Incumbents
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Governors and Deputy Governors

Please note that the names/spellings, dates and titles of Governors during the early period can differ between historical sources.

The holders of the positions of Governor and Deputy Governor are listed below. The title ascribed to these positions has altered over time, so where an alternative or additional title applied in respect of the position, this is stated in the Other Title column.

Presiding Officers

Presidents of Tynwald

When the Constitution Act 1990 came into force in July 1990, the Lieutenant Governor ceased to be the ex officio President of Tynwald,[5] and a President was elected from the Members of Tynwald.[6]

1990 Sir Henry Charles Kerruish OBE LLD (hc) CP

2000 Noel Quayle Cringle OBE

2011 Clare Christian BSc

2016 Stephen Charles Rodan OBE BSc (Hons) MRPharmS

2021 Laurence David Skelly

Deputy Presidents of Tynwald

The Constitution Act 1990 provided for the election of a Deputy President of Tynwald:

“Tynwald shall from time to time by resolution elect a member of the Keys or an elected member of the Legislative Council to be Deputy President of Tynwald”. [7]

Following the election of Sir Charles Kerruish in 1990, the position of Deputy President of Tynwald was not filled until 7th July 1992.[8]

1992 James Crookall Cain FCA SHK

1997 Noel Quayle Cringle SHK

2000 John David Qualtrough Cannan SHK

2002 James Anthony Brown OBE SHK

2007 Stephen Charles Rodan OBE BSc (Hons) MRPharmS SHK

2016 Juan Paul Watterson BA (Hons) BFP FCA CMgr FCMI SHK

2021 Juan Paul Watterson BA (Hons) BFP FCA CMgr FCMI SHK

Presidents of the Legislative Council

Prior to the Constitution (Legislative Council) (Amendment) Act 1980, the Lieutenant Governor was ex officio President of the Legislative Council. This legislation came into force in 1980 and remained in force until the Constitution Act 1990. The President of the Legislative Council was elected from within the Legislative Council.

1980 John Allen Cowell Kennedy Nivison CBE JP CP

1987 Robert John Gurney Anderson

By virtue of the Constitution Act 1990 the role was amalgamated with that of the President of Tynwald.

Chairmen and Speakers of the House of Keys

Until 1867 the Speaker of the House of Keys was a role which only became vacant upon the death of the incumbent. Edward Moore Gawne became the first Speaker of the House of Keys to retire from the position in 1867.

c.1649 Major Richard Stevenson

c.1660-63 Edward Christian

1673 Charles Christian

1697 Captain Thomas Stevenson

1704 Captain John Stevenson

1738 Captain Thomas Heywood

1758 Sir George Moore

1780 John Taubman

1799 Major John Taubman

1823 Colonel Mark Wilkes FRS

1831 General Alexander John Goldie

1844 Colonel John Taubman Goldie -Taubman

1847 John Moore

1854 Edward Moore Gawne

1867 Sir John Senhouse Goldie-Taubman JP

1898 Arthur William Moore CVO MA JP

1909 Dalrymple Maitland

1919 John Robert Kerruish

1919 Sir George Frederick Clucas CBE JP

1937 Sir Joseph Davidson Qualtrough CBE

1960 Henry Knowles Corlett OBE JP

1962 Sir Henry Charles Kerruish OBE CP

1990 George Victor Harris Kneale CBE MA (hc)

1991 James Crookall Cain FCA

1996 Noel Quayle Cringle OBE

2000 John David Qualtrough Cannan

2001 James Anthony Brown

2006 Stephen Charles Rodan BSc (Hons) MRPharm S

2016 Juan Paul Watterson BA (Hons) BFP FCA CMgr FCMI SHK

2021 Juan Paul Watterson BA (Hons) BFP FCA CMgr FCMI SHK

Deputy Speaker of the House of Keys

The Deputy (or Acting) Speaker of the House of Keys did not become a post until the adoption of the 1964 House of Keys Standing Orders.[9] Prior to this date if it was necessary to appoint an Acting Speaker because of the absence of Speaker it was done on an ad-hoc basis.

1964 A S Kelly

1971 E Clifford Irving

1981 George Victor Harris Kneale CBE MA(hc)

1990 James Crookall Cain FCA

1992 Dr Edgar J Mann

1995 Noel Quayle Cringle OBE

1997 John David Qualtrough Cannan

2000 James Anthony Brown

2002 Donald James Gelling CBE CP CInstSMM

2002 Richard Edgar Quine

2004-06 Hazel Hannan

2008 Robert Philip Braidwood BEng

2010 Quintin Gill

2011 Leonard Ian Singer

2016 Christopher Roy Robertshaw

2021-24 Daphne Caine

2024 Catherine Ann Corlett

Following the General Election in 2006 it was noted, in a statement made by the Speaker of the House of Keys,[10] that a technical issue with the interpretation of the Council of Ministers Act 1990[11] and the Interpretation Act 1976[12] had arisen and a Deputy Speaker, once elected to that position, would automatically vacate their departmental office.

