The Governor of Plymouth was the military Captain or Governor of the Fortress of Plymouth. The Governorship was abolished in 1842. The Lieutenant Governorship was vested in the General Officer Commanding Western District from 1793 to 1903, and in the Officer Commanding Plymouth Garrison from 1903 until that post was abolished.

Governors of Plymouth

*1596–1601: Sir

Ferdinando Gorges Sir Ferdinando Gorges ( – 24 May 1647) was a naval and military commander and governor of the important port of Plymouth in England. He was involved in Essex's Rebellion against the Queen, but escaped punishment by testifying against the m ...

(removed from office, 1601) *1601–1602: Sir Nicholas Parker *1603–1629: Sir

(restored to office) *1629–1638: James Bagge (jointly) *1638–1643: Sir Jacob Astley *1643: William Ruthven (Parliamentarian) *1644 (?): Col. William II Gould (1615-1644) of

Floyer Hayes Floyer Hayes was an historic manor in the parish of St Thomas on the southern side of the City of Exeter in Devon, England, from which city it is separated by the River Exe.Risdon, 1811 Additions, p.374 It took its name from the ancient fam ...

, Exeter, after whose tenure "Mount Gold" in Plymouth is named. He was buried at St Andrew's, Plymouth. *1645–1645: John Robartes, 2nd Baron Robartes *1645–?1659:

Ralph Weldon Ralph Weldon (baptised 1606 – 1676) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1654 to 1656. He fought in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War. Weldon was the son of Sir Anthony Weldon of Swanscombe, Kent. He wa ...

(Parliamentarian) *1659–1659:

John Desborough John DesboroughAlso spelt John Disbrowe and John Desborow (the latter in the Indemnity and Oblivion Act, section XLIII) (1608–1680) was an English soldier and politician who supported the parliamentary cause during the English Civil War. ...

*1660–1661: Sir William Morice *1661–1696: John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath *1696–1722: Major General Charles Trelawny *1722–1745: Charles Churchill *1745–1752:

John Murray, 2nd Earl of Dunmore John Murray, 2nd Earl of Dunmore (31 October 1685 – 18 April 1752), also Viscount of Fincastle and Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tullimet, was a Scottish peer and British Army general. The second son of Charles Murray, 1st Earl of Dunmo ...

*1752–1759: John Ligonier, 1st Viscount Ligonier *1759–1760: Richard Onslow *1760–1784:

John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave General John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave (28 April 1718 – 22 October 1784) was a British politician and soldier. Career Waldegrave was the youngest son of the 1st Earl Waldegrave. He joined the 1st Regiment of Foot in 1735, rising to the r ...

*1784–1805:

Lord George Lennox General Lord George Henry Lennox (29 November 1737 – 25 March 1805) was a British Army officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1761 to 1790. Early life He was the second son of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond, and ...

*1805–1807:

John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham General John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham, also 2nd Viscount Pitt and 2nd Baron Chatham, (9 October 1756 – 24 September 1835) was a British soldier and politician. He spent a lengthy period in the cabinet but is best known for commanding the dis ...

*1807–1808: Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake *1808–1814:

William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB PC (10 August 172912 July 1814) was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in the Colonies during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three brot ...

*1814–1819:

Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond General Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox, 4th Duke of Aubigny, (9 December 176428 August 1819) was a Scottish peer, soldier, politician, and Governor-general of British North America. Background Richmond was born to Ge ...

*1819–1826:

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...

*1826–1830:

William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt Field Marshal William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt, (20 March 1743 – 17 June 1830) was a British nobleman and British Army officer. He served as an '' aide-de-camp'' to Lord Albemarle for the expedition to Havana during the Seven Years' War. H ...

*1830–1842: Rowland Hill, 1st Baron Hill

Lieutenant-Governors of Plymouth

*1746–1748: Lieutenant-General William Blakeney *1748–1754: Major Chiverton Hartopp *1754–1771: Lieutenant John Williams *1771–1782: Lieutenant-Colonel William Blackett *1782–1803: Colonel John Campbell *1803–1812: Major-General Richard England *1812–1819: Major-General Gore Browne *1819–1823: Major-General Sir Denis Pack *1823–1833: Major-General Sir John Cameron *1835–1840: Major-General Sir Willoughby Cotton *1840–1842: Major-General

Robert Ellice General Robert Ellice (13 October 1784 – 18 June 1856) was a British Army officer. Military career Born the son of Scottish merchant and fur trader Alexander Ellice and brother of Edward Ellice and Alexander Ellice, Ellice was commissioned ...

*1842–1852: Major-General Sir Henry Murray *1853–1854: Major-General

Sir Harry Smith Lieutenant-General Sir Henry George Wakelyn Smith, 1st Baronet, GCB (28 June 1787 – 12 October 1860) was a notable English soldier and military commander in the British Army of the early 19th century. A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, he is a ...

*1855–1859: Major-General

George Eden George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland, (25 August 1784 – 1 January 1849) was an English Whig politician and colonial administrator. He was thrice First Lord of the Admiralty and also served as Governor-General of India between 1836 and 1842 ...

*1859–1865: Major-General William Hutchinson *1865–1866: Lieutenant-General Viscount Templetown *1866–1869: Lieutenant-General Sir

Augustus Spencer General The Hon. Sir Augustus Almeric Spencer (25 March 1807 – 28 August 1893) was a British Army officer and a member of the Spencer family. Military career Born the third son of Francis Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill, Spencer was commissione ...

*1869–1874: Major-General Sir

Charles Staveley General Sir Charles William Dunbar Staveley (18 December 1817 – 23 November 1896) was a British Army officer. Early life He was born at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, the son of Lt-General William Staveley and Sarah Mather, and educated at th ...

*1874–1877: Lieutenant-General Henry Smyth *1877–1880: Lieutenant-General the Hon.

Leicester Smyth Lieutenant General Hon. Sir Leicester Smyth (born Curzon-Howe; 25 October 1829 – 27 January 1891) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Gibraltar. Early life and education Smyth was the seven ...

*1880–1883: Lieutenant-General Thomas Pakenham *1883–1885: Major-General James Sayer *1885–1889: Major-General Thomas Lyons *1889–1990: Major-General Sir Howard Elphinstone *1890–1895: General Sir Richard Harrison *1895–1899: Lieutenant-General Sir

Frederick Forestier-Walker General Sir Frederick William Edward Forestier-Walker, (17 April 1844 – 30 August 1910) was a British senior military officer and Governor of Gibraltar. Military career Forestier-Walker was the eldest son of General Sir Edward Forestier-Walke ...

*1899–1905: Lieutenant-General Sir William Butler

References

{{Governors and Constables in England and Wales Military of the United Kingdom

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...