Taking hold of Dutch settlements in Ceylon during 1796, Great Britain annexed them to the presidency of Madras. The British Library, Oriental and India Office Collections, holds the relevant records of the Madras Presidency.

In 1802, Ceylon became a separate colony. By 1815, overwhelming force subdued the Kandyan Kingdom of the interior , and thus the whole island came under British rule.

First appointed in 1798, the governor soon was joined by a council of government, which was set up in 1801. This arrangement was abandoned in 1833, with the establishment of an executive council and a nominated legislative council.

The legislative council became partly elective in 1910. In 1931, a new constitution provided a mainly elective state council with legislative powers and seven executive committees.

Following a declaration made by the British government in 1943, granting Ceylon responsible government after the war, as well as the recommendations of a commission, a new constitution met approval in May 1946.

After further constitutional discussions Ceylon became a fully self-governing member of the Commonwealth on 4 February 1948. On 22 May 1971 Ceylon adopted a new constitution as the Republic of Sri Lanka within the Commonwealth.

Read more about the administrative records of Ceylon.