BROUGHTON, Thomas Duer. 1778 — London 16.11.1835. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Rev. Thomas Broughton (Rector of St.Peter’s in Bristol) and his wife Mary., educated at Eton. Joined the Bengal Army in 1795, lieutenant 1797. Participated in the siege of Seringapatam 1799. In 1802 military resident with the…
BRIGGS, John. Madapollam, Madras 18.9.1785 — Burgess Hill, Sussex 27.4.1875. British Colonial Officer and Oriental Scholar, 1801-35 in India. Son of physician James (or John?) Briggs (1758–1830) and Martha Pybus (1758–1788), came to England 1789. Educated at Eton 1794-99. From 1801 in Madras infantry, participated in both Maratha wars. In…
BOWREY (Bowry), Thomas. Wapping, London 7.9.1659 — 1?.7.1713. British Sea Captain in the East. Came to Madras as a child of 7 after the 1666 great fire of London. In India and South-East Asia in as sailing master, then captain, until 1688. If the Hudson Bay Dictionary is by him,…
BOPP, Franz. Mainz 14.9.1791 — Berlin 23.10.1867. German Indologist and Linguist. Professor in Berlin. Born in a Roman Catholic family, son of a civil servant, Andreas Bopp (1765?–1840), and Regina Lincker (d. 1820). Grew up in Aschaffenburg, where he had K. Windischmann as his teacher at the local Gymnasium, then…
BOISSEROLLE-BOISVILLIERS, Aurèle-Jean de (Baron A.-J. de Boisserolle, chevalier de Boisvilliers). Paris 3.9.1764 — Sumène (Gard) 1.2.1829. French General, apparently interested in Sanskrit. Son of a civil servant, Count François de Boisserolle, and Elisabeth Law de Lauriston, joined the army in 1782. 1782-83 served as a sous-lieutenant, then gardes du corps.…
BOHLEN, Peter von. Wüppels, Jeverland 13.3.1796 — Halle 6.2.1840. German Indologist and Orientalist. Professor in Königsberg. Son of a poor farmer, Christian Bohlen, belonging to an old Pomoranian noble family, and Frauke Margaretha Ocken. Parents died early and he had a checquered life. He took up the old title of…
BOGLE, George. Daldowie on Clyde near Glasgow 26.11.1746 — Calcutta 3.4.1781. British (Scottish) Traveller and Diplomat. Youngest son of George Bogle (1700–1784), an important Glasgow merchant, and Ann Sinclair, mother died when he was 17. Educated at Haddington, Glasgow, then at Edinburgh University. After four years in family business joined…
BODEN, Joseph. 17?? — Lisbon 21.11.1811. British Colonial Officer. Founder of the famous Boden chair of Sanskrit at Oxford University. Entered the Bombay Native Army in 1781 as Lieutenant, held appointments in the staff in Bombay, and was member of the Military Board. Lieutenant-colonel 1806, retired in 1807 and moved…
BLUNT, James Tillyer. 1765/67 (bapt. All Saints, Fulham, Middlesex 26.5.1767) — 20.10.1834 (buried in Exeter). British Officer in India, visited and described Delhi. Son of Richard Tillyer Blunt. Educated at Merchant Taylors School, cadet 1782, arrived in Bengal 1783. Served in Bengal Engineers as ensign, assisted Reuben Burrow in geographical…
BLAQUIERE, William Coates. 1759 (?) — Calcutta 14.8.1853. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Jacques/Jacob Blaquiere (1726–1791). Came to India with his merchant father in 1777. He is said then to be of 13, which makes the year of birth too early (note also the late death). Worked then…