HARKNESS, Henry. 17?? — Lympstone, Devon 17.8.1838. British Colonial Officer in South India. Captain (1826/34). Commanded the escort of Bishop —> Heber until Heber’s death in 1826. He collaborated with —> MacKenzie, edited Ram Raz’s posthumous Architecture of the Hindus (L. 1834) and worked as the secretary of College of…
JOHN, Christian Samuel. 1746/47 — 1813. Rev. German Pietist Missionary in South India. Worked from 1771 in Tranquebar. He was also interested in nature, collected shells, medicinal plants and other naturalia and sent some specimens to Germany. For this he was given doctorate by Academia Leopoldina. He tried to develop…
JENKINS, Richard. Cruckton near Shrewsbury 18.2.1785 — Blackheath near London 30.12.1853. Sir. British Civil Servant in India, then Politician. Son of Richard Jenkins (1760–1797) and Constantia Harriet Ravenscroft. In India 1800-28, served in Bombay C.S., in 1807-27 resident in Nagpur. Returned to England in 1828. He was M.P. (conservative) for…
IRVINE, Francis. Drumoak, Aberdeenshire 8.2.1786 — Edinburgh 16.12.1855. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer in India. Son of Alexander I. and Jean Forbes, mother died soon after his birth. Joined army as cadet in 1804 and left for India. Served in Bengal Native Infantry, resigned as Captain in 1824. Already 1820 moved…
HOWELL, William. Madras (?) 1.11.1790 (1789?) — Madras c. 1867. Rev. Missionary. Son of the elder W. H. (d. 1803), a soldier who had arrived in India in 1789, and his wife (died perhaps in 1793). Educated in Madras. When 14 apprenticed as Assistant Surveyor in Madras Survey under Major…
HOUGH, William. 1789 — 1865. British Colonial Officer in India. Came there in 1805, participated in Nepal War (1814-16), Third Maratha War (1817-18) and First Afghan War (1839-42), and was an authority on military law. Major (1838/45) and Deputy Judge Advocat General of Bengal Army, retired before 1853. Publications: A…
HARRIS, Henry. Mountrath, county Laois, Ireland 3.1.1758 — Madras 10.8.1822. British (Irish?) Physician in India. Son of John H. (1715–1776) and Sarah Deaves. M.D. Arrived in 1783 at Madras. Married 1786 in Madras Jane Charles, three sons and two daughters. His dictionary deals with the Dakhanī form of the language.…
HAMILTON, Alexander. 16?? — after 1733. British Sea Captain. First sailed in Europe, North Africa and West Indies. In 1688-1723 trading and travelling in the East, operating from Surat. In 1717 commander of E.I.C.’s Bombay Navy, suppressing pirates. Publications: A New Account of the East Indies. 1-2. 29+8+396+309+10 p. Edinburgh…
GUERRIER DE DUMAST, Auguste Prosper François, baron. Nancy 26.2.1796 — Nancy 26.1.1883. French Scholar, a lay Orientalist. Son of François Louis G. de D. and Marie Françoise Nicolle (d. 1796). After school in Nancy studied law in Paris. Served in army, participated in 1823 Spanish war. From 1828 civil servant…
GRINDLAY, Robert Melville. St.Marylebone near London 23.10.1786 — Nice, France 9.12.1877. British Colonial Officer and Artist in India, then Businessman in London. Son of Rev. Dr. John and Elizabeth Gr. Educated in London, Cadet 1802. Arrived in India in 1803 (when 17) and served 1804-20 in Bombay Native Infantry. Retired 1820…