|Sir Juxon Barton]]<br>{{small|(1891–1980)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| May 1936
| November 1936
|-
| rowspan="2" | 14
| rowspan="2" | [[Arthur Richards, 1st Baron Milverton|'''Sir Arthur Richards''']]<br>{{small|(1885–1978)}}
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | 28 November 1936
| rowspan="2" | August 1938
|-
| rowspan="11" | [[File:King George VI of England, formal photo portrait, circa 1940-1946.jpg|70px]]<br />'''[[George VI]]'''
|-
| —
| [[Juxon Barton|Sir Juxon Barton]]<br>{{small|(1891–1980)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| August 1938
| September 1938
|-
| 15
| [[Harry Luke|'''Sir Harry Luke''']]<br>{{small|(1884–1969)}}
| [[File:Sir HC Luke.jpg|60px]]
| 16 September 1938
| 20 July 1942
|-
| —
| [[Alexander Theodore Newboult]]<br>{{small|(1896–1964)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 20 July 1942
| 22 July 1942
|-
| 16
| [[Philip Mitchell (colonial administrator)|'''Sir Philip Mitchell''']]<br>{{small|(1890–1964)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 22 July 1942
| 12 January 1944
|-
| —
| [[John Rankine (colonial administrator)|Sir John Rankine]]<br>{{small|(1907–1987)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 12 January 1944
| 4 May 1944
|-
| —
| [[John Fearns Nicoll|Sir John Nicoll]]<br>{{small|(1899–1981)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:John Fearns Nicoll2.jpg|60px]]
| 4 May 1944
| 23 October 1944
|-
| —
| [[John Rankine (colonial administrator)|Sir John Rankine]]<br>{{small|(1907–1987)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 23 October 1944
| 1 January 1945
|-
| 17
| [[Alexander Grantham|'''Sir Alexander Grantham''']]<br>{{small|(1899–1978)}}
| [[File:Sir Alexander Grantham.jpg|center|frameless|80x80px]]
| 1 January 1945
| 21 March 1947
|-
| —
| [[John Fearns Nicoll|Sir John Nicoll]]<br>{{small|(1899–1981)}}<br />{{small|''Acting Governor''}}
| [[File:John Fearns Nicoll2.jpg|60px]]
| 21 March 1947
| 8 October 1947
|-
| rowspan="2" | 18
| rowspan="2" | [[Brian Freeston|'''Sir Brian Freeston''']]<br>{{small|(1892–1958)}}
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | 8 October 1947
| rowspan="2" | 6 October 1952
|-
| rowspan="5" | [[File:Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1959).jpg|70px]]<br />'''[[Elizabeth II]]'''
|-
| 19
| [[Ronald Garvey|'''Sir Ronald Garvey''']]<br>{{small|(1903–1991)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 6 October 1952
| 28 October 1958
|-
| 20
| [[Kenneth Maddocks|'''Sir Kenneth Maddocks''']]<br>{{small|(1907–2001)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| 28 October 1958
| 6 January 1964
|-
| 21
| [[Derek Jakeway|'''Sir Derek Jakeway''']]<br>{{small|(1915–1993)}}
| [[File:Yang Berhormat Tuan Francis Derek Jakeway.jpg|75x75px]]
| 6 January 1964
| December 1968
|-
| 22
| [[Robert Sidney Foster|'''Sir Robert Sidney Foster''']]<br>{{small|(1913–2005)}}
| [[File:Coat of arms of Fiji.svg|60px]]
| December 1968
| 10 October 1970
|}

In 1970, Fiji gained independence from the [[United Kingdom]]. After independence, the viceroy in Fiji was the [[Governor-General of Fiji|governor-general of Fiji]].

==Governor's flag==
{{gallery|mode=nolines|whitebg=y|height=100
|Flag of the Governor of Fiji (1908–1970).svg|Governor's flag, 1908&ndash;1970
|Flag of the Governor of Fiji (1903–1908).svg|Governor's flag, 1903&ndash;1908
|Flag of the Governor of Fiji (1883–1903).svg|Governor's flag, 1883&ndash;1903
|Flag of the Governor of Fiji (1877–1883).svg|Governor's flag, 1877&ndash;1883
}}

==Further reading==
* Paul Knaplund, "Sir Arthur Gordon and Fiji: Some Gordon-Gladstone Letters." ''Historical Studies: Australia and New Zealand'' 8#31 (1958) pp 281–296.

==See also==
*[[Governor-General of Fiji]]
*[[List of heads of state of Fiji]]

{{Fiji topics}}
{{British dependencies governors|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Lists of governors and heads of sub-national entities|Fiji, Governors]]
[[Category:Colony of Fiji]]
[[Category:Political history of Fiji]]
[[Category:Governors of Fiji| ]]
[[Category:High commissioners for the Western Pacific]]
[[Category:Lists of British colonial governors and administrators|Fiji]]