View source for Governor of Southern Rhodesia

{{Short description|Representative of the monarch in Southern Rhodesia}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Governor
| body = Southern Rhodesia
| insignia = Flag of the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1952–1970).svg
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = Flag of the governor from 1952 to 1980
| image = Christopher Soames (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 120px
| imagecaption = '''Last in office'''<br />'''[[Christopher Soames|The Lord Soames]]'''<br />11 December 1979 – 18 April 1980
| style = [[Excellency|His Excellency]] [[The Right Honourable]]
| residence = [[State House (Zimbabwe)|Government House]], Salisbury (now [[Harare]])
| appointer = [[Monarch of the United Kingdom]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| precursor = 
| formation = 1 October 1923
| first = Sir [[John Chancellor (colonial administrator)|John Chancellor]]
| last = [[Christopher Soames]]
| abolished = 18 April 1980
| succession = 
| salary = 
}}
{{Politics of Rhodesia}}

The '''governor of Southern Rhodesia''' was the representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British monarch]] in the self-governing colony of [[Southern Rhodesia]] from 1923 to 1980. The governor was appointed by [[the Crown]] and acted as the local [[head of state]], receiving instructions from the [[Government of the United Kingdom|British government]].

Rhodesia's 1965 [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|Unilateral Declaration of Independence]] resulted in the Rhodesian government ceasing to recognise the authority of the governor, and the [[1969 Rhodesian constitutional referendum]] resulted in Rhodesia declaring itself a republic, independent from the British monarchy. Britain still considered the territory its colony and continued to maintain the office, albeit allowing it be vacant from 1969–1979. Following the [[Lancaster House Agreement]] the office was filled from December 1979 until April 1980 whereupon Britain formally recognised the territory as the independent republic of [[Zimbabwe]], and the office of governor was thereafter abolished.

==Constitutional role==
The governor was also commander-in-chief of the armed forces and as such, in theory at least, exercised considerable influence over the running of the colony and its government, but in practice, the governor's main function was to maintain a satisfactory relationship between the British and Southern Rhodesian Governments and acted in an advisory capacity most of the time. From 1951, however, in contrast to other colonies, the British government was represented in Southern Rhodesia by a High Commissioner in Salisbury (now [[Harare]]).<ref name="lloyd">[https://books.google.com/books?id=QeqwCQAAQBAJ&dq=salisbury+rhodesia+%22accredited+diplomatic+representative%22&pg=PA240 ''Diplomacy with a Difference: the Commonwealth Office of High Commissioner, 1880–2006''], Lorna Lloyd, BRILL, 2007, page 240</ref>

When Southern Rhodesia was part of the [[Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland]], the position of the governor remained unchanged, but as Salisbury became the capital of the Federation, the [[Governor-General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland|governor general]] resided at [[State House (Zimbabwe)|Government House]], previously the governor's official residence.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=MIUsAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Government+House+in+Salisbury%22 ''Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Newsletter''], Issues 27-52,, 1960, page 428</ref> During this time, the governor of Southern Rhodesia resided at Governor's Lodge in the suburb of [[Highlands, Harare|Highlands]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=tk0UAAAAIAAJ&q=%22governor%27s+lodge%22+ ''Year Book and Guide of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland, with Biographies''], Rhodesian Publications, Limited, 1962, page 33</ref>

==UDI==
Following the [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|Unilateral Declaration of Independence]] in 1965, the [[Cabinet of Rhodesia|government]] of [[Ian Smith]] ceased to recognise the authority of the then governor, Sir [[Humphrey Gibbs]], and appointed [[Clifford Dupont]] to exercise the governor's powers as [[Administrator of the government#Rhodesia|Officer Administering the Government]].<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vzNIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qgANAAAAIBAJ&pg=782%2C2383897 Ian Smith Strips Gibbs Of All Official Privilege], Associated Press, ''[[The Morning Record]]'', November 18, 1965</ref>

However, Gibbs continued to occupy Government House, asserting his position as the Queen's ''de jure'' representative, and did not resign from the post until June 1969, following the decision of white voters in a [[1969 Rhodesian constitutional referendum|referendum]] to approve a new constitution declaring Rhodesia, as Southern Rhodesia had become more commonly known, a republic.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081214134004/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900929,00.html "Final Break"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', June 27, 1969.</ref>

In 1977, [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Michael Carver]] was designated Resident Commissioner for Rhodesia, but he resigned fourteen months later.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/dec/12/guardianobituaries Obituary: Field Marshal Lord Carver], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 12 December 2001</ref>

The office of governor remained vacant until 11 December 1979, when [[Christopher Soames|Lord Soames]] assumed the post, following the signing of the [[Lancaster House Agreement]], under which Southern Rhodesia would achieve ''de jure'' independence as Zimbabwe on 18 April 1980.

