James Brooke
1803–1868 (age 65)
ruler/adventurer
Biography
James Brooke, remembered as the pioneer of the Raj of Sarawak, rose from a Devon boyhood to become an adventurer and ruler whose decisions shaped the history of Borneo and drew wide attention at home.
Still, he never forgot the quiet of the Church of St Leonard in Sheepstor, where his family and the local community honoured him with prayers for the wisdom and courage he brought to distant lands.