Samuel Rowe (colonial administrator)

Sir Samuel Rowe
Administrator of the Gambia
In office
June 1875 – 30 March 1877
Preceded byCornelius Hendricksen Kortright
Succeeded byValerius Skipton Gouldsbury
Governor of Sierra Leone
In office
July 1875 – January 1881
MonarchQueen Victoria
Preceded byCornelius Hendricksen Kortright
Succeeded byArthur Havelock
Governor-in-chief of the British West Africa settlements
In office
12 June 1887 – January 1881
Governor of the Gold Coast and Lagos
In office
28 January 1881 – 29 April 1884
MonarchQueen Victoria
Preceded byWilliam Brandford Griffith
Succeeded byW. A. G. Young
Governor-General of the West Africa settlements
In office
30 December 1884 – 28 August 1888
Preceded byArthur Havelock
Succeeded byJohn Meredith Maltby
Personal details
Born(1835-03-23)23 March 1835
Macclesfield, Cheshire, England
Died28 August 1888(1888-08-28) (aged 53)
Madeira

Sir Samuel Rowe KCMG (23 March 1835 – 28 August 1888) was a British doctor and colonial administrator who was twice governor of Sierra Leone, and also served as administrator of the Gambia, governor of the Gold Coast and governor-general of the West Africa settlements. He was known for his ability to form pro-British relationships with the local people. He was in favour of a vigorous programme of expansion from the coast into the interior in response to French activity in the Sahel region, at times in opposition to Colonial Office policy.