==Flag==
[[File:Flag of the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1924–1951).svg|thumb|right|Flag of the governor of [[Southern Rhodesia]] (1924–1951)]]
[[File:Flag of the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1951–1952).svg|thumb|right|Flag of the governor of [[Southern Rhodesia]] (1951–1952), featuring the [[Tudor Crown (heraldry)|Tudor Crown]].]]
[[File:Flag of the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1952–1970).svg|thumb|right|Flag of the governor of [[Southern Rhodesia]] (1952–1980), featuring [[St Edward's Crown]].]]

In common with most other British colonies, the flag used by the governor, as the Sovereign's representative in Southern Rhodesia, was initially a Union Flag with a white roundel in the centre, charged with the shield from the colony's arms granted on 11 August 1924. Unique among the flags of the governors of British colonies, this shield of Arms was not surrounded by the customary wreath. This flag was adopted on 1 October 1924 and was flown until 30 July 1951.

On 31 July 1951, a new flag was put into use for the governor of Southern Rhodesia. This was dark blue and charged in the centre with a Royal Crown, its height being four-sevenths of the hoist. Initially the [[Tudor Crown (heraldry)|Tudor Crown]] would have been used, but after her accession to the throne in 1952, [[Elizabeth II]] indicated her preference for [[St Edward's Crown]], and this version would have been used thereafter. Although the colony had attained '[[Responsible Government]]' in 1923, it was never a fully fledged [[Dominion]], and so did not have a [[governor-general]], whose flag in other Dominions would be dark blue, charged in the centre with the Royal Crest above a Crown, with the name of the Dominion written in a yellow scroll below.

