Governers & Heads of State

1621 English Gold Coast
27 Sep 1672 English Royal African Company administration begins.
1 May 1707 British Gold Coast
23 Jun 1751 Company of Merchants Trading to Africa takes over administration.
7 May 1821 British Gold Coast a crown colony.
17 Oct 1821 Gold Coast Territory, part of West African Territories
(see Sierra Leone).
25 Jun 1828 British Gold Coast colony (under Company of Merchants Trading
to Africa rule).
1843 British Gold Coast crown colony (subordinate to Sierra
Leone to 1874).
13 Jan 1850 Colony of the Gold Coast
30 Mar 1850 Incorporation of former Danish Gold Coast settlements.
19 Feb 1866 Gold Cost Territory, part of West African Settlements
(see Sierra Leone).
21 Feb 1871 Incorporation of former Dutch Gold Coast settlements.
24 Jul 1874 Gold Coast colony with Lagos.
13 Jan 1886 Gold Coast colony
8 Feb 1951 Self-rule.
6 Mar 1957 Gold Coast and British Togoland independent as Ghana.
1 Jul 1960 Republic of Ghana

Gold Coast

Governors
1697 - 1701 Governor Baggs
1701 - 1708 Thomas Dalby
1708 - 23 Jun 1751 ....
Governors (of the Committee of Merchants)
23 Jun 1751 - 23 Jan 1756 Thomas Melville (d. 1756)
23 Jan 1756 - 17 Feb 1756 William Tymewell (d. 1756)
17 Feb 1756 - 15 Oct 1757 Charles Bell (acting)
15 Oct 1757 - 10 May 1761 Nassau Senior (acting)
10 May 1761 - 15 Aug 1763 Charles Bell (2nd time)
15 Aug 1763 - 1 Mar 1766 William Mutter
1 Mar 1766 - 11 Aug 1766 John Hippersley (d. 1766)
11 Aug 1766 - 21 Apr 1769 Gilbert Petrie
21 Apr 1769 - 11 Aug 1770 John Crossle
11 Aug 1770 - 20 Jan 1777 David Mill
20 Jan 1770 - 25 Mar 1780 Richard Miles (1st time)
25 Mar 1780 - 20 May 1781 John Roberts
20 May 1781 - 29 Apr 1782 John Weuves (acting)
29 Apr 1782 - 29 Jan 1784 Richard Miles (2nd time)
29 Jan 1784 - 24 Jan 1787 James Mourgan
24 Jan 1787 - 27 Apr 1787 Thomas Price
27 Apr 1787 - 20 Jun 1789 John Norris
20 Jun 1789 - 15 Nov 1791 William Fielde
15 Nov 1791 - 31 Mar 1792 John Gordon (1st time)
31 Mar 1792 - 16 Dec 1798 Archibald Dalzel (1st time) (b. 1740 - d. 1811)
16 Dec 1798 - 4 Jan 1799 Jacob Mould (1st time)
4 Jan 1799 - 28 Apr 1800 John Gordon (2nd time)
28 Apr 1800 - 30 Sep 1802 Archibald Dalzel (2nd time) (s.a.)
30 Sep 1802 - 8 Feb 1805 Jacob Mould (2nd time)
8 Feb 1805 - 4 Dec 1807 George Torrane
4 Dec 1807 - 21 Apr 1816 Edward White
21 Apr 1816 - 19 Jan 1817 Joseph Dawson
19 Jan 1817 - 27 Mar 1822 John Hope Smith
Governors
27 Mar 1822 - 17 May 1822 Sir Charles Macarthy (1st time) (d. 1824)
17 May 1822 - Dec 1822 James Chisholm (1st time)
Dec 1822 - 21 Jan 1824 Sir Charles Macarthy (2nd time) (s.a.)
21 Jan 1824 - 17 Oct 1824 James Chisholm (2nd time)
17 Oct 1824 - 22 Mar 1825 Edward Purdon
22 Mar 1825 - 8 Mar 1826 Charles Turner (d. 1826)
18 May 1826 - 15 Nov 1826 Sir Neil Cambell (b. 1776 - d. 1827)
15 Nov 1826 - 11 Oct 1827 Henry Ricketts (1st time)
11 Oct 1827 - 10 Mar 1828 Hugh Lumley (d. 1828)
10 Mar 1828 - 5 Jun 1828 George Hingston
5 Jun 1828 - 25 Jun 1828 Henry Ricketts (2nd time)
