Charles Valentine Brayne

Charles Valentine Brayne CMG (17 August 1877 – 16 November 1964) was a British colonial administrator who served in British Ceylon.

Early life and education Brayne was born on 17 August 1877 in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, the third son of Rev R. Brayne, Rector of Combe Hay, Somerset. He was educated at Monkton Combe School, and Pembroke College, Cambridge where he received his BA in 1899.

Career Brayne entered the Ceylon civil service in 1901 as a cadet at Jaffna District. He then transferred to Mannar District (1903) and then served as assistant to the Government Agent at Anuradhapura (1903); Assistant Collector of Customs, Trincomalee (1905); Assistant Government Agent, Northern Province (1906); District Judge at Badulla (1909); Assistant Government Agent, Colombo (1912), and Assistant Government Agent, Kalutara (1914–1916).

Brayne was appointed Special Commissioner for the Western Province in response to the 1915 Ceylonese riots which led to the declaration of martial law and resulted in over 100 deaths. Vested with the powers of a district judge and police magistrate, he was active in attempts to quell the riots, coordinating arrests of rioters, disarming villagers, recovering looted property and awarding compensation.

In 1920, Brayne was promoted to Government Agent of Western Province. In 1927, he served as Acting Controller of Revenue and was appointed a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils. He devised the Peasant Proprietors' Land Scheme to increase land ownership of farmers and encourage more food production. He then served as Commissioner of Lands, Ceylon (1931–1935).