Alexander Swettenham

Sir Alexander Swettenham KCMG
Governor of Jamaica
In office 30 September 1904 – 1907
Monarch	Edward VII
Preceded by	Augustus Hemming
Succeeded by	Sydney Haldane Olivier
41st Governor of British Guiana
In office 3 July 1901[1] – 26 September 1904
Monarch	Edward VII
Preceded by	Walter Joseph Sendall
Succeeded by	Frederick Mitchell Hodgson
Acting Governor of the Straits Settlements
In office 7 December 1899 – 5 November 1901
Monarchs	Queen Victoria Edward VII
Preceded by	Sir Charles Mitchell
Succeeded by	Sir Frank Swettenham
7th Colonial Secretary, Straits Settlements
In office 11 February 1895 – 7 December 1899
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Governor	Charles Mitchell
Preceded by	William Edward Maxwell
Succeeded by	Walter Egerton (acting) Sir Charles Walter Sneyd Kynnersley (acting)
20th Accountant General and Controller of Revenue
In office 31 July 1891 – 10 June 1895
Preceded by	George Thomas Michael O'Brien
Succeeded by	William Thomas Taylor
Personal details
Born	James Alexander Swettenham 1846 Belper, Derbyshire, England
Died	19 April 1933(1933-04-19) (aged 86–87) La Colline, Switzerland
Resting place	Vevey, Switzerland
Spouse	Mary Emily née Copeland[2] ​ ​ (m. 1905)​
Parent	James Oldham Swettenham (father)
Alma mater	Clare College, Cambridge
Occupation	Colonial administrator

Sir James Alexander Swettenham KCMG (1846 – 19 April 1933) was a British colonial administrator who was Governor of British Guiana (1901–1904) and Governor of Jamaica (1904–1907).^[3]

Alexander was born the son of James Oldham Swettenham, an attorney-at-law, near Belper, Derbyshire and educated at Clare College, Cambridge.

Alexander’s younger brother, Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham, was also a colonial administrator.

Alexander married Mary Emily Copeland,^[2] a descendant of the Staffordshire Wedgwood family. They had no children.

Alexander joined the Ceylon Civil Service in 1868 and worked there until 1883, before being appointed Receiver-General for Cyprus in 1884, returning to Ceylon in 1891 where he was appointed the 20th Accountant General and Controller of Revenue in Sri Lanka. His appointment commenced on 31 July 1891, succeeding G. T. M. O'Brien, and he held the office until 10 June 1895, when he was succeeded by J. A. Taylor.^[4] Alexander moved to Singapore on 11 February 1895^[5] and served as the Colonial Secretary until 1899, becoming acting Governor that year, when Sir Charles Mitchell died in office, until handing over to his brother Frank in November 1901.

From 1901 to 1904 he served as Governor of British Guiana before moving to Jamaica to become Governor there. In 1907 there was a severe earthquake on the island and he was responsible for dealing with its aftermath. When a corps of American marines arrived under Rear-Admiral Charles H. Davis Jr to offer assistance he asked them to leave as he had matters under control. The Americans took offence and caused a diplomatic spat referred to as the Kingston Incident, as a result of which Swettenham was obliged to resign his position.^[6]

Alexander died in a clinic in La Colline, Switzerland and was buried in Vevey.

Alexander was awarded CMG in 1892^[7] and was knighted KCMG in 1898.^[8]

• Bosher, J.F. Imperial Vancouver Island: Who Was Who, 1850–1950. p. 712.