GeneralSir Robert Brownrigg, 1st Baronet, GCB (8 February 1758 – 27 April 1833) was an Irish-born British statesman and soldier. He brought the last part of Sri Lanka under British rule.
July 1809, he joined the expedition to the Schelt.[2] Brownrigg served as chief-of-staff to the commander Lord Chatham during the aborted operation to seize Antwerp that stalled on Walcheren island. On Chatham's instructions he drew up a memorandum assessing the situation for a council of war at which it was decided to abandon the attempt against Antwerp.[4]
Governor of Ceylon
He left his post as Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1811, and then, in 1813, he was appointed Governor of Ceylon.[2] In 1815, he acquired the Kingdom of Kandy through an agreement with the help of defecting ministers of the Kandyan King, in the central region of the island, and annexed it to the British crown. The treaty was historically known as "Kandyan Convention".[2] In recognition of his achievement, Brownrigg was created a baronet in 1816.[2]
He attained the rank of full General in 1819 and left Ceylon the following year.[2]
The gilded bronze ancient Statue of Tara was reputedly found on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It was acquired by Brownrigg, who later donated it to the British Museum when he was living near Monmouth in 1830.[5] This account however is rejected by the authorities in Sri Lanka who believe that Brownrigg took the statue from the last King of Kandy when the British annexed Kandy.[6]
In 1789, Brownrigg married Elizabeth Catharine Lewis and together they went on to have six sons and a daughter.[2] Then in 1810 he married Sophia Bissett.[2]
Legacy
In 2011, President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka initiated, at the country's Parliament, a formal revocation of Robert Brownrigg's Gazette Notification - under which participants of the Great Rebellion of 1817–18 had been condemned as "traitors" and their properties confiscated. Brownrigg's Gazette Notification was declared null and void, and all those he branded as "traitors" were declared to be National Heroes of Sri Lanka. A National Declaration was awarded on their behalf to their descendants on Republic Day of Sri Lanka, 22 May.
References
^D'Oyly, Sir John (1938). Letters to Ceylon, 1814-1824. W. Heffer & Sons, Limited. p. 118.
^ abcdefghijkPowell, Geoffrey S. "Brownrigg, Sir Robert, first baronet (1759–1833)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/3718. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
robert, brownrigg, general, baronet, february, 1758, april, 1833, irish, born, british, statesman, soldier, brought, last, part, lanka, under, british, rule, generalsir, gcb1810, painting, thomas, lawrence3rd, governor, british, ceylonin, office, march, 1812, . General Sir Robert Brownrigg 1st Baronet GCB 8 February 1758 27 April 1833 was an Irish born British statesman and soldier He brought the last part of Sri Lanka under British rule GeneralSir Robert BrownriggBt GCB1810 painting by Thomas Lawrence3rd Governor of British CeylonIn office 11 March 1812 1 February 1820Preceded byJohn Wilson Acting governor Succeeded byEdward Barnes Acting governor 10th General Officer Commanding CeylonIn office 1812 1812Preceded byJohn WilsonSucceeded byAlexander Cosby JacksonPersonal detailsBorn8 February 1758 1 County Wicklow IrelandDied27 April 1833 1833 04 27 aged 75 Monmouth Monmouthshire WalesAwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathMilitary serviceAllegianceUnited KingdomBranch serviceBritish ArmyRankGeneralCommandsGeneral Officer Commanding Ceylon Contents 1 Early career 2 Walcheren campaign 3 Governor of Ceylon 4 Family 5 Legacy 6 References 7 SourcesEarly career EditBrownrigg was commissioned as an ensign in 1775 2 After service with the 9th East Norfolk Regiment of Foot he was appointed Military Secretary to the Duke of York in 1795 and accompanied him to The Helder in Holland in 1799 2 In 1803 he was appointed Quartermaster General to the Forces 3 In 1805 he was made Colonel of the 9th East Norfolk Regiment Walcheren campaign EditJuly 1809 he joined the expedition to the Schelt 2 Brownrigg served as chief of staff to the commander Lord Chatham during the aborted operation to seize Antwerp that stalled on Walcheren island On Chatham s instructions he drew up a memorandum assessing the situation for a council of war at which it was decided to abandon the attempt against Antwerp 4 Governor of Ceylon EditHe left his post as Quartermaster General to the Forces in 1811 and then in 1813 he was appointed Governor of Ceylon 2 In 1815 he acquired the Kingdom of Kandy through an agreement with the help of defecting ministers of the Kandyan King in the central region of the island and annexed it to the British crown The treaty was historically known as Kandyan Convention 2 In recognition of his achievement Brownrigg was created a baronet in 1816 2 Brownrigg fought the Great Rebellion of 1817 18 and managed to defeat that aided by reinforcements from India 2 He attained the rank of full General in 1819 and left Ceylon the following year 2 The gilded bronze ancient Statue of Tara was reputedly found on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka It was acquired by Brownrigg who later donated it to the British Museum when he was living near Monmouth in 1830 5 This account however is rejected by the authorities in Sri Lanka who believe that Brownrigg took the statue from the last King of Kandy when the British annexed Kandy 6 Brownrigg died near Monmouth in 1833 2 Family EditIn 1789 Brownrigg married Elizabeth Catharine Lewis and together they went on to have six sons and a daughter 2 Then in 1810 he married Sophia Bissett 2 Legacy EditIn 2011 President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka initiated at the country s Parliament a formal revocation of Robert Brownrigg s Gazette Notification under which participants of the Great Rebellion of 1817 18 had been condemned as traitors and their properties confiscated Brownrigg s Gazette Notification was declared null and void and all those he branded as traitors were declared to be National Heroes of Sri Lanka A National Declaration was awarded on their behalf to their descendants on Republic Day of Sri Lanka 22 May References Edit D Oyly Sir John 1938 Letters to Ceylon 1814 1824 W Heffer amp Sons Limited p 118 a b c d e f g h i j k Powell Geoffrey S Brownrigg Sir Robert first baronet 1759 1833 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 3718 Subscription or UK public library membership required No 15566 The London Gazette 12 March 1803 p 266 Reiter p 157 58 figure Collection Online British Museum retrieved 9 December 2013 Greenfield Jeanette 1996 The return of cultural treasures 2nd ed Cambridge Cambridge university press p 132 ISBN 0521477468 Sources EditReiter Jacqueline The Late Lord The Life of John Pitt 2nd Earl of Chatham Casemate Publishers 2017 Stephens Henry Morse 1886 Brownrigg Robert In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 7 London Smith Elder amp Co Military officesPreceded byNew Post Military Secretary1795 1803 Succeeded byWilliam ClintonPreceded bySir David Dundas Quartermaster General to the Forces1803 1811 Succeeded bySir James GordonPreceded byJohn Wilson General Officer Commanding Ceylon1812 Succeeded byAlexander Cosby JacksonPreceded byPeter Hunter Colonel of the 9th East Norfolk Regiment of Foot1804 1833 Succeeded bySir John CameronGovernment officesPreceded byJohn Wilsonacting governor Governor of Ceylon1812 1820 Succeeded byEdward Barnesacting governorBaronetage of the United KingdomNew creation Baronet of London 1816 1833 Succeeded byRobert Brownrigg Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Brownrigg amp oldid 1102935008, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
