NEWBOLD, Thomas John. Macclesfield, Cheshire 8.2.1807 — Mahabaleshwar 29.5.1850. British Colonial Officer In India. Son of surgeon Francis Newbold (1765–1828) and Hannah Stonehewer (1774–1839). From 1827 in Madras Light Infantry, learned soon Persian and Hindustani. In 1832-35 in Malacca, 1834 Lieutenant. In 1840-42 on furlough in Europe, travelled via Palestine and Egypt. In 1843 returned to Madras as Captain, in 1845-47 in Egypt. Became early interested in studies, but concentrated more on Persia and Egypt. Buckland gives different picture of the 1840s: “Travelled largely in Arabia, Asia Minor, on the continent… Captain 1842; assistant at Kurnool 1842-5; travelled in Syria and Egypt; Assistant Resident in Hyderabad 1846; travelled to Shiraz, Niniveh, Bagdad, 1849.” Married Elizabeth Overitt (1820–1872), four daughters and one son.
Publications: “A brief notice of some of the Persian poets”, MJLS 2, 1835, 247-254 & 3, 1836, 35-47 & 4, 1836, 74-84, 377-389 & 5, 1837, 232-237 & 6, 1837, 264-279; “Essay on the Metrical Compositions of the Persians – and a brief Notice of some of the Persian Poets”, MJLS 5, 1837, 113-132.
– “Lettre à M. Garcin de Tassy, membre de l’Institut, au sujet de sa notice intitulée Sâadi, auteur des premières poésies hindoustanies”, JA 4:2, 1843, 361-369.
– “Genealogy of the Kings of the Mahomedan dynasty in Achin, from 601st year of the Hejira to the present time. Extracted from a Malayan MS. entitled ‘Adat Achi’, Usages of the Kingdom of Achin; together with a short notice of the MS. itself”, MJLS 3, 1836, 54-57 & 4, 1836, 117-120 “A Notice of the Malayan Code”, MJLS 4, 1836, 390-392; “Sketch of the Malayan Peninsula”, MJLS 7, 1838, 52-77; Note on the Malayan MSS. and Books presented to the Society”, MJLS 7, 1838, 78-88; “Notes on the Code and Historical MSS. of the Siamese and on the Progress of Buddhism to Eastward”, MJLS 6, 1837, 1-16; “Chinese Feast to Disembodied Spirits”, MJLS 6, 1837, 255-263.
– “A glance at the Banaganpilly Jaghire, taken while passing through that territory in March 1836”, MJLS 3, 1836, 117-122; “Description of the Valley of Sondur”, MJLS8, 1838, 128-152 (geography, products, history in some detail, population, a temple, geology); “Some Account, Historical, Geographical and Statistical, of the Ceded Districts”, MJLS 10, 1839, 109-131 (Bellary & Cuddapah); “Note on the Defaced state in which the Statues of the Jains are now generally found, as connected with the persecutions and overthrow of that People”, MJLS 11, 1840, 306-310.
– Two articles of Neolithic ash-mounds in South India, JASB 5, 1836, 670f. & JRAS 7, 1843, 129-136.
– “Ancient Sepulchres of Pánduvaram Déwal in Southern India”, JRAS 13, 1852, 90-95 (megaliths); “The Gypsies of Egypt and Syria and Persia”, JRAS 16, 1856, 285-312 (posthumous); other writings on Egypt.
– Also wrote on geology.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; W.A.S.H[ewins], D.N.B. 40, 314f.; and as rev. by *R.T. Stearn, Oxford D.N.B. 40, 2004; ancestry.com; Wikipedia.
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