James Shaw Hay
British colonial governor
About James Shaw Hay
Lived 1839 – 1924 (aged 84). James Shaw Hay was a British administrator of the government.
Sir James Shaw Hay (25 October 1839 – 20 June 1924) was a British colonial governor.
Family He was the second son of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Pasley Hay (1 May 1801 - 28 June 1858) and wife (married 24 February 1824) Georgette Heine Arnaud (c. 1808 - 10 December 1874).
Biography He fought in the Indian Mutiny in 1857 and became an Officer in 1858 in the service of the 89th Regiment. thumb
He was the 8th Administrator of the Gambia between 1886 and 1888, Acting Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Sierra Leone between 1886 and 1888 and again in 1888 until 24 November, when he became effective until 1889, as again between 1890 and 1891, and the 3rd Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Barbados between 1891 and 1900.
He was invested as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1889.
Marriages and issue He married firstly Jane Morin, daughter of John Morin of Allanton, Dumfriesshire, and had one daughter: Margaret Eleanor Hay (? - 7 March 1955), married on 5 December 1895 to Major of the W. R. Regiment Harold Wolstenholme Cobb (? - 15 October 1909), without issue
He married secondly Frances Marie Polatza (? - 17 June 1893), daughter of Jacques Polatza, from Brussels, without issue.
He married thirdly on 31 January 1894 Isabella Graham Cockburn (c. 1848 - Kensington, London, 5 January 1926), daughter of George Ferguson Cockburn and Sarah Charlotte Bishop, without issue.
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Important facts
People in James Shaw Hay's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped James Shaw Hay's
Frequently asked questions
Who was James Shaw Hay?
British colonial governor (1839-1924)
When was James Shaw Hay born?
James Shaw Hay was born on 25 October 1839.
When did James Shaw Hay die?
James Shaw Hay died on 20 June 1924.
What was James Shaw Hay's occupation?
James Shaw Hay was an administrator of the government.
What nationality was James Shaw Hay?
James Shaw Hay was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Shaw Hay. https://biography.guide/james-shaw-hay/
MLA: "James Shaw Hay." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-shaw-hay/.
Chicago: "James Shaw Hay." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-shaw-hay/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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