Governors of Madras
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Contents |
[edit] Agents
In 1639,the Madras grant was finalized between the factors of the Masulipatnam factory represented by Francis Day and the Raja of Chandragiri. In 1640, Andrew Cogan,the chief of the Masulipatnam factory made his way to Madras in the company of Francis Day and the British and Indian employees of the Masulipatnam factory. The Agency of Madras was established on 1 March 1640 and Andrew Cogan was made the First Agent. The official title was 'Governor of Fort St George' and the Governor was usually referred to as Agent. He served in the post for three years and was succeeded by Francis Day. After four agents had served their terms, Madras was upgraded to a Presidency during the time of Aaron Baker. However financial considerations forced the Company to revert to an agency soon after Aaron Baker had served his term. The Agency survived until 1684 when Madras was made a Presidency once and for all. Streynsham Master is the most remembered and renowned of the Agents of Madras.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Cogan | 1 March 1640 | 1643 |
| Francis Day | 1643 | 1644 |
| Thomas Ivie | 1644 | 1648 |
| Thomas Greenhill | 1648 | 1652 |
| Aaron Baker (President) | 1652 | 1655 |
| Thomas Greenhill | 1655 | 1658 |
| Sir Thomas Chambers | 1658 | 1661 |
| Sir Edward Winter | 1661 | August, 1665 |
| George Foxcraft | August, 1665 | 16 September 1665 |
| Sir Edward Winter (second term) | 16 September 1665 | 22 August 1668 |
| George Foxcraft (second term) | 22 August 1668 | January, 1670 |
| Sir William Langhorne, 1st Baronet | January, 1670 | 27 January 1678 |
| Streynsham Master | 27 January 1678 | 3 July 1681 |
| William Gyfford | 3 July 1681 | 8 August 1684 |
[edit] Presidents
Madras was elevated to a Presidency in 1684 and remained so until 12 February 1785 when new rules and regulations brought by the Pitt's India Act reformed the administration of the East India Company with the exception of a three-year period of French rule from 1746 to 1749 when Madras was a governorship. Subesquently,
Elihu Yale who took charge on 8 August 1684 was the First President of Madras. Elihu Yale,Thomas Pitt and George Macartney are some of the well-known Presidents of Madras.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| Elihu Yale (First time) (acting) | 8 August 1684 | 26 January 1685 |
| William Gyfford | 26 January 1685 | 25 July 1687 |
| Elihu Yale (Second time) | 25 July 1687 | 3 October 1692 |
| Nathaniel Higginson | 3 October 1692 | 7 July 1698 |
| Thomas Pitt | 7 July 1698 | 18 September 1709 |
| Gulston Addison | 18 September 1709 | 17 October 1709 |
| Edmund Montague (acting) | 17 October 1709 | 14 November 1709 |
| William Fraser | 14 November 1709 (acting) | 11 July 1711 |
| Edward Harrison | 11 July 1711 | 8 January 1717 |
| Joseph Collett | 8 January 1717 | 18 January 1720 |
| Francis Hastings (acting) | 18 January 1720 | 15 October 1721 |
| Nathaniel Elwick | 15 October 1721 | 15 January 1725 |
| James Macrae | 15 January 1725 | 14 May 1730 |
| George Morton Pitt | 14 May 1730 | 23 January 1735 |
| Richard Benyon (governor) | 23 January 1735 | 14 January 1744 |
| Nicholas Morse | 14 January 1744 | 10 September 1746 |
[edit] Governors of the French East India Company
In 1746, Dupleix's deputy, La Bordannais laid siege to Madras and captured the city. For the next three years, Madras remained under French Governors, until 1749, when Madras was handed to the British as per the Treaty of Aix-la-Chappele. The illustrious Mahe de la Bordannais served as acting Governor for a few months until the appointment of a Governor Jean-Jacques Duval d'Eprémesnil who served until 1749 when Madras reverted to British rule.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| Mahe de la Bordannais (acting) | 10 September 1746 | 2 October 1746 |
| Jean-Jacques Duval d'Eprémesnil | 2 October 1746 | August 1749 |
[edit] Presidents (Of the British East India Company)
During the period between 1746 and 1749, when Madras was under French rule, the British ran a provisional government from Fort David, near modern-day Porto Novo. In 1752, when Madras had been returned to the British, the then President of Madras John Saunders shifted the seat of government from Fort David to Madras. The British gained a lot of territory during the mid-1700s that by the time the French military power was crushed at the Battle of Wandiwash in 1761, the territory under the Presidency of Madras had increased manifold. In 1785, the Province of Madras was created and the President became the Governor of Madras.
| Name | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| John Hinde (in Fort David) | 10 September 1746 | 14 April 1747 |
| Charles Floyer (in Fort David) | 14 April 1747 | 19 September 1750 |
| Thomas Saunders (in Fort David up to 5 April 1752) | 19 September 1750 | 14 January 1755 |
| George Pigot (1st time) | 14 January 1755 | 14 November 1763 |
| Robert Palk | 14 November 1763 | 25 January 1767 |
| Charles Bourchier | 25 January 1767 | 31 January 1770 |
| Josias DuPre | 31 January 1770 | 2 February 1773 |
| Alexander Wynch | 2 February 1773 | 11 December 1775 |
| George Pigot (2nd time) | 11 December 1775 | 23 August 1776 |
| George Stratton | 23 August 1776 | 31 August 1777 |
| John Whitehall (first time) (acting) | 31 August 1777 | 8 February 1778 |
| Sir Thomas Rumbold | 8 February 1778 | 6 April 1780 |
| John Whitehall (second time) (acting) | 6 April 1780 | 8 November 1780 |
| Charles Smith (acting) | 8 November 1780 | 22 June 1781 |
| George MaCartney | 22 June 1781 | 12 February 1785 |
