List of governors of Punjab (British India)

The governor of the Punjab was head of the British administration in the province of the Punjab. In 1849 the East India Company defeated the Sikh Empire and annexed the Punjab region. The governor-general of India, Lord Dalhousie, implemented a three-member Board of Administration to govern the province.^[1] The Board of Administration was abolished in 1853 and replaced by the office of chief commissioner.^[2] Following the liquidation of the East India Company and the transfer of its assets to the British Crown, the office of lieutenant-governor was instituted in 1859. This lasted until it was replaced by the office of governor in the aftermath of the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms.

In 1947, the British Raj came to an end and India was partitioned and Pakistan was created. The Punjab was partitioned into West Punjab and East Punjab, with the former joining Pakistan and the latter India. In Pakistan, the first governor of West Punjab was Sir Francis Mudie. In 1955, West Punjab was dissolved, and became Punjab province. In 1966, East Punjab was divided into the present-day Indian states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

List of heads of the Punjab (1849–1947)

#	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Notes
President of the Board of Administration
1	Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence (1806–1857)	1 Apr 1849	17 January 1853	Assisted by John Lawrence and Charles Grenville Mansel Creation of the Punjab Irregular Force
Chief Commissioners
1	John Laird Mair Lawrence (1811–1879)	18 January 1853	31 Dec 1858	Creation of the Punjab Railway Indian Mutiny of 1857 Government of India Act 1858
Lieutenant-Governors
1	Sir John Laird Mair Lawrence, Bt (1811–1879)	1 Jan 1859	25 Feb 1859	Delhi transferred from the North-Western Provinces to the Punjab
2	Sir Robert Montgomery (1809–1887)	25 Feb 1859	10 Jan 1865	Upper Doab famine of 1860–61 Establishment of Lawrence College, Murree, King Edward Medical University, Government College University, Lahore, Glancy Medical College and Forman Christian College Founding of the town of Montgomery
3	Sir Donald Friell McLeod (1810–1872)	10 Jan 1865	1 Jun 1870	Establishment of the Lahore Museum Punjab Murderous Outrages Act 1867
4	Sir Henry Marion Durand (1812–1871)	1 Jun 1870	20 Jan 1871
5	Sir Robert Henry Davies (1824–1902)	20 Jan 1871	2 Apr 1877	Murree made summer capital in 1873 Singh Sabha Movement Establishment of the Mayo School of Industrial Arts Opening of Lahore Zoo Simla made summer capital in 1876 Delhi Durbar of 1877
6	Sir Robert Eyles Egerton (1827–1912)	2 Apr 1877	3 Apr 1882
7	Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchinson (1832–1896)	3 Apr 1882	2 Apr 1887	Commencement of the Sidhnai and Sohag Para Colonies Establishment of Aitchison College, University of the Punjab and University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Creation of the Lahore Bar Association Opening of the Punjab Public Library
8	Sir James Broadwood Lyall (1838–1916)	2 Apr 1887	5 Mar 1892	Commencement of the Chenab Colony Founding of Lyallpur Ahmadiyya movement
9	Sir Dennis Fitzpatrick (1837–1920)	5 Mar 1892	6 Mar 1897	Commencement of the Chunian Colony Establishment of Khalsa College, Amritsar and School of Medicine for Christian Women
10	Sir William Mackworth Young (1840–1924)	6 Mar 1897	6 Mar 1902	Punjab Land Alienation Act, 1900 Frontier districts transferred to newly created North-West Frontier Province Commencement of the Jhelum Colony
11	Sir Charles Montgomery Rivaz (1845–1926)	6 Mar 1902	6 Mar 1907	Delhi Durbar of 1903 Founding of Sargodha Establishment of the Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute Colonisation Bill, 1906 1907 Punjab unrest
12	Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson (1847–1908)	6 Mar 1907	26 May 1907
–	Thomas Gordon Walker (1849–1917)	26 May 1907	12 Aug 1907	Acting Lieutenant-Governor
12	Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson (1847–1908)	12 Aug 1907	22 Jan 1908	Creation of the Punjab Muslim League
–	Thomas Gordon Walker (1849–1917)	22 Jan 1908	25 May 1908	Acting Lieutenant-Governor
13	Sir Louis William Dane (1856–1946)	25 May 1908	28 Apr 1911	Anand Marriage Act, 1909
–	James McCrone Douie (1854–1935)	28 Apr 1911	4 Aug 1911	Acting Lieutenant-Governor
13	Sir Louis William Dane (1856–1946)	4 Aug 1911	26 May 1913	Delhi Durbar of 1911 Delhi transferred from the Punjab and designated the capital of British India Establishment of Kinnaird College for Women Colonisation of Government Lands Act, 1912
14	Sir Michael Francis O'Dwyer (1864–1940)	26 May 1913	26 May 1919	First World War Commencement of the Lower Bari Doab, Upper Chenab, Upper Jhelum, Nili Bar Colonies Lahore Conspiracy Case trial Government of India Act 1919 Rowlatt Act Jallianwala Bagh massacre
15	Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan (1864–1952)	26 May 1919	3 Jan 1921	Akali movement
Governors
1	Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan (1864–1952)	3 Jan 1921	31 May 1924	Nankana massacre Creation of the Unionist Party Establishment of Maclagan Engineering College and Lahore College for Women University Members of Executive Council: John Maynard (Finance), Sundar Singh Majithia (Revenue)^[3] Ministers: Fazl-i-Hussain (Education, Health and Local government), Lala Harkishan Lal (Agriculture)^[4]
2	Sir William Malcolm Hailey (1872–1969)	31 May 1924	9 Aug 1928	Ministers: Manohar Lal (Education) (1927–1930), Joginder Singh (Agriculture) (1927–1930), Feroz Khan Noon (Local Self-government) (1927–1930)
3	Sir Geoffrey Fitzhervey de Montmorency (1876–1955)	9 Aug 1928	19 Jul 1932	Birth of Lollywood Execution of Bhagat Singh Khaksar movement
–	Sikandar Hayat Khan (1892–1942)	19 Jul 1932	19 Oct 1932	Acting Governor
3	Sir Geoffrey Fitzhervey de Montmorency (1876–1955)	19 Oct 1932	12 Apr 1933
4	Sir Herbert William Emerson (1881–1962)	12 Apr 1933	1 Feb 1934
–	Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan (1892–1942)	15 Feb 1934	9 Jun 1934	Acting Governor
4	Sir Herbert William Emerson (1881–1962)	9 Jun 1934	4 Apr 1938	Government of India Act 1935 1937 Indian provincial elections
5	Sir Henry Duffield Craik, Bt (1876–1955)	4 Apr 1938	7 Apr 1941	Lahore Resolution
6	Sir Bertrand James Glancy (1882–1953)	7 Apr 1941	8 Apr 1946	Simla Conference 1946 Indian provincial elections
7	Sir Evan Meredith Jenkins (1896–1985)	8 Apr 1946	15 Aug 1947	Partition of India

