HYDE, Thomas. Billingsley near Bridgnorth, Shropshire 29.6.1636 — Oxford 18.2.1703. English Oriental (Arabic and Persian) Scholar, a Pioneer of Zoroastrian Studies. Professor in Oxford. Son of Ralph Hyde, vicar of Billingsley, and Anne Jennings, educated at Eton. In the age of 16 began Arabic studies at Cambridge under Wheelock. He…
HUNTER, William. Montrose, Angus 1755 — Java ?.12.1812. British (Scottish) Physician in India. Educated at Marischal College and Aberdeen University (M.A. 1777). M.D. 1808. Joined the E.I.C.’S medical service in 1781. As naval surgeon 1782 he was driven to Burma by a storm. Worked as surgeon at Agra Residency, participated…
HUMBOLDT, Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Carl Ferdinand, Freiherr von. Potsdam 22.6.1767 — Tegel bei Berlin 8.4.1835. German Diplomat and Linguist interested in Sanskrit. Son of the Prussian Kammerherr and Major Alexander Georg von H. (1720–1779, his father Johannes Paul von H. had obtained the Prussian title of nobility in 1738) and…
HUMBOLDT, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von. Berlin 14.9.1769 — Berlin 6.5.1859. German Geographer and Explorer. Son of the Prussian Kammerherr and Major Alexander Georg von H. (1720–1779, his father Johannes Paul von H. had obtained the Prussian title of nobility in 1738) and Marie Elisabeth von Holwede (a widow, née von…
HÜGEL, Carl Alexander Anselm, Freiherr von. Regensburg 25.4.1796 — Brussels 2.6.1870. Austrian Diplomat, Traveller, Naturalist and Horticulturist. Son of Johann Aloys Josef Fr. von H., a diplomat and statesman, and Anna von Holthof. Began law studies at Heidelberg, but soon, in 1811, joined Austrian army and served in Napoleonic and…
HORST, Christopher Henry (Christoph Heinrich). Willenburg near Schwerin 24.5.1761 — Tanjavur 10.7.1810. German Lutheran Missionary in India. Son of Anton Wilhelm H. and Veronica Voigt (d. 1761). Grew up in Ratzeburg. From 1781 studied medicine at Göttingen, but soon joined Hannoveran army and went to India, arriving 1787 in Madras.…
HOOLE, Elijah. Manchester 1798 — London 17.6.1872. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of Holland Hoole, a shoemaker, educated at Manchester. In 1820 he went to India as a Wesleyan missionary, participated in the Committee for revising the Tamil Bible in Madras. In 1828 left India because of ill-health and…
HONIGBERGER, Johann Martin. Kronstadt (now Braşov) 10.3.1795 — Kronstadt (Braşov) 18.12.1869. Transylvanian Traveller and Self-Made Physician in India. Born in a Saxonian Jewish family in Transylvania, attended the local Lyceum. Then chemist’s apprentice in Kronstadt and Bistritza and became a pharmacist. In 1815 he wandered through Bukovina, Moldova and Valachia…
HOME, Robert. Kingston upon Hull 1752 — Kanpur (or Calcutta?) 1834. British Painter in India. Son of Robert Boyne Home, an army surgeon. Trained as painter at Royal Academy of Arts and in Rome (1773-77 there). In 1783-89 worked in London. “From 1770 exhibited portraits at Royal Academy and at…
HOLWELL, John Zephaniah. Dublin 17.9.1711 — Pinner near London 5.11.1798. British Physician in India. Son of Zephaniah H. (d. 1729), a timber merchant, and Sarah Bott. Educated at Richmond and as a banker’s apprentice at Iselmond near Rotterdam, but disliked it and fled back to Ireland. Studied surgery at Guy’s…