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{{short description|Wikimedia list article}}
{{short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox official post
{{Infobox official post
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| inaugural =
| inaugural =
| formation = 27 January 1847
| formation = 27 January 1847
| first = [[Henry Pottinger|Sir Henry Pottinger]]
| first = Sir [[Henry Pottinger]]
| last = [[Hugh Stephenson|Sir Hugh Stephenson]]
| last = Sir Hugh Stephenson
| abolished = 31 July 1964
| abolished = 31 July 1964
| succession =
| succession =
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}}
}}


The British office of '''high commissioner for Southern Africa''' was responsible for governing British possessions in [[Southern Africa]], latterly the [[protectorate]]s [[Basutoland]] (now [[Lesotho]]), the [[Bechuanaland Protectorate]] (now [[Botswana]]) and [[Swaziland]] (now [[Eswatini]]), as well as for relations with autonomous governments in the area.
The British office of '''high commissioner for Southern Africa''' was responsible for governing [[British possessions]] in [[Southern Africa]], latterly the [[protectorate]]s of [[Basutoland]] (now [[Lesotho]]), the [[Bechuanaland Protectorate]] (now [[Botswana]]) and [[Swaziland]] (now Eswatini), as well as for relations with autonomous governments in the area.


The office was combined with that of [[Governor of Cape Colony]] from 1847 to 1901, with that of the governor of Transvaal Colony 1901 to 1910, and with that of [[Governor-General of South Africa]] from 1910 to 1931. The British government appointed the Governor-General as High Commissioner under a separate commission. In addition to responsibility for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, he held reserve powers concerning the interests of the native population of [[Southern Rhodesia]].<ref>See Whitakers Almanack, 1928</ref> The post was abolished on 1 August 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Botswana.html#High-Commision|title=Botswana|first=ben|last=cahoon|website=www.worldstatesmen.org|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref>
The office was combined with that of [[Governor of Cape Colony]] from 1847 to 1901, with that of the governor of [[Transvaal Colony]] 1901 to 1910, and with that of [[Governor-General of South Africa]] from 1910 to 1931. The British government appointed the Governor-General as High Commissioner under a separate commission. In addition to responsibility for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, he held reserve powers concerning the interests of the native population of [[Southern Rhodesia]].<ref>See Whitakers Almanack, 1928</ref> The post was abolished on 1 August 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Botswana.html#High-Commision|title=Botswana|first=ben|last=cahoon|website=www.worldstatesmen.org|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref>


