WIRZ, Paul. Moscow 29.5.1892 — Ulopu, Maprik, Papua New Guinea 30.1.1955. Swiss Ethnologist. Born of Swiss parents in Russia, son of Jakob Wirz (1856–1904), a businessman, and Louise Nidecker. School in Moscow and Zürich. Studied physics and chemistry at Technische Hochschule in Zürich, but soon turned to Ethnology. Ph.D. 1920.…
WILSER, Ludwig. Karlsruhe 5.10.1850 — Heidelberg 19.11.1923. German Physician and Racist Theoretician. Gymnasium in Karlsruhe, medical studies at Freiburg, Heidelberg and Leipzig. Dr.Med. Then practising physician in Karlsruhe until 1897, when he moved to Heidelberg and lived there as private scholar. He was interested in craniometry and had relations both…
WIDGERY, Alban Gregory. Bloxwich, Staffordshire 9.5.1887 — Winchester, Va. 22.3.1968. British Scholar of Religion in the U.S.A. Son of Rev. John Thomas Widgery and Ellen Thomas. Studies at Cambridge (St.Catharine’s College, B.A. 1908, M.A. 1912). From 1908-10 taught at Bristol University, 1910-12 further studies at Marburg, Jena and Sorbonne. Then…
WESTCOTT, George Herbert. Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex 18.4.1862 — Allahabad 16.1.1928. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of Rev. Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), then Bishop of Durham, and Sarah Whithard. Educated at Marlborough College, studies from 1882 at Peterhouse, Cambridge (B.A. 1885, M.A. 1899). Ordained 1886, after a brief…
WAUCHOPE, Robert Stuart (until 1920 R. S. Wahab). Bengal 20.3.1887 — 19??. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of a Colonel Robert Alexander Wahab of Indian army and Catherine Mary Ward. Joined army in 1906, 1910 appointed to Survey of India. After military duties in 1914-21 its Assistant Director of…
WARDEN, John. 1805? — after 1853. British Civil Servant in India. Worked as police in Bombay Presidency, later (1845) judge in Poona (Pune). Married 1831 in Bombay Harriet Lodwick (1812–1853), five children. Publications: “On the Customs of Gosawees or Gosaeens”, MJLS 14:1, 1847, 67-76 (Gosvāmi Śaiva sect). Sources: Stray notes in…
WARD, Charles Henry Spurgeon. Halton by Leeds, Yorkshire 21.7.1876 — Wells, Somerset 17.3.1957. Rev. British Missionary in Sri Lanka. Son of Amos Ward and Zilpah Whitaker. Married 1906 in Sri Lanka Mabel Jane Straughan Lawrence (d. 1937), children. Later on returned to the U.K. His 1934/47 book is based on…
WARD, Benjamin Swain. 1786 — Cape Town 19.6.1835. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Francis Swain Ward (1736–1794). Lieutenant of Madras infantry. In 1799-1810 worked under C. Mackenzie in Mysore survey. Together with Ltn. P. E. Conner conducted the survey of Travancore and Cochin 1810-21. He was also an…
WALKER, George David. 23.9.1884 — 19??. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer in India. Deputy Commissioner of Garo Hills in 1923-29. In 1938 apparently still in Assam. Publications: A dictionary of the Mikir language. 462 p. Shillong 1925. – “The Garo Manufacture of Bark Cloth”, Man 27, 1927, 15f. Sources: Scanty stray notes in…
WALKER, Alexander. Collessie, Fife 12.5.1764 — Edinburgh 5.4.1831. British (Scottish) Colonial Officer in India. Eldest son of Rev. William Walker (1736–1771) of Church of Scotland, and Margaret Manderston (1728–1810), the father died when the boy was seven. Education and studies at St.Andrews. E.I.C.’s cadet 1780, served in Bombay. In 1785…