Directors of the Ordnance Survey


The following is a list of those in charge of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain from its inauguration in 1791 to present. The title of the post was originally Superintendent of the Ordnance Survey but it evolved during the tenure of Henry James. He was appointed in 1854 as Superintendent
but he had made himself Director by 1863
and then Director-General by 1874. More recently, between 1985 and 1991, the title became Director-General and Chief Executive.
1791–1798Colonel Edward Williams
1798–1820Major General William Mudge
1820–1847Major General Thomas Frederick Colby
1847–1854Colonel Lewis Alexander Hall
1854–1875Lieutenant General Sir Henry James
1875–1878Lieutenant General John Cameron
1878Colonel Alexander Ross Clarke
1878–1883Major General Anthony C. Cooke
1883–1886Colonel Richard H. Stotherd
1886–1894Colonel Sir Charles William Wilson
1894–1899Colonel John Farquharson
1899–1905Colonel Sir Duncan A. Johnston
1905–1908Colonel R.C. Hellard
1908–1911Colonel Samuel Charles Norton Grant
1911–1922Colonel Sir Charles Frederick Close
1922–1930Brigadier Evan MacLean Jack
1930–1934Brigadier Harold St John Loyd Winterbotham
1935–1943Major-General Malcolm Neynoe MacLeod
1943–1949Major-General Geoffrey Cheetham
1949–1953Major–General Reginald Llewelyn Brown
1953–1957Major-General John Christopher Temple Willis
1957–1961Major-General L.F. de Vic Carey
1961–1965Major-General A.H. Dowson
1965–1969Major-General R.C.A. Edge
1969–1977Major-General Brian St-G. Irwin
1977–1985Walter P. Smith
1985–1991Peter McMaster
1992–1998Professor David Rhind
1998–1999Geoffrey Robinson
1999–2000David Willey
2000–2014Vanessa Lawrence
2014–2015Neil Ackroyd
2015–2018Nigel Clifford
2018-2019Neil Ackroyd
2019-Steve Blair