Charles Dallas (c. 1767—26 April 1855), was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

Governor of

Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

Early life and family

Dallas was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

. His father was

William Dallas William Sweetland Dallas (1824–1890) was a British zoologist and curator. He curated collections at the British Museum and the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, and was editor of the '' Popular Science Review''. Biography He was appoin ...

of North Newton (1719/20 – 2 October 1785), by his second wife, Davidona Haliburton (married 16 April 1754 at Old St. Paul's, Edinburgh). William Dallas, third son and heir to James Dallas of ST. MARTIN’S (baptised 16 June 1661 – 10 November 1740) by his second wife, Barbara Cockburn (married 1703 at Edinburgh), daughter of William Cockburn, merchant in Edinburgh, and his spouse Jean Clerk, and sister of Henrietta Cockburn, wife of William Dallas, W.S. of Budgate. His mother was Davidona Haliburton, born about 1730, daughter of George Haliburton of Muirhouseland, "late"

Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is the convener of the City of Edinburgh local authority, who is elected by City_of_Edinburgh_Council, the city council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the e ...

, of the family of Muirhouseland; she was served as co-heiress of provision general to her sisters Ann and Elizabeth Haliburton, 3 July 1787.

Military career

Dallas spent many years in the service of the

Honourable East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

. During the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

he joined the Shropshire Corps of Yeomanry, Captain of the Troop, 15 January 1804, promotion granted by Lord Berwick. He became Colonel of the St. Helena Regiment of Infantry, granted 11 August 1827. Dallas achieved the rank of

Brigadier-General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

St. Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

and eastward of the

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...

on 14 February 1828. On February 6 1828, while still a colonel, he took the oath of governor of St. Helena.

Marriage

Dallas married, on 9 January 1801, at Edinburgh, Janet, only surviving child of George Cockburn Haldane (see

Clan Haldane Clan Haldane is a Lowland Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages ...

) 18th of Gleneagles (baptised 15 June 1729; marriage certificate 9 May 1766; died 2 March 1799) by his first wife, Bethia, daughter of Thomas Dundas of

Fingask Fingask Castle is a country house in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is perched above Rait, three miles (5 km) north-east of Errol, in the Braes of the Carse, on the fringes of the Sidlaw Hills. Thus it overlooks both the Carse of Gowr ...

And Carronhall, M.P. for Orkney & Shetland, Burgess of Edinburgh, Deputy

Lyon King of Arms The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new gran ...

and Commissioner of Police (born about 1710; 2nd marriage 11 November 1744; died 10 April 1786), by his wife Lady Janet Maitland (born 1720; died 29 December 1805), daughter of the

Earl of Lauderdale Earl of Lauderdale is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The current holder of the title is Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale. The title was created in 1624 for John Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire. The second Ear ...

Governor of St. Helena

Brigadier-General Charles Dallas was the last East India Company Governor of Saint Helena, a position he held from 1828–1834.

Death and family

Dallas died on 26 April 1855, at Trefusis House in

Exmouth Exmouth is a harbor, port town, civil parishes in England, civil parish and seaside resort, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe and southeast of Exeter. In 2011 it had a population of 34,432, making Exmouth the List of town ...

'in his 88th year', having survived his wife Janet and his three youngest sons. His eldest son, Captain Thomas Dallas Haldane, drowned at sea in 1857. His three daughters, Bethia, Davidona Eleanor (married Vice-Admiral Francis Harding, fifth son of William Harding of Baraset) and Caroline, all had issue.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dallas, Charles 1760s births 1855 deaths Year of birth uncertain Military personnel from Edinburgh Governors of Saint Helena British colonial governors and administrators in Africa British East India Company Army generals Shropshire Yeomanry officers