Tristan's resident Administrator is appointed by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and reports to the Governor in St Helena.

Tristan da Cunha Administrators

Philip Kendall was sworn in as Tristan Administrator on 25th September 2023 after arriving with his wife Louise aboard SA Agulhas II on 21st September. 

Photo from Chief Islander James Glass shows Philip and Louise Kendall
arriving at their Residency home on 21st September 2023.

Following the sudden death of Administrator Sean Burns on 16th March, (see Passing Away of Sean Burns), Chief Islander James Glass has been Acting Administrator, and following James' departure in March, Treasurer Lorraine Repetto has occupied this temporary post until James' arrival back on the June Lance voyage.

See below for a full list of Tristan Administrators.


The Administrator

The Administrator of Tristan da Cunha acts as President of the Island Council and Chairs the Heads of Department Meeting. Administrators are employed by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

This photograph shows The Residency - home for the resident Administrator, often used to host Receptions on various special occasions. See below for archive photo of the Residency in 2005.

Administrator's Flag

Pictured left is the Flag of the Tristan da Cunha Administrator which was assigned in a proclamation made on 20th October 2002 by Governor Hollamby under a Royal Warrant granted by Her Majesty the Queen.

It consists of a Union Flag with a white disc edged with a gold ring under a garland of laurel and containing the full Armorial Ensigns of the Territory.

The flag is to be used in the presence of the Administrator, or acting Administrator, on land and at sea.


Resident British Administrators

1950-1952 - Hugh Elliott
1952-1954 - Philip Scott
1954-1957 - Pat Forsyth Thompson
1957-1959 - Godfrey Harris
1959-1961 - Peter Day
1961 - Peter Wheeler
1961-1963 - Evacuation of community to UK
1963-1965 - Peter Day
1965-1966 - Gordon Whitefield
1966-1969 - Brian Watkins
1969-1974 - Ian Fleming
1974-1975 - Bill Sandham (Acting Administrator)
1975-1978 - Stan Trees
1978-1981 - Eddie Brooks
1981-1984 - Colin Redston
1984-1989 - Roger Perry
1989-1992 - Bernard Pauncefort  
1992-1994 - Philip Johnson  
1994-1997 - Brendan Dalley  
1995-1996 - Alan Waters (Acting Administrator)  
1997-1998 - Brian Money (Acting Administrator)  
1998-2001 - Brian Baldwin  
2001-2004 - Bill Dickson  
2004-2007 - Mike Hentley  
2007-2010 - David Morley  
2010-2013 - Sean Burns  
2013-2016 - Alex Mitham  
2016-2020 - Sean Burns  
2020-2022 - Fiona Kilpatrick and Steve Townsend  
2022 - Jason Ivory  
2022-2023 - Sean Burns  
2023- - Philip Kendall  

Only Acting Administrators sent out by the UK Government to cover for absence are included.


The Residency

The Residency is the Tristan home of the Administrator. This 2005 photograph, taken by Janice Hentley shows the Administrator's flag typically extended by the westerly wind. The skyline behind the Residency is dominated by the Goat Ridge.