LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISSIÈRE, Guillaume-Joseph-Hyacinthe-Jean-Baptiste. Coutances (Manche) 12.9.1725 — Paris 22.10.1792. French Astronomer and Traveller, in India 1768–71. Instead of the planned career in church and studied theology in Paris, but turned to astronomy. Left for India in 1760 in order to observe the transit of Venus in 1761,…
LEFMANN, Salomon. Telgte near Münster 25.12.1831 — Heidelberg 14.1.1912. German Indologist. Professor in Heidelberg. Son of a Jewish merchant and farmer, educated at Telgte Jewish school and privately in Paderborn. After seminary in Münster worked as teacher of Jewish religion in Westfalen. At the same time studied at the universities…
LEE-WARNER, William. Little Walsingham, Norfolk 18.4.1846 — Norwich, Norfolk 18.6.1914. Sir. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Canon Henry James Lee-Warner (1809–1885), of Thorpland Hall, Norfolk, and Anne Astley. Educated at Rugby and from 1865 studied at Cambridge (St.John’s College). B.A. 1869, M.A. 1872. In 1869 joined I.C.S., served…
LEES, William Nassau. Dublin County (Wikipedia) or Kilanny, co. Louth (Grokipedia & D.I.B.) 26.2.1825 — London 9.3.1889. British (Irish) Colonial Officer and Oriental Scholar in India, Specialist of Arabic, Persian and Hindustani. Fourth son of Sir Harcourt Lees, Bart. (1776–1852), a Protestant clergyman from Ireland, and Sophia Lyster, educated at…
LEECH, Robert. 7.12.1813 — Ambala 2.9.1845. British Colonial Officer in India. Engineer Major, Bombay Engineers, in 1836, still as Lieutenant, Assistant of Burnes, served in Afghanistan until 1842, i.al. as political officer in Kandahar. Then Assistant Agent in Ambala. Unmarried. He was highly interested in local history, geography and languages.…
LEE, Lionel Frederick. Colombo 3/4.12.1845 — Colombo 4.12.1899. Hon. British Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Son of George Lee (1799?–1860), Postmaster-General of Ceylon, and Martha Austin. Educated at Elizabeth College in Guernsey (1861-63). Joined C.C.S. in 1864. In 1869 Assistant Government Agent, in 1881 Registrar-General, in 1887 short time Mayor…
LECOUTERE, Carolus (Charles) Franciscus Petrus. Antwerpen 11.12.1865 — Knokke, West Flanders 19.9.1921. Belgian Linguist. Professor in Leuven. Son of sculptor Petrus Lecoutere and Ludovica Vandenbroucke. Student of de Harlez at Leuven, but concentrated more on Classics (Ph.D. 1892) and then turned to Germanistics. Eo. Professor at Louvain (Leuven) from 1895,…
LE COQ, Albert von. Dahlem, Berlin 8.9.1860 — Berlin 21.4.1930. German Archaeologist and Central Asian Scholar. Born in a huguenot family in Berlin, son of André Auguste Le Coq (1827–1894; knighted “von” 1875) and Marianne Poppe (1826–1902). He was educated at Französisches Gymnasium (Berlin) and at Darmstadt gymnasium, but was…
LE BON, Charles Marie Gustave. Nogent-le-Rotrou (Eure-et-Loir) 7.5.1841 (or 7.12.1842?) — Paris 13.12.1931. French Psychologist, Sociologist and Anthropologist. Son of Jean-Marie Charles Le Bon, an official of Breton ancestry, and Annette Tétiot Desmarlinais. Educated in Tours, from 1860 studies in Paris. Dr.med. 1866 Paris. Instead of work as a physician he…
LE BERRE, Marc. 1904 — 1978. French Archaeologist. From 1930 worked in Syria. He had already collaborated with Schlumberger at Syrian excavations in 1936 and 1938 and in 1946–69 he was the architect of D.A.F.A. in Afghanistan and remained in Kabul until 1970. He left an important collection of photographs,…