MANNING, Thomas. Broome, Norfolk 8.11.1772 — Bath 2.5.1840 [Wikipedia near Dartfors 1840]. British Physician and Traveller in Asia, visited Lhasa. Buckland (with additions):“Son of the Rev. William M. [and Elizabeth Adams], educated at Caius College, Cambridge. Scholar, 1790-95, private tutor, studied mathematics, friend of Porson and Charles Lamb. Studied Chinese in Paris, 1800-3, attended the Westminster Hospital, went out to Canton as a doctor in 1807-10, was unable to enter China. Went to Calcutta, 1810, went in 1811 to Lhasa in Tibet, with only a single Chinese servant, via Rangpur, Bhutan, Parijong; stayed there for some months, had interviews with the [7-year-old 9th] Dalai Lama. Under order from Peking, left Lhasa in April 1812. The first Englishman to enter Lhasa. Returned [to Calcutta and soon] to Canton. In 1816 accompanied Lord Amherst’s embassy to Pekin as interpreter. Returned to England a disappointed man, 1817, led an eccentric life.” Although called doctor and working as physician, he left Cambridge before M.D., because of his “strong repugnance to oaths”.
Publications: Travel notes publ. by C. R. Markham: Narratives of Bogle’s Mission to Tibet and Manning’s Journey to Lhasa. 161+354 p. L. 1876 (Manning’s diary on p. 213-294, the long Introduction contains Manning’s life sketch on p. clv-clxi).
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; Wikipedia with portrait.
Last Updated on 4 months by Admin
