Dawsonne Drake

The Right Honourable Dawsonne Drake
1st British Governor of Manila
In office November 2, 1762 – May 31, 1764
Monarch	George III of the United Kingdom
Preceded by	Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra (As Governor-General of the Philippines and Manila)
Succeeded by	Francisco Javier de la Torre (As the Governor-General of the Philippines and Manila since 17 March 1764)
Governor of White Town
In office 1742–1762
Personal details
Born	1724 Madras, India (now Chennai, India)
Died	1784 (aged 59–60) India

The Rt. Hon. Dawsonne Drake (1724–1784) was the sole British governor of Manila from 1762 to 1764, during the British occupation of the Seven Years' War. Prior to his term as the Manila administrator, he was the governor of White Town from 1742 to 1762.

Governorships

Born in Madras, India (now Chennai, India) in 1724, Dawsonne Drake was the second son of George Drake (4 December 1696 - 1741), a native of Buckland and descendant of Sir Francis Drake, and his wife, Sophia Bugden.

In 1742, Dawsonne Drake joined the British East India Company where he held the position as the clerk. At that time, he also became the governor of White Town, Madras. Because of his faithful service and good connection, he was promoted again and again until he became a member of the Madras Council.

On 2 November 1762, he assumed gubernatorial office as the first British governor of Manila. He was assisted by a council of four, consisting of John L. Smith, Claud Russel, Henry Brooke and Samuel Johnson. During his administration in the Philippines, his term was scandalized by bitter quarrels with various military officers (General William Draper; Admiral Cornish; Major Felt; Captain Thomas Backhouse (command British forces in Manila); and Captain William Brereton, RN).^{[citation needed]}

Post-governorship

Upon his return to India in 1764, he was tried by the Madras Council on charges filed by his enemies such as bribery, misappropriation of public funds, and violation of orders from the Company. He was found guilty and was sentenced to be dismissed and shipped back to England. The directors of East India Company at London, however, in consideration of his previous services, modified the sentence by simply demoting his rank.^{[citation needed]}

Drake continued to serve as member of the Madras Council until his death in 1784. He left a large fortune, including some valuable Spanish paintings which were part of the loot of Manila.^{[citation needed]} He died unmarried in 1784.

References

• Halili, Marie Christine (2004). Philippine History. Sampaloc Manila: Rex Bookstore. pp. 99–102. ISBN 978-971-23-3934-9. http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=gUt5v8ET4QYC&pg=PA101&lpg=PA101&dq=manuel+rojo+archbishop+governor-general&source=bl&ots=gu4gUH1bZw&sig=sVryBL2ZUlLzqMoWtAIrU-hn1QU&hl=tl&ei=5szbSuyjMcqCkQXn6vnKDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCMQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=manuel%20rojo%20archbishop%20governor-general&f=false. 
• "Ilocos Sur". http://www.santa.gov.ph/ilocossur/herodiego.html. 
• Spate, Oskar Hermann Khristian (1983). Monopolists and Freebooters. Kent, United Kingdom: Croom Helm Ltd.. pp. 272–276. ISBN 0-7099-2371-6. http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=594OAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=dawsonne+drake+governor-general&source=bl&ots=MYKI9guniy&sig=ugVIH24E-6mn5S2eqezBMCKEWxI&hl=tl&ei=0OTbStfyLZOCkQXEq73JDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false. 
• "Drakes of Buckland". http://www.wyverngules.com/Pedigrees/Buckland.htm. 

Political offices
Preceded by Newly established Preceded by Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra As Governor-General of the Philippines and Manila	British Governor of Manila 1762— 1764	Succeeded by Abolished Succeeded by Francisco Javier de la Torre As the Governor-General of the Philippines and Manila (since March 17, 1764)
Preceded by ?	Governor of White Town, Madras 1742-1762	Succeeded by ?

Persondata
Name	Drake, Dawsonne
Alternative names
Short description	British colonial administrator; Captain General of the Philippines (1762-1764)
Date of birth	1724
Place of birth	Madras, India (now Chennai, India)
Date of death	1784
Place of death	India