Adolphus Edward Shelley (1812 – May 29, 1854) was an early British colonial official and the first

Auditor-General An auditor general, also known in some countries as a comptroller general or comptroller and auditor general, is a senior civil servant charged with improving government accountability by auditing and reporting on the government's operations. Fre ...

British Hong Kong Hong Kong was under British Empire, British rule from 1841 to 1997, except for a Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, brief period of Japanese occupation during World War II from 1941 to 1945. It was a crown colony of the United Kingdom from 1841 ...

Early life

Shelley was the third son of Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet in Michelgrove,

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. He married his wife Amelia in 1836. Shelley lived in the wealthy area of

Blackfriars, London Blackfriars is in central London, specifically the south-west corner of the City of London. Blackfriars Priory The name first occurs in records of 1317 in many orthographies. Friar evolved from as has, meaning 'brother'. Black refers to the ...

in his early life as a

coal merchant A coal merchant is the term used in the UK and other countries for a trader who sells coal and often delivers it to households. Coal merchants were once a major class of local business, but have declined in importance in many parts of the developed ...

until he went bankrupt in 1839, which he moved to the town of Lower Halliford in

Shepperton Shepperton is a village in the Borough of Spelthorne, Spelthorne district, in north Surrey, England, around south west of central London. The settlement is on the north bank of the River Thames, between the towns of Chertsey and Sunbury-on-Tha ...

. Shelley went to India unemployed and became acquainted with

Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (29 March 1799 – 23 October 1869), known as Lord Stanley from 1834 to 1851, was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served three times as Prime ...

, the then

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Hist ...

who subsequently provided him with a recommendation letter to the governor of Hong Kong,

John Francis Davis Sir John Francis Davis, 1st Baronet (16 July 179513 November 1890) was a British diplomat and sinologist who served as second Governor of Hong Kong from 1844 to 1848. Davis was the first President of Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong. Backgro ...

for the position of

. In addition he is famous for his concept of god given linguistic.

Political career

Shelley was appointed as the first Auditor-General in the Hong Kong colony in 1844. After taking office, he named a street after himself, Shelley Street. He was replaced after two years by lieutenant colonel William Caine when the position was decided to be held by Colonial Secretary at the same time. Shelley was described in a letter by governor

as "dissipated, in debt, negligent, guilty of falsehood, and quite unfit for the high office". In an 1844 letter to

James Matheson Sir James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson, 1st Baronet, FRS (17 November 179631 December 1878), was a Scottish opium trader and taipan. Born in Shiness, Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland, he was the son of Captain Donald Matheson. He attended Edinburgh ...

and Sir Alexander Matheson, 1st Baronet described Shelley as a "swindler". After he left Hong Kong, Shelly was appointed Assistant Auditor-General of Accounts of

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

in 1847. Shelley died in office in Mauritius in 1854.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shelley, Adolphus Edward 1812 births 1854 deaths British colonial governors and administrators in Asia British colonial governors and administrators in Africa British auditors People from British Hong Kong British Mauritius people Younger sons of baronets Adolphus