Sir William Gooch, Bt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Governor of Virginia | |
| In office 1727–1749 | |
| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by | James Blair |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Lee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 October 1681 Great Yarmouth, England |
| Died | 17 December 1751 (aged 70) London, England |
| Spouse | Lady Rebecca Staunton (m. 1714) |
| Children | William Gooch |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain |
| Branch/service | British Army |
Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet (21 October 1681 – 17 December 1751) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Virginia from 1727 to 1749. Technically, Gooch only held the title of Royal Lieutenant Governor, but the nominal governors, Lord Orkney and Lord Albemarle, were in England and did not exercise much authority. Gooch's tenure as governor was characterized by his unusual political effectiveness.
One of his greatest successes was the passage of the Tobacco Inspection Act of 1730. The Act called for the inspection and regulation of Virginia's tobacco, the most important crop of the colony. Tobacco planters were required to transport their crop to public warehouses where it was inspected and stored. The Act raised the quality of Virginia's tobacco and reduced fraud; this greatly increased the demand for Virginia tobacco in Europe. Gooch's military policy focused on protecting the western territory from Native Americans and French encroachment.