==List of officeholders==
==List of officeholders==
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!Ended
!Ended
|-
|-
|[[Henry Pottinger|Sir Henry Pottinger]]
|Sir [[Henry Pottinger]]
|27 January 1847
|27 January 1847
|1 December 1847
|1 December 1847
|-
|-
|[[Harry Smith (British army officer)|Sir Harry Smith]]
|Sir [[Harry Smith (British army officer)|Harry Smith]]
|1 December 1847
|1 December 1847
|31 March 1852
|31 March 1852
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|5 December 1854
|5 December 1854
|-
|-
|[[George Edward Grey|Sir George Grey]]
|Sir [[George Edward Grey]]
|5 December 1854
|5 December 1854
|15 August 1861
|15 August 1861
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|15 January 1862
|15 January 1862
|-
|-
|[[Philip Edmond Wodehouse|Sir Philip Wodehouse]]
|Sir [[Philip Wodehouse (colonial administrator)|Philip Wodehouse]]
|15 January 1862
|15 January 1862
|20 May 1870
|20 May 1870
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|31 December 1870
|31 December 1870
|-
|-
|[[Henry Barkly|Sir Henry Barkly]]
|Sir [[Henry Barkly]]
|31 December 1870
|31 December 1870
|31 March 1877
|31 March 1877
|-
|-
|[[Henry Bartle Frere|Sir Bartle Frere]]
|Sir [[Henry Bartle Frere|Bartle Frere]]
|31 March 1877
|31 March 1877
|15 September 1880
|15 September 1880
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|27 September 1880
|27 September 1880
|-
|-
|[[George Strahan (colonialist)|Sir George Cumine Strahan]] (acting)
|Sir [[George Strahan (colonial administrator)|George Strahan]] (acting)
|27 September 1880
|27 September 1880
|22 January 1881
|22 January 1881
|-
|-
|[[Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead|Sir Hercules Robinson]]
|Sir [[Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead|Hercules Robinson]]
|22 January 1881
|22 January 1881
|1 May 1889
|1 May 1889
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|13 December 1889
|13 December 1889
|-
|-
|[[Henry Brougham Loch, 1st Baron Loch|Sir Henry Brougham Loch]]
|Sir [[Henry Brougham Loch, 1st Baron Loch|Henry Brougham Loch]]
|13 December 1889
|13 December 1889
|30 May 1895
|30 May 1895
|-
|-
|[[Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead|Sir Hercules Robinson]] (from 1896, the Lord Rosmead)
|Sir Hercules Robinson (from 1896, the Lord Rosmead)
|30 May 1895
|30 May 1895
|21 April 1897
|21 April 1897
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|5 May 1897
|5 May 1897
|-
|-
|[[Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner|Sir Alfred Milner]]
|Sir [[Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner|Alfred Milner]]
|5 May 1897
|5 May 1897
|May 1905
|May 1905
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|31 May 1910
|31 May 1910
|-
|-
|[[Walter Hely-Hutchinson|Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson]] (acting, in the absence of Lord Selborne)
|Sir [[Walter Hely-Hutchinson]] (acting, in the absence of Lord Selborne)
|1909
|1909
|1909
|1909
|-
|-
|[[Herbert Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone|The Viscount Gladstone]]
|[[Herbert Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone]]
|31 May 1910
|31 May 1910
|8 September 1914
|8 September 1914
|-
|-
|[[Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton|The Viscount Buxton]]
|[[Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton]]
|8 September 1914
|8 September 1914
|17 July 1920
|17 July 1920
|-
|-
|[[Beresford Cecil Molyneux Carter]] <br />(acting High Commissioner only with [[James Rose Innes|Sir James Rose Innes]] acting Governor General from 17 July 1920)
|[[Beresford Cecil Molyneux Carter]] <br />(acting High Commissioner only with Sir [[James Rose Innes]] acting Governor General from 17 July 1920)
|3 September 1920
|3 September 1920
|20 November 1920
|20 November 1920
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|5 December 1923
|5 December 1923
|-
|-
|[[Rudolph Bentinck]] <br />(acting High Commissioner only with [[James Rose Innes|Sir James Rose Innes]] acting Governor General from 5 December 1923)
|[[Rudolph Bentinck]] <br />(acting High Commissioner only with Sir James Rose Innes acting Governor General from 5 December 1923)
|10 December 1923
|10 December 1923
|21 January 1924
|21 January 1924
|-
|-
|[[Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone|The Earl of Athlone]]
|[[Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone]]
|21 January 1924
|21 January 1924
|26 January 1931
|26 January 1931
|-
|-
|[[George Villiers, 6th Earl of Clarendon|The Earl of Clarendon]]
|[[George Villiers, 6th Earl of Clarendon]]
|26 January 1931
|26 January 1931
|6 April 1931
|6 April 1931
|-
|-
|[[Herbert Stanley|Sir Herbert Stanley]]
|Sir [[Herbert Stanley]]
|6 April 1931
|6 April 1931
|6 January 1935
|6 January 1935
|-
|-
|[[William Henry Clark|Sir William Clark]]
|Sir [[William Henry Clark]]
|7 January 1935
|7 January 1935
|3 January 1940
|3 January 1940
|-
|-
|[[Edward John Harding|Sir Edward Harding]]
|Sir [[Edward John Harding]]
|3 January 1940
|3 January 1940
|3 January 1941
|3 January 1941
|-
|-
|[[Walter Huggard|Sir Walter Huggard]] (acting)
|Sir [[Walter Huggard]] (acting)
|3 January 1941
|3 January 1941
|24 May 1941
|24 May 1941
|-
|-
|[[William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech|The Lord Harlech]]
|[[William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech]]
|24 May 1941
|24 May 1941
|13 May 1944
|13 May 1944
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|23 June 1944
|23 June 1944
|-
|-
|[[Walter Huggard|Sir Walter Huggard]] (acting)
|Sir Walter Huggard (acting)
|23 June 1944
|23 June 1944
|27 October 1944
|27 October 1944
|-
|-
|[[Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale|Sir Evelyn Baring]]
|Sir [[Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale|Evelyn Baring]]
|27 October 1944
|27 October 1944
|1 October 1951
|1 October 1951
|-
|-
|[[John Le Rougetel|Sir John Le Rougetel]]
|Sir [[John Le Rougetel]]
|2 October 1951
|2 October 1951
|2 February 1955
|2 February 1955
|-
|-
|[[Percivale Liesching|Sir Percivale Liesching]]
|Sir [[Percivale Liesching]]
|4 March 1955
|4 March 1955
|December 1958
|December 1958
|-
|-
|[[John Maud|Sir John Maud]]
|Sir [[John Maud]]
|15 January 1959
|15 January 1959
|1963
|1963
|-
|-
|[[Hugh Stephenson|Sir Hugh Stephenson]]
|Sir [[Hugh Southern Stephenson]]
|1963
|1963
|31 July 1964
|31 July 1964
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*[[Basutoland]], gained independence as [[Lesotho]] on 4 October 1966
*[[Basutoland]], gained independence as [[Lesotho]] on 4 October 1966
*[[Bechuanaland]], gained independence as [[Botswana]] on 30 September 1966
*[[Bechuanaland Protectorate]], gained independence as [[Botswana]] on 30 September 1966
*[[Swaziland]], gained independence on 6 September 1968 (now [[Eswatini]])
*[[Swaziland]], gained independence on 6 September 1968 (now [[Eswatini]])


