Sir John Doyle, 1st Baronet

General Sir John Doyle, 1st Baronet, GCB, KCH (17568 August 1834) was a British Army officer and politician who served in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was appointed Knight Bachelor in 1813 and General in 1819. On 29 October 1825 he was created a baronet, but the baronetcy became extinct upon his death.

Personal life John Doyle was born in Dublin in 1756, the fourth son of Charles and Elizabeth Doyle of Bramblestown, County Kilkenny. He entered Trinity College Dublin in July 1768 to study law, but when his father died in March 1771 he joined the army in March 1771.

Doyle was the uncle of women's political rights campaigner Anna Wheeler, previously Doyle, who, in 1812, took her daughters to stay with him and his family in Guernsey, having walked out on her husband in County Limerick.

Military career Doyle started his military career in March 1771 when he purchased an ensigncy and joined the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot. He purchased a promotion and rose to the rank of Lieutenant in 1773. he undertook to improve the dilapidated defences and to improve upon them by building over 60 additional gun batteries at likely landing points. Costing considerable sums of money, he managed to persuade, through eloquence, the Island to pay for these costs, as the Islands were in imminent danger of invasion from France.

After the American Revolutionary War Doyle returned to Ireland on half pay, so that he could be recalled to the army. He was a founding member of the Irish Whig Club and was an early advocate for the emancipation of Catholics.

Death and commemoration George III wrote to the Earl Marshall, Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk: ... so that his (Doyle's) zeal and exertions in our service may be known to posterity.

Doyle was Deputy Grand Master of the Orange Lodge No.116 of the Freemasons. In 1806 he was presented with the 'Doyle Cup' which has been in the collection of Museum of Freemasonry, London, since 1938. The cup shows Doyle's freemasonry and military career in the French Revolutionary Wars. The lid bears the arms of the Masonic Ancients Grand Lodge and a Royal Crown. The spout bears the Prince of Wales's feathers – signifying that Doyle was colonel of the Prince of Wales Royal Irish Regiment, that he had been initiated in Prince of Wales Lodge and the Prince of Wales was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of which he was also a member.

A second Masonic cup follows the general design of the first, but shows scenes from the American War of Independence. It was presented by the Mariners Lodge and remains in Guernsey. Guernsey has commemorated Doyle in several ways: the Doyle Monument at Jerbourg Point; Doyle Road; Fort Doyle; Doyle Street; Doyle Lane; Doyle Close; and The Doyle – (previously the site of Doyle Barracks).