D’OYLY, John. 6.6.1774 — Kandy 25.5.1824. Sir, first Bart. of Kandy. British Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Son of Matthias D’Oyly, Archdeacon of Hastings, and his wife Mary, educated at Westminster School. Studies at Cambridge (Corpus Christi), graduated 1796. In 1801 joined C.C.S. as writer, during a tenure at Matara mastered Sinhalese and was appointed government’s Chief Translator in 1805. From 1806 Agent of Revenue in Colombo, then 1814-15 Civil Auditor-General. In 1815 he was intermediating between British government and Kandyan chiefs intriguing against their king and thus achieved the British annexion of Kandy. Then Resident in Kandy. He was made a Baronet in 1821 and decided to stay in Kandy as Commissioner. Died of fever. Unmarried.
Publications: “A sketch of the Constitution of the Kandyan Kingdom”, TrRAS 3:2, 1833, 191-252.
Sources: J.R. Toussaint, Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon 23, 1934, 117f.; Wikipedia.
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