RHEEDE TOT DRAKENSTEIN, Hendrik Adrian van. Utrecht 13.4.1636 — on sea off Bombay 15.12.1691. Dutch Colonial Administrator and Botanist. Son of Ernst van Rheede (1588–1640) and Elisabeth van Utenhove (d. 1637), a noble family, lost early his both parents. In 1656 joined Dutch E.I.C. as a soldier and went to India. In 1669-76…
REYNOLDS, M. C. 1??? — 1???. Mrs. “An old resident”. We may perhaps conclude that she was married with an officer or civil servant and therefore probably a Britishwoman. Publications: Household Hindustani. A Manual for New-comers, Specially Adapted for Ladies’ use. Calcutta 1886 and several editions. Sources: She seems to be impossible to…
RANKING, George Speirs Alexander. Hastings, Sussex 1.1.1852 — Caversham, Berkshire 14.6.1934. British Physician and Oriental Scholar in India. Son of Robert Ranking (1785–1867) and Isabella Spiers (1810–1883). Educated at St.Catharine’s College in Cambridge, studied medicine in London. In 1875-1905 in Indian Medical Service, finally as Lieutenant-Colonel. M.A. Then 1905-20 University Lecturer in…
RAMSAY, Horatio Nelson. London 13.12.1805 — Malligaum, New South Wales 20.5.1847. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Thomas Ramsay and Jane Sills. Served in Bombay Native Infantry, later went to Australia. Captain (from 1823 until death). Married 1827 Catherine Turner (1810–1876), four daughters and four sons. Publications: The Principles of…
RAMSAY, E. Wardlaw. 18?? — 19??. Miss. British (Scottish) Missionary in India. Worked many years among Korkus in Central India. E. Stock, History of the Church Missionary Society. Suppl. vol. L. 1916, 125 says that one Miss E. Wardlaw-Ramsay came to Palestine in 1889 and died in Jaffa in 1913, but…
PUXLEY, Edward Lavallin. Bristol 1835 — Croydon, London 30.6.1909. Rev. British (Irish?) Missionary in India. Son of John Lavallin Puxley (1800–1837) and Fanny White (1805–1857). Worked among Santals for Church Mission Society, said to have been the first missionary actually living among them. Retired c. 1867, returned to the U.K. and…
PUGLISI PICO, Mario. Aci S.Antonio near Catania 31.12.1867 — Parma 11.12.1954. Italian Philosopher, Theologian and Ecumenical Methodist. Professor (in Florence?). Publications: Translated: Consigli ai cattivi poeti, poema Indostanica. Palermo 1891 (Mīr Taqī Mīr’s Ajgarnāma). – Much on Italian (esp. Sicilian) literature, religion, philosophy, etc. Sources: S. Corso, “M.P.P. (1867–1954). Dalla letteratura alla filosofia di Brentano…
PRYSE, William. Llanwrtydd, Breconshire 1820 — Sylhet (?) 2.8.1869.Rev. British (Welsh) Presbyterian Missionary in India. Born in Llanwrtyd, but the family moved soon to Tredegar in Monmouthshire. Studies in 1842-46 at Trefecca College. For a while pastor of Narbeth church, in 1848 ordained as missionary and sailed with his wife…
PRYM, Eugen. Düren (between Aachen and Köln) 15.12.1843 — Bonn 6.5.1913. German Semitic Scholar. Professor in Bonn. Son of Richard Prym, a cloth manufacturer, and Ernestine Schoeller. Gymnasium in Düren. Studies of comparative linguistic and Oriental languages at Berlin, Leipzig (Fleischer) and Bonn (Gildemeister). Ph.D. 1868 Bonn, then fieldwork in…
PROCTER, Thomas. 1797 — Bath or Calcutta (?) 16.6.1836. Rev. British Clergyman in India. Son of Major T. Procter. From 1818 studies at Oxford (Jesus College), B.A. 1821, M.A. 1824. Fellow of Queen’s College 1824-26. Chaplain in Calcutta and Examiner at College of Fort William (1828). In 1831 among the…