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James Shaw Hay

1839 – 1924

British colonial governor

Administrator of the government
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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

Birth century
Occupation
Administrator of the government
Positions held
Administrator of the Gambia, Governor of Barbados
Awards
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Also known as
Sir James Shaw Hay

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

· Wikipedia: James Shaw Hay

· Wikidata: Q1681090

· DBpedia: James Shaw Hay

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.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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