This article lists the colonial governors and administrators of British Cyprus.

Hitherto Ottoman Cyprus, a territory of the Ottoman Empire, a British protectorate under Ottoman suzerainty was established over Cyprus by the Cyprus Convention of 4 June 1878. The United Kingdom declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 5 November 1914 and annexed Cyprus. Turkey recognised British possession of Cyprus by the Treaty of Lausanne on 24 July 1923 and the island became a Crown Colony on 10 March 1925. Following the London and Zürich Agreements of 19 February 1959 Cyprus became an independent republic on 16 August 1960, and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961.

List of high commissioners (1878–1925)

List of governors (1925–1960)

Deputy governors

• Sir George Evelyn Sinclair: 1955–1960

Commanders

The following officers have been in command of British Forces Cyprus:

1. General Officer Commanding Cyprus District

2. 18 March 1955 — Major-General Abdy Ricketts

3. 19 October 1956 — Major-General Douglas Kendrew

4. 11 October 1958 — Major-General Kenneth Darling

5. Commander, British Forces in Cyprus

6. 16 August 1960 — Air Marshal Sir William MacDonald (Administrator of the SBAs from 1960)

7. 16 July 1962 — Air Chief Marshal Sir Denis Barnett, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East and Commander British Forces in Cyprus.

8. 25 September 1964 — Air Marshal T. O. Prickett; Air Vice-Marshal T. O. Prickett CB, DSO, DFC, was "appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East Air Force and Commander, British Forces in Cyprus, with the acting rank of Air Marshal in succession to" Air Chief Marshal Barnett, 25 Sept 1964.

9. 21 November 1966 — Air Marshal E. G. Jones "appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East Air Force and Commander, British Forces in Cyprus, with the acting rank of Air Marshal in succession to Air Marshal Sir Thomas Prickett"

10. 6 May 1969 — Air Marshal D. G. Smallwood

11. 2 July 1970 — Air Marshal W. D. Hodgkinson, Commander, British Forces Near East; AOC in C, Near East Air Force; Administrator, Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia

12. 25 June 1973 — Air Marshal Sir John Aiken as Commander, British Forces Near East and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East Air Force Still Commander British Forces Near East in 1974.

13. Commander, British Forces Cyprus

14. 1 April 1976 — Air Vice-Marshal R. D. Austen-Smith as Commander, British Forces Cyprus/Air Commander, Cyprus and, Administrator, British Sovereign Base Areas - Cyprus on 1 April 1976;

15. 28 April 1978 — Major-General W. R. Taylor

16. 3 October 1980 — Air Vice-Marshal R. L. Davis

17. 31 March 1983 — Major-General Sir Desmond Langley

18. 29 October 1985 — Air Vice-Marshal K. W. Hayr

19. 21 April 1988 — Major-General J. P. W. Friedberger

20. 1990 — Air Vice-Marshal A. F. C. Hunter

21. 25 March 1993 — Major-General A. G. H. Harley

22. 17 February 1995 — Air Vice-Marshal P. Millar

23. 16 January 1998 — Major-General A. I. Ramsay

24. 5 September 2000 — Air Vice-Marshal T. W. Rimmer

25. 5 September 2003 — Major-General P. T. C. Pearson

26. 26 April 2006 — Air Vice-Marshal R. H. Lacey

27. 16 October 2008 — Major-General J. H. Gordon

28. 4 November 2010 — Air Vice-Marshal G. E. Stacey

29. 3 January 2012 — Major-General R. Cripwell

30. 20 January 2015 — Air Vice-Marshal M. Wigston

31. February 2017 — Major-General J. T. E. Illingworth

32. 25 September 2019 – Major-General R. J. Thomson

33. 1 September 2022 – Air Vice-Marshal P. J. M. Squires

34. 11 April 2025 – Major-General T. H. Bewick

Flags

See also

• President of Cyprus

• Vilayet of the Archipelago

References

• World Statesmen – Cyprus