Governors (of the Committee of Merchants)
25 Jun 1828 - 19 Feb 1830 John Jackson (acting)
19 Feb 1830 - 26 Jun 1836 George Maclean (1st time)
26 Jun 1836 - 15 Aug 1838 William Topp
15 Aug 1838 - 1843 George Mclean (2nd time)
Governors
1843 - 8 Mar 1845 R.M. Worsley Hill
8 Mar 1845 - 15 Apr 1846 James Lelley (acting)
15 Apr 1846 - 31 Jan 1849 William Winniett (1st time)
31 Jan 1849 - 13 Jan 1850 James Coleman Fitzpatrick (b. 1816 - d. 1880)
(1st time)
13 Jan 1850 - 4 Dec 1850 Sir William Winniett (2nd time)
4 Dec 1850 - 14 Oct 1851 James Bannerman (acting) (b. 1790 - d. 1858)
14 Oct 1851 - Jun 1853 Stephen John Hill (1st time) (b. 1809 - d. 1891)
Jun 1853 - Aug 1853 James Coleman Fitzpatrick (s.a.)
(2nd time) (acting)
Aug 1853 - Feb 1854 Brodies Cruickshank (acting)
Feb 1854 - Dec 1854 Stephen John Hill (2nd time) (s.a.)
Dec 1854 - Mar 1857 Henry Connor (acting)
Mar 1857 - 17 Apr 1858 Sir Benjamin Chilley Campbell Pine (b. 1809 - d. 1891)
14 Apr 1858 - 20 Apr 1860 Henry Bird (acting)
20 Apr 1860 - 14 Apr 1862 Edward B. Andrews
14 Apr 1863 - 20 Sep 1862 William Ross (acting)
20 Sep 1862 - 1864 Richard Pine (1st time)
1864 William Hackett -Lieutenant governor
1864 - 1865 Richard Pine (2nd time)
1865 Rokeby Jonees (acting)
1865 - Apr 1865 W.E. Mockler (acting)
Apr 1865 - 19 Feb 1866 Edward Conran -Lieutenant governor
Administrators
19 Feb 1866 - Feb 1867 Edward Conran
Feb 1867 - Aug 1868 Herbert Taylor Ussher (1st time) (b. 1836 - d. 1880)
(administrator)
Aug 1868 - Nov 1869 W.H. Simpson (acting)
Nov 1869 - Jul 1871 Herbert Taylor Ussher (2nd time) (s.a.)
Jul 1871 - 1872 Charles Spencer Salmon (acting)
(1st time)
1872 - Apr 1872 Herbert Taylor Ussher (3rd time) (s.a.)
Apr 1872 - Nov 1872 John Pope Hennessey (b. 1834 - d. 1891)
(Governor-in-chief)
1872 - Nov 1872 Charles Spencer Salmon
(2nd time) (acting)
Nov 1872 - 7 Mar 1873 Robert William Harley
Governors-in-chief
7 Mar 1873 - 17 Mar 1873 Robert Keate
17 Mar 1873 - 2 Oct 1873 Robert William Harley
+ Alexander Bravo
2 Oct 1873 - 4 Mar 1874 Garnet Joseph Wolseley (b. 1833 - d. 1913)
Administrators
4 Mar 1874 - 30 Mar 1874 James Maxwell (acting)
30 Mar 1874 - Jun 1874 William Johnston
Jun 1874 - 24 Jul 1874 George Cumine Strahan (b. 1838 - d. 1889)
Governors
24 Jul 1874 - 7 Apr 1876 George Cumine Strahan (s.a.)
1 Apr 1876 - Dec 1876 Charles Cameron Lees (b. 1831 - d. 1898)
(1st time) (acting)
Dec 1876 - 13 May 1878 Sanford Feeling
(acting to 5 Jun 1877)
13 May 1878 - Jun 1879 Charles Cameron Lees (s.a.)
(2nd time) (acting)
Jun 1879 - 1 Dec 1880 Herbert Taylor Ussher (s.a.)
1 Dec 1880 - 4 Mar 1881 William Brandford Griffith (b. 1824 - d. 1897)
(1st time)(acting)
4 Mar 1881 - 13 May 1882 Sir Samuel Rowe (1st time) (b. 1835 - d. 1888)
13 May 1882 - 4 Oct 1882 Alfred Moloney (acting)
4 Oct 1882 - 24 Dec 1882 William Brandford Griffith (s.a.)
(2nd time) (acting)
24 Dec 1882 - 29 Apr 1884 Sir Samuel Rowe (2nd time) (s.a.)
29 Apr 1884 - 24 Apr 1885 Wiliam A.G. Young
