British Singapore

Singapore was ruled by the British, first under the Straits Settlements from 1826 - 1942, and as a Crown Colony from 1945 - 1959.

Straits Settlements

Singapore, Malacca, Prince of Wales Island (now Penang) and Dinding were administrated as the Straits Settlements from 1826 until the Second World War. From 1830 to 1867, the Straits Settlements were a residency (sub-division) of of the Presidency of Bengal in British India. This meant that the Governor of India was in charge of the Straits Settlements, rather than a separate Governor, as in the case of a Crown Colony. Bureaucracy, red tape, and lacklustre administration on the part of the Bengali Presidency invoked requests from the merchants of Singapore to establish her as a separate Crown Colony, receiving orders directly from the Colonial Office in London. This was granted on 1 April 1867.