WREDE, Francis (Franz, later Baron von Wrede). 17?? — 18??. German, long time resident in Kerala (Cochin). Son of a civil servant from Heidelberg, probably came to India in the service of Dutch East India Company, worked in forestry. Back in Europe lived in Schloss Ellingen. Married. Apparently brother of General…
WHISH, Charles Matthew. London 9.1.1795 — Cuddapah (Kadapa) 14.4.1833. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Martin Whish (1743–1826), a Commissioner of Excise, and Harriet Tysson (1765–1841). After studies at Haileybury served in Madras Presidency from 1812, in Zillah Court of South Malabar. Then criminal judge in Cuddapah. He was…
WARREN, John (Jean Baptiste François Joseph de Warren). Leghorn 21.9.1769 — Pondichéry 9.2.1830. British-French Colonial Officer in India. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of Count Henri Hyacinthe de Warren (1732–1781) and Christine Walburge de Meurers (1737–1819). In 1793 moved to London and soon went to Calcutta. After a failed attempt as indigo planter joined…
WADE, John Peter. 1762 — Calcutta 14.10.1802. British (Scottish) Physician in India. From 1784 Assistant Medical Surgeon in E.I.C.’s service, first in Benares, then in Chunar. In 1792-94 in Assam. Married 1791 Rachel Carruthers (1765–1849) in Edinburgh during a furlough, one daughter and one son. Publications: “A Geographical Sketch of Assam”, Asiatic…
VOYSEY, Henry Wesley. Salisbury, Wiltshire 16.10.1791 — Sulkea Ghat 19.4.1824. British Physician, Geologist and Mineralogits in India. Son of Baptist minister Henry Voysey (1753–1829?) and Ann Maria Annesley Ellison (d. 1836). Studied medicine and geology in London and Aberdeen. Dr. In 1815 served as military hospital assistant, then left for India.…
VALENTIJN, François (Franciscus). Dordrecht 17.4.1666 — the Hague 6.8.1727. Dutch Priest and Naturalist. Son of school director Abraham V. and Maria Rijsbergen. Studied theology and philosophy at Leiden and Utrecht. From 1684 spent 16 years as minister in Dutch Indonesia, mainly in Ambon, where he befriended with Rumphius. After ten…
UPJOHN, Aaron. 17?? — 1???. British Printer in India. Arrived at Calcutta in 1785 as ship’s musician (bassoon player). There he became printer and part owner of the Calcutta Chronicle. Bankrupt in 1792. He printedthe very first Bengali–English dictionary ever published in his own name, but it is claimed that the real…
TAYLOR, John William. London 12.4.1782 — at sea off Sangar Island at the mouth of the Hoogli 20.7.1824. British Colonial Officer in India. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of James Owen Taylor and Christiana Dixon. As captain, in 1808-23 Professor of Hindustani at Fort William College. Married Emma Maud Mary Gould (1793–1844), children. Publications: Nothing…
TAYLOR, Joseph Irwin. Ireland 1765/66 — 1811. British Colonial Officer in India. Born in Ireland, in an originally English Unitarian family. Went to India in 1783, advanced to Major (or Colonel?). Served in Bengal. According to 1808 title the dictionary was “originally compiled for his own private use, by Capt. Joseph…
SYDENHAM, George. Madras 23.10.1785 — 1863. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Major-General William S. (1753–1801) and Amelia Prime. As Captainworked for Major Colin Mackenzie’s survey of the Deccan. His brother, Thomas S. (1780–1816), was British Resident in Haidarabad in 1805-10, probably G.S. was Persian interpreter there. Then in…