References

^ Col. H. C. Wylly, History of the 5th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles: 1849–1926, Andrews UK Limited, 20 Dec 2011, p.1
^ K. M. Sarkar, The Grand Trunk Road in the Punjab: 1849–1886, Atlantic Publishers & Distri, 1927, p.13
^ Nijjar, Bakshish Singh. History of the United Panjab, Volume 1.
^ Singh, Virinder. Dyarchy In Punjab. National Book Organisation.

[1] Col. H. C. Wylly, History of the 5th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles: 1849–1926, Andrews UK Limited, 20 Dec 2011, p.1

[2] K. M. Sarkar, The Grand Trunk Road in the Punjab: 1849–1886, Atlantic Publishers & Distri, 1927, p.13

[3] Nijjar, Bakshish Singh. History of the United Panjab, Volume 1.

[4] Singh, Virinder. Dyarchy In Punjab. National Book Organisation.

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v t e Administrators of provinces in British India
Governors	Agra Presidency (1834–1836) Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1945–1947)¹ Assam (1921–1947)¹ Bengal Presidency (1700–1774, 1912–1947) Bihar (1936–1947)¹ Bihar and Orissa Province (1920–1936) Bombay Presidency (1694–1947) Burma (1923–1937) Central Provinces and Berar (1920–1947) Madras Presidency (1698–1947) North-West Frontier Province (1932–1948) Orissa (1936–1947)¹ Punjab (1921–1947)¹ Sind (1936–1947) United Provinces of British India (1921–1937) United Provinces (1937–1947)
Lt. Governors	Bengal, Bihar and Orissa Provinces (1854–1912) Assam (1905–1912) Bihar and Orissa Province (1912–1920) Burma (1897–1923) North-Western Provinces (1836–1877) North-Western Provinces (1877–1902) Punjab (1859–1921) United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (1902–1921)
Chief Commissioners	Ajmer-Merwara (1871–1947) Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1872–1945) Assam (1874–1905, 1912–1921) Balochistan (1877–1947) Burma (1886–1897) Central Provinces (1861–1920) Coorg Province (1869–1947) Delhi (1912–1947) Lower Burma (1867–1886) North-West Frontier Province (1901–1932) Oudh (1856–1877) Oudh (1877–1902) Panth-Piploda (1942–1947) Punjab (1853–1859)
Commissioners	Assam (1828–1874) Sind (1843–1936)
Superintendents	Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1858–1872)
¹ Office retained following Indian independence

List of governors of Punjab (British India)

List of heads of the Punjab (1849–1947)

See also

References

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