SPENCER, Harold. 18?? — 19??. Rev. Wesleyan Missionary in India. B.A. In 1909 and still in the 1930s in Mysore. Publications: A Kanarese Grammar with Graduated Exercises. Mysore 8+330 p. Mysore 1914, 2nd ed. rev. by W. Perston. Mysore 1950. Sources: Often mentioned in connection of his book, but nothing…
SPENCER, Arthur Marshman. Calcutta 19.9.1886 — Calcutta 14.4.1943. British Missionary in Bengal. Son of William Marshman Spencer (1856–1935) and Elizabeth Tasker Williams (1857–1949). Educated at Kingwood School and Headingly College, Leeds. In 1911-32 worked in Sarenga (dt. Bankura, Bengal), then in Calcutta. Married 1915 Beatrice Mary Day (b. 1888), one…
SPECHT, Franz. Rosslau/Anhalt 1.11.1888 — Mainz 13.11.1949. German IE Scholar. Professor in Halle, Breslau, Berlin and Mainz. Son of an industrialist, the elder Franz Specht. Gymnasium in Dessau. Studies of Classics, Germanistics and IE in 1909-13 at Berlin and Leipzig (under Windisch, Leskien, Brugmann, Schulze). Participated in WW I in…
SPECHT, Edouard Prosper Emmanuel. Paris 26.2.1843 — Paris 2.3.1906. French Sinologist. Student of Pauthier. From 1892 until death taught Chinese at É.P.H.É., Section des sciences historiques et philologiques. As a Sinologist he concentrated on works dealing with India or translated from Sanskrit. He was one of those who tried to…
SOWA, Rudolf von. Lemberg (now L’viv, Ukraine) 30.1.1853 — Brünn (Brno in Czech) 29.9.1900. Austrian (of Poland) Schoolteacher, Linguist and Gipsy Scholar. Son of the elder Rudolf von Sowa and Rosa Sowowá (née Arnoldová). Gymnasium in Brünn (Brno), from 1870 studies at Vienna, Innsbruck and Cracow. Ph.D. 1878 Cracow. Gymnasium Professor…
SOOTHILL, William Edward. Halifax, Yorkshire 23.1.1861 — Oxford 13.5.1935. Rev. British Missionary in China, then Sinologist and Buddhist Scholar. Son of William Soothill, a textile worker. Studies at London University. Ordained priest 1882. In 1882–1911 Wesleyan Missionary in China, first in Wenzhou and in the end (1907-11) as Director of…
SONNERAT, Pierre. Lyon 18.8.1748 — Paris 31.3.1814. French Naval Officer, Naturalist and Traveller in the East. Travels: 1768-71 Madagascar and neighbouring islands, 1772-74 Moluccas and Philippines, 1774-81 India and China. Correspondent of the French Academy. Details of his life, especially of early years, are defective. In his first travel collaborated…
SONNE, Wilhelm Günther Heinrich. Ilfeld am Harz 22.2.1820 — Wismar 3.5.1873. German IE Scholar. Schoolteacher in Wismar. Son of Heinrich Daniel Andreas Sonne (1780–1832) a teacher and Director of Ilfeld Gymnasium, himself educated at Göttingen Gymnasium 1831-32 and Hannover Lyceum (with G. F. Grotefend as Director). From 1839 studies of…
SOMMER, Johann Ferdinand. Trier 4.5.1875 — Munich 3.4.1962. German classical,IE and Hittite Scholar. Professor in Jena and Munich. Son of Philipp Sommer and Johanna Saur. Educated in Kassel, from 1893 studies at Marburg and Freiburg (Thurneysen). Ph.D. 1896 Freiburg (diss. on Celtology). PD 1899 Leipzig. From 1902 ord. Professor of…
SOLVYNS, François Balthazar (Frans Balthazar Solvijns). Antwerpen 1760 — Antwerpen 10.10.1824. Belgian Artist in India. Son of Maximiliaan Solvyns, a merchant, and Maria Elisabeth Abeloos. Art studies in Antwerp and Paris. “Showed genius at 12, drew sea-pieces. Patronized by the Arch-duchess Maria Christina till her death. Accompanied Sir Home Popham…