The Presiding Officers Act 2008, which received Royal Assent on 11th March 2008, allowed for the appointment of an Acting/Deputy Speaker to be a member of a Department and/or Statutory Board.

Clerks & Secretaries

Clerks of Tynwald

1909 Richard Daniel Gelling CP

1929 Ramsey Gelling Johnson OBE CP

1938 Frank Barnes Johnson MBE MA

1964 Thomas Edward Kermeen ISO FCIS

1976 Robert Brisco MacGregor Quayle MA

1987 Professor Thomas St John Neville Bates MA LLM

2001 Robert Brisco MacGregor Quayle MA

2001 Malachy Cornwell-Kelly LLB (Hons) AKC MCMI

2008 Roger Ian Sexton Phillips LLB

2021 Jonathan King LLB MA DPhil LRSM

Deputy Clerks of Tynwald (formerly Clerk Assistants of Tynwald)

1965 Norman Leslie Clague

1970 Rodney George Greggor Caley

1977 Thomas Arthur Bawden

2001 Marilyn Cullen

2007 Jonathan King LLB MA DPhil LRSM

2021 Joann Corkish LLB CMgr MCMI FRSA

Third Clerks of Tynwald (formerly Clerk Administrators of Tynwald)

1977 Geraldine E Collister

1980 June E M Brown

1993 Marilyn Cullen

2001 Philip Lo Bao BA MA PGCE

2008 Marie Lambden ACIS

2015 Joann Corkish LLB CMgr MCMI FRSA

2021 Carlos Phillips (Head of Legislative Services)[13]

Clerks of the Legislative Council

Before the Revestment the Clerk of the Rolls acted as Clerk of the Council without special appointment.

1765 John Quayle

1794 Robert Heywood CR

1797 Mark Hildesley Quayle CR

1804 Thomas Stowell CR

1822 John Bell

1830 George Quirk

1848 William Watson Christian

1851 James Burman

1864 John Thomas Clucas

1910 Bertram Edward Sargeant OBE MVO FSA

1943 John Nelson Panes MA

1954 Eric Reginald St Aubrey Davies MBE JP

1967 Gerald Jackson Bryan CMG CVO OBE MC

1969 William Bramwell Kennaugh

1972 Peter joseph Hulme

1976 John Raymond Cannan

1977 Thomas Arthur Bawden

2001 Marilyn Cullen

2007 Jonathan King LLB MA DPhil LRSM

2021 Joann Corkish LLB CMgr MCMI FRSA

Secretaries of the House of Keys

1793 Thomas Gawne MHK

1813 John Llewellyn MHK

1824 -

1841 George William Dumbell MHK

1858 Robert John Moore MHK

1884 John Corlett Lamothe

1898 George Cookson

1898 Richard Daniel Gelling CP

1929 Ramsey Gelling Johnson OBE CP

1938 Frank Barnes Johnson MBE MA

1964 Thomas Edward Kermeen ISO FCIS

1976 Robert Brisco MacGregor Quayle MA

1987 Professor Thomas St John Neville Bates MA LLM

2001 Robert Brisco MacGregor Quayle MA

2001 Malachy Cornwell-Kelly LLB(Hons) AKC MCMI

2008 Roger Ian Sexton Phillips LLB

2021 Jonathan King LLB MA DPhil LRSM

Chaplains of the House of Keys

1863 Rev. Edward Ferrier

1896 Rev. Robert B Baron

1906 Canon John Quine MA

1924 Rev. Martin C Taylor

1924 Canon Charles A Cannan MA

1929 Rev. Joseph Quayle Callister

1940 Canon James Hampton Cain MA

1944 Rev. John Kinrade Elliot

1955 Canon Henry Maddrell MA

1968 Rev. Joseph Wilson

1984 Rev. Robert Edward Cubbon

1991 Rev. Rex Kissack MA BD

1996 Ven. David Albert Willoughby BA

1998 Canon Denis Baggaley MA

2005 Rev. George Quinn MBE

2007 Rev. William H. Martin

2016 Ven. Andrew Brown

2022 Rev. Irene Cowell

[1] Following the death of the Duke of Atholl in 1830 the practice of having a Deputy Governor alongside a Governor ceased.

[2] Appointed as Deputy Governor following the resignation of Governor Hope.

[3] Appointed as Deputy Governor following the death of Governor Piggot.

[4] The Royal Warrant was altered from 1926 to provide for someone to deputise in the absence of the Lieutenant Governor. It states: AND We do hereby ordain that Our First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls, or in the event of his inability to act, Our Second Deemster, shall, after taking the oath, discharge the duties of Lieutenant-Governor whenever owing to your absence from the Island or any other cause you are unable to discharge the duties of your office, until such time as you shall resume the duties or until We signify Our further Pleasure in that behalf.

[5] Constitution Act 1990, section 1(2)

[6] Constitution Act 1990, section 2

[7] Constitution Act 1990, section 5(1)

[8] Debates of the Legislature, v108, T464

[9] The Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 14th January 1964, SO11

[10] Debates of the Legislature, v124, K21

[11] section 7

[12] section 3