Sir Charles Oakeley, 1st Baronet served as one of the Governors of Madras Presidency from the year 1792 to 1794, under the rule of the British East India Company. He was also a well known British Colonial administrator in British India. Oakeley was born on 27 February 1751 as the son of William Oakeley and Christian Strachan. On 5 June 1790, the Oakeley Baronetcy of Shrewsbury was created for Charles Oakeley. After the completion of his education, he was employed as an English administrator in British dominated India. He was accountable for collecting funds for the war when the Carnatic was invaded by Hyde Ally Cawn. After the culmination of war in the year 1784, Oakeley went back to his family in England in February 1789. Eventually he returned to British India and resumed his duties.
Charles Oakeley was appointed as the Governor of Madras Presidency on 15 May 1872. He was preceded by Sir William Medows who served as the Governor of Madras Province from 20 February 1790 to 1 August 1792. The Madras Presidency, also known as the Presidency of Fort St. George and Madras Province, was an administrative sub division of British dominated India. The territory included most of southern India, such as the modern states of Tamil Nadu, the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep Islands, the Malabar region of North Kerala, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangapur and Gajapati districts of southern Orissa and the Bellary, Ganjam, Dakshina Kannada, Rayagada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. Madras (now Chennai) was the winter capital of the province and Ootacamund (now Ooty) was the summer capital of the British presidency.
Oakeley served in office until 7 September 1794 and was succeeded by Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire PC, who acted as the Governor of Madras till 21 February 1798.
Sir Charles Oakeley, 1st Baronet was married to Helen Beatson, who was the niece of notable Scottish portrait painter Catherine Read. The couple had 2 sons, namely Sir Charles Oakeley, 2nd Baronet and Frederick Oakeley. Charles Oakeley died on 7 September 1826 in Fort St George, Madras (now Chennai) in British India.
