OUSELEY, Joseph Walker Jasper. Limerick 21.6.1800 — 21.11.1889. British (Anglo-Irish) Colonial Officer and Oriental Scholar in India. Colonel. Son of Major Ralph Ouseley (1739–1803) and Mary Collins. He was half-brother of the Persian scholar Sir William Ouseley, whose son was —> John Ralph Ouseley. “Educated at Limerick, went to Madras in 1819, joining the 98th Bengal Native Infantry. Passed honour examinations in Arabic and Persian and became, in 1825, Professor of Sanskrit, Mahratti, Bengali, at the College of Fort William and Secretary to the College. Superintendent of the Mysore Princes, 1838-44.” Returned to Britain, “was Professor of Arabic and Persian at Haileybury, 1844-59… Examiner in Oriental Languages to the Civil Service Commission, 1862-83. In 1857 was employed as Persian interpreter to the British Plenipotentiary, when negotiating with Persia the Treaty of Paris… One of the Council of King’s College.” Married Elizabeth Palmer (1795–1842), at least two daughters and one son.
Ouseley was a practical linguist who wrote nothing. Although an officer, he saw no military action.
Publications: Edited Anvari Suheili, or Lights of the Canopus, being the Persian of the Fables of Bidpai by Husain Vaiz Kashifi. 545 p. Hertford 1851.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; R.N.C[ust], JRAS N.S. 22, 1890, 217f.; Wikipedia.
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