24 Apr 1885 - 11 Apr 1886 William Brandford Griffith (s.a.)
(3rd time)(from 1887, Sir William Brandford Griffith)
11 Apr 1887 - 26 Nov 1887 F.B.P. White (acting)
26 Nov 1887 - 30 Jun 1889 Sir William Brandford Griffith (s.a.)
(4th time)
30 Jun 1889 - 18 Feb 1890 Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (b. 1851 - d. 1925)
(1st time) (acting)
18 Feb 1890 - 12 Jun 1891 Sir William Brandford Griffith (s.a.)
(5th time)
12 Jun 1891 - 24 Nov 1891 Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (s.a.)
(2nd time) (acting)
24 Nov 1891 - 12 Aug 1893 Sir William Brandford Griffith (s.a.)
(6th time)
12 Aug 1893 - 7 Mar 1894 Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (s.a.)
(3rd time)
7 Mar 1894 - 7 Apr 1895 Sir William Brandford Griffith (s.a.)
(7th time)
7 Apr 1895 - 19 Apr 1896 William Edward Maxwell (1st time) (b. 1842/43 - d. 1897)
(from 1896, Sir William Edward Maxwell)
19 Apr 1896 - 23 Oct 1896 Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (s.a.)
(4th time) (acting)
23 Oct 1896 - 6 Dec 1897 Sir William Edward Maxwell (s.a.)
(2nd time)
6 Dec 1897 - 29 Aug 1900 Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (s.a.)
(5th time)(acting to 29 May 1898)
29 Aug 1900 - 17 Dec 1900 W. Low (acting)
17 Dec 1900 - 9 Feb 1904 Sir Mathew Nathan (b. 1862 - d. 1939)
9 Feb 1904 - 3 Mar 1904 Herbert Bryan (1st time) (acting) (b. 1865 - d. 1950)
3 Mar 1904 - 1 Sep 1910 John Pickersgill Rodger (b. 1851 - d. 1910)
1 Sep 1910 - 20 Nov 1910 Herbert Bryan (2nd time) (acting) (s.a.)
21 Nov 1910 - 29 Jun 1912 James Jamieson Thorburn (b. 1864 - d. 1929)
29 Jun 1912 - 26 Dec 1912 Herbert Bryan (3rd time) (acting) (s.a.)
26 Dec 1912 - 1 Apr 1919 Sir Hugh Charles Clifford (b. 1886 - d. 1941)
1 Apr 1919 - 8 Oct 1919 Alexander Ransford Slater (b. 1874 - d. 1940)
(1st time) (acting)
9 Oct 1919 - 24 Apr 1927 Frederic Gordon Guggisberg (b. 1869 - d. 1930)
24 Apr 1927 - Jul 1927 John C. Maxwell (acting) (b. 1875 - d. 1946)
Jul 1927 - 5 Apr 1932 Alexander Ransford Slater (s.a.)
(2nd time)
5 Apr 1932 - 29 Nov 1932 Geoffrey Alexander Stafford (b. 1881 - d. 1948)
Northcote (1st time) (acting)
30 Nov 1932 - 13 May 1934 Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge (b. 1879 - d. 1962)
Thomas
13 May 1934 - 23 Oct 1934 Geoffrey Alexander Stafford (s.a.)
Northcote (2nd time) (acting)
24 Oct 1934 - 24 Oct 1941 Sir Arnold Wienholt Hodgson (b. 1881 - d. 1944)
24 Oct 1941 - 29 Jun 1942 George Ernest London (acting) (b. 1889 - d. 1957)
29 Jun 1942 - 2 Aug 1947 Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell Burns (b. 1887 - d. 1980)
12 Jan 1948 - 15 Feb 1949 Sir Gerald Hallen Creasy (b. 1897 - d. 1983)
15 Feb 1949 - 28 Mar 1949 Sir Robert Scott (1st time) (b. 1903 - d. 1968)
(acting)
28 Mar 1949 - 11 Jun 1949 Thorleif Rattray Orde Mangin (b. 1896 - d. 1950)
(acting)
11 Jun 1949 - 11 Aug 1949 Sir Robert Scott (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
11 Aug 1949 - 6 Mar 1957 Sir Charles Noble Arden-Clarke (b. 1898 - d. 1962)

