ARDEN, Albert Henry. Longcroft, Staffordshire 5.5.1841 — on sea 7.11.1897. Rev. British Missionary in South India, a Dravidian Scholar. Son of a clerk, Thomas A., and Isabella Cooper, educated at Kepton and Christ College, Cambridge (B.A. 1861, M.A. 1863), ordained 1864. Missionary in South India 1864–74, then 1874-78 in ecclesiastic offices in England. In 1878-80 C.M.S. Secretary for Madras, 1882-90 for Huntingfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hartfordshire, 1890-94 for Worcestershire, Herefordshire and South Wales. From 1882 to 1890 University Lecturer in Telugu and Tamil at Cambridge University. Back to India in 1895-97 at the Church Mission House in Madras. Died suddenly in the Red Sea. Married Mary Margaret Alexander, four sons and two daughters. His two grammars remained long time standard works in their field.

Publications: Progressive Grammar of the Telugu Language. 340 p. Madras 1873, 4th ed. 475 p. Madras 1955; Progressive Grammar of the Tamil Language. 190 p. Md. 1891, 4th ed. 328 p. Madras 1934.

– A Companion Telugu Reader to Arden’s Progressive Telugu Grammar. 1-2. 130 p. Madras 1879, 3rd ed. 1924; Tamil Reader. Vol. 1. A Companion Reader to Arden’s Tamil Progressive Grammar. Vol. 2. The Panchatantra, with notes and translation. Madras 1893.

Sources: Kirk, A Supplement to Allibone’s critical dictionary of English Literature. 1891 in Br. Biogr. Archives; Alumni Cantabr.