BLEECK, Arthur Henry. Westbury, Wiltshire 18.5.1829 — Kensington, London 27.1.1877. British Orientalist, said to be known of his remarkable linguistic talent (but translating Spiegel’s German Avesta is not so remarkable). Son of William Bleak (1801/2–1873), a school director, and Charlotte Goodman. Studies at University College, London. First employed in British…
BLAVATSKY, Helena Petrovna (née Hahn, Russian Jelena Petrovna Blavatskaja, née Gan). Ekaterinoslav (now Dnipro in Ukraine) 12.8.1831 — London 9.5.1891. Russian Noblewoman, the Founder of the Theosophical Society. Born in Ukraina as daughter of colonel Peter Hahn, of a noble family of Mecklenburg settled in Russia. Married at 17 a…
BLAU, Ernst Otto Friedrich August. Nordhausen, Thüringen 21.4.1828 — Odessa 26.2.1879. German Diplomat and Oriental Scholar. Son of Christian Friedrich Blau (teacher, later superintendent). After school in Pforta studies of theology at Halle, soon Oriental languages at Leipzig. Ph.D. Leipzig 1855. Entered early diplomatic career: from 1852 in Constantinople (in…
BLAU, August. Mittelhausen, Erfurt 8.3.1858 — Landsberg, Warthe 11.7.1926. German Indologist. Librarian in Berlin. “Mediohusanus.” Studies at Jena, 1883 Ph.D. in classical philology. In 1883-84 assistant (Volontär) in Breslau University Library, then at Göttingen University Library, from 1892 Librarian of Berlin University Library (succeeding Klatt, from 1902 Oberbibliothekar). Probably he…
BLATTER, Edelbert (or Ethelbert). Romanshorn, Appenzell 15.12.1877 — Pune 26.5.1934. S.J. Swiss Catholic Missionary Scholar in India. Son of the elder Edelbert Blatter, a physician. School in Schwyz. Joined S.J. 1896, studied in the Netherlands. Ph.D. In India 1903, in 1904-09 and 1915-24 Professor of Botany at St. Xavier’s College,…
BLATT, Heinrich. Steinbach am Glan 10.3.1894 — 1.4.1949. German Indologist. Librarian in Würzburg. After gymnasium in Speyer studies of classical, Germanic and IE philology at Munich, Leipzig, Berlin and Würzburg. Ph.D. 1923 Erlangen. From 1923-46 he was working at University Library (Staatsbibliothek an der Universitätsbibliothek) in Würzburg, little before his…
BLATT, Gustaw (Gerszon). Jarosław 15.2.1858 — Lwów (L’viv) 17.9.1916. Polish Linguist (IE and Slavic). Studies of classical and Slavic philology at Cracow, student of Lucjan Malinowski. Ph.D. there 1893. Further studies of IE and Sanskrit at Leipzig under Brugmann, Windisch and Leskien. Teacher at Jewish gymnasium in Brody, from 1901…
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…
BLANFORD, William Thomas. London 7.10.1832 — London 23.6.1905. British Geologist and Zoologist in India. Son of William Blanford, a factory owner, and Elizabeth Simpson, educated at private schools in Brighton and Paris. Joined the family business in carving and gilding and because of ill-health spent two years in Civitavecchia, Italy.…
BLAND, Nathaniel (born Nathaniel Crumple). Liverpool 3.2.1803 — Homburg-les-Bains 10.8.1865. British Oriental (Persian) Scholar. Son of the elder Nathaniel Bland (Crumple), who was of Irish origin, but had changed his name and settled at Randalls Park in Leatherfield. Educated at Eton (1818-) and in 1821-25 studied at Christ Church, Oxford…