List of high commissioners of the United Kingdom to Brunei

The High Commissioner from the United Kingdom to Brunei is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in Brunei, and in charge of the United Kingdom's diplomatic mission in Brunei.


High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Brunei
Incumbent
John Virgoe
since July 2020[1]
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
British High Commission, Bandar Seri Begawan
StyleHis Excellency
Reports toSecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
ResidenceBandar Seri Begawan
AppointerThe Crown
on advice of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
PrecursorBritish Resident
Inaugural holderDennis Charles White
First High Commissioner to Brunei
Formation29 September 1959
WebsiteBritish High Commission – Bandar Seri Begawan

History edit

Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 until the state gained full independence on 1 January 1984. As fellow members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Kingdom and Brunei exchange High Commissioners rather than ambassadors. In 1958 the constitution was changed, the post of British Resident was abolished and the full on British High Commission for Brunei was established.[2] Sir Dennis Charles White, who had been appointed as Resident the previous year, became the first High Commissioner under the new Constitution.[3]

List of high commissioners edit

No. Name Took office Left office Monarch Ref
1 Dennis Charles White 29 September 1959 31 March 1963 Elizabeth II [4]
2 Angus MacKay Mackintosh 1 April 1963 9 December 1963 [5][4]
3 Edgar Ord Laird 9 December 1963 1965 [6][7]
4 Fernley Douglas Webber 1 August 1965 October 1967 [8][9]
5 Arthur Robin Adair December 1967 January 1972 [10][11]
6 Peter Gautrey 12 January 1972 14 January 1975 [12]
7 James Alfred Davidson January 1975 1978 [13]
8 Arthur Christopher Watson October 1978 31 December 1983 [14][15]
9 Robert Francis Cornish 6 November 1983 5 August 1986 [16]
10 Roger Westbrook 1986 1991 [16]
11 Adrian Sindall 1991 1994 [16]
12 Ivan Roy Callan 1994 1998 [16]
13 Stuart Laing 1998 2002 [17]
14 Andrew Caie January 2002 2005 [18][17]
15 John Saville 2005 2009 [19]
16 Rob Fenn 2009 2013 [20]
17 David Campbell 2013 2017 [21]
18 Richard Lindsay 2017 2020 [22][23]
19 John Virgoe August 2020 Incumbent [24][25]

See also edit


References edit

  1. ^ "John Virgoe". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  2. ^ "No. 41831". The London Gazette. 29 September 1959. p. 6136.
  3. ^ Colonial Governors, David P. Henige, 1970,page 103
  4. ^ a b Office, Great Britain Colonial (1965). Brunei. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 14.
  5. ^ "Sir Dennis Sahabat Yang Karib" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 3 April 1963. p. 1.
  6. ^ Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. pp. xxxvi. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
  7. ^ Office, Great Britain Diplomatic Service Administration (1966). The Diplomatic Service List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 129.
  8. ^ Office, Great Britain Diplomatic Service Administration (1967). The Diplomatic Service List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 141.
  9. ^ Sidhu, Jatswan S. (22 December 2009). Historical Dictionary of Brunei Darussalam. Scarecrow Press. pp. xxxvi. ISBN 978-0-8108-7078-9.
  10. ^ Office, Great Britain Diplomatic Service Administration (1968). The Diplomatic Service List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 141.
  11. ^ Horton, A. V. M. (1 January 2011). "Negara Brunei Darussalam: obituary 2010-2011". Borneo Research Bulletin. 42: 54–89.
  12. ^ Office, Great Britain Diplomatic Service Administration (1975). The Diplomatic Service List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-11-591636-6.
  13. ^ "James Davidson". Times Newspapers. 3 June 2004. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Brunei Administrators". British Empire. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  15. ^ Banks, Arthur S. (1980). Political handbook of the world. McGraw-Hill. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-07-003626-0.
  16. ^ a b c d The Diplomatic Service list 2006. p. 75.
  17. ^ a b "Ambassadors". Hansard. 1 September 2003. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  18. ^ "- CHANGE OF AMBASSADOR AT SKOPJE - CHANGE OF HIGH COMMISSIONER TO BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - MINISTERIAL ENGAGEMENTS". www.wired-gov.net. 7 September 2001. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  19. ^ Turner, B. (12 January 2017). The Statesman's Yearbook 2010: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World. Springer. p. 232. ISBN 978-1-349-58632-5.
  20. ^ Turner, B. (12 January 2017). The Statesman's Yearbook 2012: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World. Springer. p. 238. ISBN 978-1-349-59051-3.
  21. ^ Change of High Commissioner to Brunei Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 23 May 2013
  22. ^ "Change of British High Commissioner to Brunei". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 19 December 2016.
  23. ^ "Foreign diplomats express delight at Istana invitation". Borneo Bulletin. 28 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Change of British High Commissioner to Brunei: August 2020". Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 11 June 2020.
  25. ^ Scoop, The (10 June 2020). "UK announces new envoy for Brunei". The Scoop. Retrieved 8 February 2024.

External links edit