WILKS, Mark. Isle of Man 1759 — Kelloe House, Berwickshire 19.9.1831. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Rev. James Wilks and Elizabeth Christian, a family of Manx gentry. Joined the E.I.C.’s army and went to Madras in 1782. Learned soon Persian. In 1786 Deputy Secretary to the Military Board and 1787 Secretary to Close’s Mission to Mysore. From 1789 Aide de Camp to Governor of Madras and 1790-95 Aide de Camp and Military Secretary to Colonel James Stuart in the Mysore war. In 1798-1803 Military and Private Secretary to Governor, Lord Clive and 1803 Military Secretary to Commander in Chief General J. Stuart. After a mission to Basra, in 1803-08 Resident in Mysore. Left India as Lieutenant-Colonel in 1808. After some time in the U.K. in 1813-16 Governor of St. Helena. Brevet-Colonel 1814. Retired 1818. Now member of Manx parliament. Twice married, 1793 Harriet Macleane (d. 1806) and 1813 Dorothy Taubman, a son and a daughter with the first.
Publications: Historical Sketches of the South of India in an Attempt to trace the History of Mysore. 1-3. L. 1810-17; A Report on Government of Mysore. Madras 1805; an analysis of Akhlak-i-Nasiri, a Persian metaphysical treatise.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; E.I.C[arlyle], D.N.B. 61, 1900, 279f.; imuseum.im with portrait; Wikipedis with portrait.
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