PERCIVAL (Perceval), Robert. 1765 — 1826. British Colonial Officer. Joined the 18th Irish Infantry Regiment in the U.K., as Captain in 1795-97 participated in the conquest of Dutch Capeland. In 1797 to Ceylon, where he remained three years. His both books are said to be full of description of the…
PERCIVAL, Peter. Prestwich, Lancashire 24.7.1803 — Yercaud (Eṟkāṭu), Salem dt. 11.7.1882. Rev. British Missionary and Indologist (Tamil Scholar) in Sri Lanka and India. Son of Peter and Jane Percival. In 1826 Wesleyan Methodist Mission sent him to Jaffna, worked there until 1829 and after a few years in Bengal in…
PENKA, Karl. Müglitz, Moravia (now Mohelnice, Czechia) 26.10.1847 — Vienna 10.2.1912. Austrian Anthropologist, Linguist and Aryan Enthusiast. Educated in Vienna, studies of anthropology and comparative linguistics at Vienna. In 1873-1906 schoolteacher (professor) at Maximiliansgymnasium in Vienna. He connected linguistics with ethnology equating language groups with supposed human races. Propagated a…
PELSAERT, Francisco. Antwerpen 1595? — Batavia ?.9.1630. Dutch Factor in India and Indonesia. Born in a wealthy Roman Catholic family. In 1618 sailed to the East as Assistant, the lowest grade of the Dutch E.I.C.’s service. In 1620 promoted to junior factor (onderkoopman) and posted to India. Travelled overland from…
PEARSON, John. Calcutta 1790 — 1831. British Missionary in India. Worked for London Missionary Society in Bengal (1823 in Chinsura). Publications: A School Dictionary, English–Bengali. Calcutta 1829. Sources: A. K. Biswas, “Rammohun Roy, his intellectual compatriots and their scientific contributions”, Indian Journal of History of Science 46.3, 2011, 427-481 (briefly on p. 450).
PEARSE, Thomas Deane. 1738 (1741/42?) — on the Ganges 15.6.1789. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Royal Navy Captain Thomas Pearse and Martha Purvis (1713–1762), of Reading. After Military Academy in Woolwich joined Royal Artillery 1761. In 1768 transferred to E.I.C.’s service and became Major in Bengal army. Colonel…
PEARSE, George Godfrey. Berhampore, Murshidabad dt., West Bengal (or Madras?) 4.1.1827 — Shanklin, Isle of Wight (or London?) 5.12.1905. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer in India, noted as a Numismatist. Son of Dr. George Pearse (1797–1880), a physician from Edinburgh, and Anne Sarah McCulloch. Served in South India from 1844, in…
PAWSEY, Charles Ridley. Surbiton, Surrey 14.7.1894 — Badingham, Woodbridge, Suffolk 21.7.1972. Sir. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Charles James Pawsey (1844–1921), a paymaster of Royal Navy, and Ellen Edith Offord. After Berkhamsted School studies at Wadham College, Oxford (B.A.). Served as officer in WW I and joined I.C.S. in…
PATERSON, John David. 1754? — Dacca (Dhaka) 27.5.1809, when 55. Britishman, in service of E.I.C. in Bengal from 1776. Finally Judge and Magistrate of Dacca. Founder member of A.S.B. Compared Indian religion with Graeco-Roman and Egyptian. Publications: “Of the Origin of Hindu Religion”, As. Res.8, 1805, 44-87; “On the Grámas, or Musical Scales…