GOLDINGHAM, John (born Johannes Guldenheim). London 1767 — Worcester ?.7.1849. British Astronomer in India, also an Architect and Surveyor. Son of Benjamin Guldenheim, of Denmark, and Elizabeth Williams. From 1788 assistant to sailor-astronomer Michael Topping (1747–1796) and thus came to Madras. Succeeded Topping as the astronomer of Madras Observatory and…
GODWIN-AUSTEN, Henry Haversham (until 1854 H. H. Austen). Teignmouth, Devon 6.7.1834 — Godalming, Surrey 2.12.1923. British Colonial Officer and Scientist in India. Son of Robert A. C. Austen (later G.-A.), a geologist, and Maria Godwin. After school at Guildford he went in 1848 to Sandhurst. Entered the army in 1851,…
GODINHO, Manuel. Montalvão 1630 (1632?) — Loures 1712. S.J. Portuguese Priest and Missionary in India. Became novice of the S.J. in Coimbra 1645, joined the Indian mission. In December 1662 left for Portugal by land, visited Persia, Mesopotamia and Syria, and arrived at Cascais in October 1663. Also carried diplomatic…
GLADWIN, Francis. 1744/45? — 1812. British Colonial Officer and Orientalist (Persian Scholar) in India. Served in the Bengal Army at least 30 years, until his death. He was encouraged by Warren Hastings in his study of Oriental languages, mainly worked on Persian literature. From 1801 he was the first Professor…
GIORGI, Antonio Agostino (Augustinus Antonius Georgius; baptized Francesco Maria Giorgi). Santo Mauro di Romagna (near Rimini) 10.5.1711 — Rome 4.5.1797. Italian Monk, Theologian, and Orientalist, a Coptic Scholar and Pioneer of Tibetan Studies. Son of Antonio G. and Antonia Semprini. Augustinian monk since 1727, from 1752 librarian of Biblioteca Angelina…
GILCHRIST, John Borthwick (born John Hay G.). Edinburgh 19.6.1759 — Paris 9.1.1841. British (Scottish) Indologist, a Pioneer of Hindi-Urdu Studies. Son of merchant Walter G. and Henrietta Farquharson, lost his father at the age of one. After school in Edinburgh studies of medicine at George Heriot’s Hospital, Edinburgh. Joined the…
GERARD, James Gilbert. Aberdeen 1795 — Sabathu (Himachal Pradesh) 31.3.1835. British (Scottish) Military Physician and Explorer in India. Son of Gilbert G. (1760–1815), D.D., and Helen Duncan, brother of —> Alexander Gerard and —> Patrick Gerard. Entered Bengal Medical Service in 1814 as assistant surgeon, 1826 surgeon, served in the…
GENTIL, Jean Baptiste Joseph. Bagnols (Rhône) 25.6.1726 — Bagnols-sur-Cèze (Rhône) 15.2.1799. French Officer in India. Born in a noble family, joined the army and went out to India in 1752 as officer in an infantry regiment. “Served with distinction under Dupleix, Law of Lauriston, Lally, etc. After the collapse of…
GEMINIANUS A SANCTA OCTAVIA (wrongly Gemignanus a Sancto Octavio, Gemignano Da Sant’ Ottavio). Modena 1702? — on sea near Corfu, January 1763. Italian Carmelite Missionary in South India. Joined the Mahe Mission in 1733, in 1733-35 served in Verapoly, 1735-41 in again Mahe. Probably came to Europe in 1741, 1743…
GEMELLI CARERI (G. CARRERI), Giovanni Francesco. Radicena, Terranova 1651 (1661?) — Naples 25.7.1725. Italian Traveller. Studies at a Jesuit college in Naples. Dr.iuris. Worked as magistrate in Naples and travelled in Europe. In 1693 started a voyage round the world, during which he visited India in 1695. The voyage started…