Revision as of 20:38, 23 March 2024

High Commissioner for Southern Africa
Flag of the High Commissioner for Southern Africa, 1907–1931
Flag of the High Commissioner for Southern Africa, 1931–1968
Formation27 January 1847
First holderSir Henry Pottinger
Final holderSir Hugh Stephenson
Abolished31 July 1964

The British office of high commissioner for Southern Africa was responsible for governing British possessions in Southern Africa, latterly the protectorates of Basutoland (now Lesotho), the Bechuanaland Protectorate (now Botswana) and Swaziland (now Eswatini), as well as for relations with autonomous governments in the area.

The office was combined with that of Governor of Cape Colony from 1847 to 1901, with that of the governor of Transvaal Colony 1901 to 1910, and with that of Governor-General of South Africa from 1910 to 1931. The British government appointed the Governor-General as High Commissioner under a separate commission. In addition to responsibility for Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, he held reserve powers concerning the interests of the native population of Southern Rhodesia.[1] The post was abolished on 1 August 1964.[2]

List of officeholders

Name Began Ended
Sir Henry Pottinger 27 January 1847 1 December 1847
Sir Harry Smith 1 December 1847 31 March 1852
George Cathcart 31 March 1852 26 May 1854
Charles Henry Darling (acting) 26 May 1854 5 December 1854
Sir George Edward Grey 5 December 1854 15 August 1861
Robert Henry Wynyard (acting) 15 August 1861 15 January 1862
Sir Philip Wodehouse 15 January 1862 20 May 1870
Charles Craufurd Hay (acting) 20 May 1870 31 December 1870
Sir Henry Barkly 31 December 1870 31 March 1877
Sir Bartle Frere 31 March 1877 15 September 1880
Henry Hugh Clifford (acting) 15 September 1880 27 September 1880
Sir George Strahan (acting) 27 September 1880 22 January 1881
Sir Hercules Robinson 22 January 1881 1 May 1889
Henry Augustus Smyth (acting) 1 May 1889 13 December 1889
Sir Henry Brougham Loch 13 December 1889 30 May 1895
Sir Hercules Robinson (from 1896, the Lord Rosmead) 30 May 1895 21 April 1897
William Goodenough (acting) 21 April 1897 5 May 1897
Sir Alfred Milner 5 May 1897 May 1905
William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne May 1905 31 May 1910
Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson (acting, in the absence of Lord Selborne) 1909 1909
Herbert Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone 31 May 1910 8 September 1914
Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton 8 September 1914 17 July 1920
Beresford Cecil Molyneux Carter
(acting High Commissioner only with Sir James Rose Innes acting Governor General from 17 July 1920) 		3 September 1920 20 November 1920
Prince Arthur of Connaught 20 November 1920 5 December 1923
Rudolph Bentinck
(acting High Commissioner only with Sir James Rose Innes acting Governor General from 5 December 1923) 		10 December 1923 21 January 1924
Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone 21 January 1924 26 January 1931
George Villiers, 6th Earl of Clarendon 26 January 1931 6 April 1931
Sir Herbert Stanley 6 April 1931 6 January 1935
Sir William Henry Clark 7 January 1935 3 January 1940
Sir Edward John Harding 3 January 1940 3 January 1941
Sir Walter Huggard (acting) 3 January 1941 24 May 1941
William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech 24 May 1941 13 May 1944
Harold Eddey Priestman (acting) 13 May 1944 23 June 1944
Sir Walter Huggard (acting) 23 June 1944 27 October 1944
Sir Evelyn Baring 27 October 1944 1 October 1951
Sir John Le Rougetel 2 October 1951 2 February 1955
Sir Percivale Liesching 4 March 1955 December 1958
Sir John Maud 15 January 1959 1963
Sir Hugh Southern Stephenson 1963 31 July 1964

The high commission territories

The high commissioner was responsible for governing the following territories, in each case represented by a resident commissioner:

See also

References

  1. ^ See Whitakers Almanack, 1928
  2. ^ cahoon, ben. "Botswana". www.worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 23 April 2018.

Further reading

  • Spence, John Edward. "British policy towards the High Commission territories." Journal of modern African studies 2.2 (1964): 221-246.
  • Torrance, David E. "Britain, South Africa, and the high commission territories: an old controversy revisited." Historical Journal 41.3 (1998): 751-772. online
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