Governors-general

6 Mar 1957 - 24 Jun 1957 Sir Charles Noble Arden-Clarke (b. 1898 - d. 1962)

24 Jun 1957 - 1 Jul 1960 William Francis Hare, (b. 1906 - d. 1997)

Earl of Listowel

Presidents

1 Jul 1960 - 24 Feb 1966	Kwame Nkrumah (CPP)	(b. 1909 - d. 1972)
24 Feb 1966 - 2 Apr 1969	Joseph Arthur Ankrah Military/Chairman National Liberation Council)	(b. 1915 - d. 1992)
2 Apr 1969 - 7 Aug 1970	Akwasi Afrifa Military/NLC(chairman NLC to 3 Apr 1969) then chairman Presidential Commission	(b. 1936 - d. 1979)
7 Aug 1970 - 31 Aug 1970	Nii Amaa Ollennu (acting)	(b. 1906 - d. ....)
31 Aug 1970 - 13 Jan 1972	Edward Akufo-Addo	(b. 1906 - d. 1979) PP
13 Jan 1972 - 5 Jul 1978	Ignatius Kutu Acheampong (chairman National Redemption Council to 9 Oct 1975 then chairman Supreme Military Council)	(b. 1931 - d. 1979) Military
5 Jul 1978 - 4 Jun 1979	Fred W.K. Akuffo (chairman Supreme Military Council)	(b. 1937 - d. 1979) Military
4 Jun 1979 - 24 Sep 1979	Jerry John Rawlings (1st time) Military (chairman Armed Forces Revolutionary Council)	(b. 1947)
24 Sep 1979 - 31 Dec 1981	Hilla Limann	(b. 1934 - d. 1998) PNP
31 Dec 1981 - 7 Jan 2001	Jerry John Rawlings (2nd time) Military/NDC (chairman Provisional National Defense Council to 7 Jan 1993)	(b. 1947)
7 Jan 2001 -	John Agyekum Kufuor (NPP)	(b. 1938)

Prime ministers

21 Mar 1952 - 1 Jul 1960	Kwame Nkrumah (s.a.) CPP
3 Sep 1969 - 13 Jan 1972	Kofi Abrefa Busia (PP) From 3 Sep 1969 - 13 Jan 1972 the Prime Minister, Kofi Abrefa Busia, ruled with strong executive power.	(b. 1913 - d. 1978)

Party abbreviations: NDC = National Democratic Congress; NPP = New Patriotic Party (liberal); PP = Progressive Party; CPP= Convention People's Party (authoritarian, socialist, Nkrumah personalist, 1949-1966, 1960-1966 -only legal party); NLM =National Liberation Movement (Asante regionalist 1954-1957, 1966-); NAL =National Alliance of Liberals (1966-1970) formed JP =Justice Party (1970-)