==List of governors of Southern Rhodesia==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2 | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan=2 | Portrait
! rowspan=2 | Name<br />{{small|(Birth–Death)}}
! colspan=3 | Term of office
! rowspan=2 | Monarch
! rowspan=2 | [[Prime Minister of Rhodesia|Prime Minister]]
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Time in office
|-
! 1
| [[File:John Chancellor portrait.jpg|60px]]
| Sir [[John Chancellor (colonial administrator)|John Chancellor]]<br />{{small|(1870–1952)}}
| {{nowrap|1 October}} 1923
| {{nowrap|15 June}} 1928
| {{Age in years and days|1923|10|1|1928|6|15}}
| rowspan="4"|[[George V]]
| [[Charles Coghlan (politician)|Coghlan]]<br />[[Howard Unwin Moffat|Moffat]]
|-
! –
| [[File:Murray Bisset in 1901.png|60px]]
| Sir [[Murray Bisset]]<br />{{small|(1876–1931)<br />''Acting''}}
| {{nowrap|15 June}} 1928
| {{nowrap|24 November}} 1928
| {{Age in years and days|1928|6|15|1928|11|24}}
| Moffat
|-
! 2
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[Cecil Hunter-Rodwell]]<br />{{small|(1874–1953)}}
| {{nowrap|24 November}} 1928
| {{nowrap|1 May}} 1934
| {{Age in years and days|1928|11|24|1934|5|1}}
| Moffat<br />[[George Mitchell (Rhodesian politician)|Mitchell]]<br />[[Godfrey Huggins|Huggins]]
|-
! –
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| [[Fraser Russell]]<br />{{small|(1876–1952)<br />''Acting''}}
| {{nowrap|1 May}} 1934
| {{nowrap|8 January}} 1935
| {{Age in years and days|1934|5|1|1935|1|8}}
| rowspan="8"|Huggins
|-
! 3
| [[File:Sir Herbert James Stanley.jpg|60px]]
| Sir [[Herbert Stanley]]<br />{{small|(1872–1955)}}
| {{nowrap|8 January}} 1935
| {{nowrap|8 January}} 1942
| {{Age in years and days|1935|1|8|1942|1|8}}
| George V<br />[[Edward VIII]]<br />[[George VI]]
|-
! –
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| [[Fraser Russell]]<br />{{small|(1876–1952)<br />''Acting''}}
| {{nowrap|8 January}} 1942
| {{nowrap|10 December}} 1942
| {{Age in years and days|1942|1|8|1942|12|10}}
| rowspan="6"|George VI
|-
! 4
| [[File:Evelyn Baring 1926.jpg|60px]]
| Sir [[Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale|Evelyn Baring]]<br />{{small|(1903–1973)}}
| {{nowrap|10 December}} 1942
| {{nowrap|26 October}} 1944
| {{Age in years and days|1942|12|10|1944|10|26}}
|-
! –
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[Robert James Hudson]]<br />{{small|(1885–1963)<br />''Acting''}}
| {{nowrap|26 October}} 1944
| {{nowrap|20 February}} 1945
| {{Age in years and days|1944|10|26|1945|2|20}}
|-
! 5
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[Campbell Tait]]<br />{{small|(1886–1946)}}<br />{{efn|[[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] Tait's health rapidly declined shortly after he arrived in Southern Rhodesia. He relinquished the governorship after only a year, and died five months later at Government House in [[Harare|Salisbury]].}}
| {{nowrap|20 February}} 1945
| {{nowrap|2 February}} 1946
| {{Age in years and days|1945|2|20|1946|2|2}}
|-
! –
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[Fraser Russell]]<br />{{small|(1876–1952)<br />''Acting''}}<br />{{efn|Russell had been appointed a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire|KBE]] in the [[1943 New Year Honours]], announced in December 1942.}}
| {{nowrap|2 February}} 1946
| {{nowrap|19 July}} 1946
| {{Age in years and days|1946|2|2|1946|7|19}}
|-
! –
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[Robert James Hudson]]<br />{{small|(1885–1963)<br />''Acting''}}
| {{nowrap|19 July}} 1946
| {{nowrap|14 January}} 1947
| {{Age in years and days|1946|7|19|1947|1|14}}
|-
! 6
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[John Kennedy (British Army officer, born 1893)|John Noble Kennedy]]<br />{{small|(1893–1970)}}
| {{nowrap|14 January}} 1947
| {{nowrap|21 November}} 1953
| {{Age in years and days|1947|1|14|1953|11|21}}
| George VI<br />[[Elizabeth II]]
| Huggins<br />[[Garfield Todd|Todd]]
|-
! –
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| Sir [[Robert Clarkson Tredgold]]<br />{{small|(1899–1977)<br />''Acting''}}
| {{nowrap|21 November}} 1953
| {{nowrap|26 November}} 1954
| {{Age in years and days|1953|11|21|1954|11|26}}
| rowspan="5"|Elizabeth II
| Todd
|-
! 7
| [[File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-43-15.jpg|60px]]
| Sir [[Peveril William-Powlett]]<br />{{small|(1898–1985)}}
| {{nowrap|26 November}} 1954
| {{nowrap|28 December}} 1959
| {{Age in years and days|1954|11|26|1959|12|28}}
| Todd<br />[[Edgar Whitehead|Whitehead]]
|-
! 8
| [[File:Humphrey Gibbs 1948 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| Sir [[Humphrey Gibbs]]<br />{{small|(1902–1990)}}<br />{{efn|Gibbs' position was not recognised by the Smith's government after the [[Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence|UDI]] on 11 November 1965.}}
| {{nowrap|28 December}} 1959
| {{nowrap|24 June}} 1969
| {{Age in years and days|1959|12|28|1969|6|24}}
| Whitehead<br />[[Winston Field|Field]]<br />[[Ian Smith|Smith]]
|-
| colspan="6"|''Position vacant (24 June 1969 – 11 December 1979)''{{efn|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Michael Carver]] was named as Resident Commissioner-designate on 1 September 1977.}}
|
|-
! 9
| [[File:Christopher Soames (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| [[Christopher Soames]], Baron Soames<br />{{small|(1920–1987)}}
| {{nowrap|11 December}} 1979
| {{nowrap|18 April}} 1980
| {{Age in years and days|1979|12|11|1980|4|18}}
| ''Position abolished''
|}

For continuation after independence, ''see: ''[[President of Zimbabwe]]

==See also==
* [[President of Rhodesia]]
* [[Prime Minister of Rhodesia]]
* [[President of Zimbabwe]]
* [[Prime Minister of Zimbabwe]]
* [[Governor-General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Governors of Southern Rhodesia}}
{{Southern Rhodesia topics}}
{{British dependencies governors|state= collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Governor Of Southern Rhodesia}}
[[Category:Lists of British colonial governors and administrators|Rhodesia, Southern]]
[[Category:Governors of Southern Rhodesia| ]]
[[Category:Lists of political office-holders in Zimbabwe|Governor]]
[[Category:Lists of Rhodesian people|Governors]]
[[Category:Zimbabwe and the Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Category:1923 establishments in Southern Rhodesia]]
[[Category:1980 disestablishments in Zimbabwe]]