DAMANT, Guybon Henry. Cowes, Isle of Wight 9.5.1846 — Khonoma, Nagaland 14.10.1879. British Civil Servant and Ethnologist in India (1869-79). Son of Henry James Damant (1816–1901), a lawyer, and Elizabeth Johnson Knight (1823–1906). Educated at St. Paul’s School (or Merchant Taylor’s School?) in London. Studies from 1864 at Christ’s College,…
CUST, Robert Needham. Cockayne Hatley, Bedfordshire 24.2.1821 — Campden Hill, London 28.10.1909. British Indologist. Son of Hon. and Rev. Henry Cckayne Cust (1780–1861), of a noble family (his uncle was Earl Brownlow), and Anna Maria Needham. Educated at Eton, planned first to become a lawyer and began studies at Trinity College,…
COWELL, Edward Byles. Ipswich 23.1.1826 — Cambridge 9.2.1903. British Indologist. Professor in Cambridge. In 1856-64 in India. Son of Charles Cowell (a merchant, d. 1842) and Marianne Byles. Educated in Ipswich, as a schoolboy already attracted to Sir William Jones’ Persian grammar. After the school he followed his late father…
CLAUSON, Gerard Leslie Makins. Valletta, Malta 28.4.1891 — Chelsea, London 1.5.1974 (or 1973?). Sir. British Linguist and Central Asian (especially Turkish) scholar, but began with Pāli studies. Son of major Sir John Eugene Clauson (1866–1918) and Mary Elizabeth Makins (1862–1949). Educated at Eton, studies at Corpus Christi College, Oxford (classical…
CIMMINO, Francesco. Naples 6.1.1862 — Naples 2.3.1939. Italian Indologist and Poet. Studies at Naples under Kerbaker, graduated in 1886, then at Turin under Flechia. Teacher at Liceo Genovesi and from 1898 libera docenza di letteratura sanscrita at R. Università di Napoli. In 1914 succeeded Kerbaker as Professor (incaricato) of Sanskrit…
CHRISTENSEN, Arthur Emanuel. Copenhagen 9.1.1875 — Copenhagen 31.3.1945. Danish Iranian Scholar. Professor in Copenhagen. Son of post official Vilhelm Christensen (1847–1921) and Dorothea Kjerstine Marcussen. Matriculated in Copenhagen 1893. Studied languages, mainly French and Latin, at Copenhagen, mag. 1900. He had early become interested in the East and studied also…
CHÉZY, Antoine Léonard de. Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris 15.1.1773 — Paris 3.9. (or 31.8.) 1832. French Pioneer of Indology, the first Professor of Sanskrit in Paris. Born in the large family of Antoine de Chézy (1718–1798), a well known engineer and scientist, and Marie Barbe Pollin. The birth year is somewhat…
CHARDIN, Jean-Baptiste (1681 Sir John Chardin). Paris 16.11.1643 (Julian 6.11.) — Chiswick, London 5.1.1713 (25.12.1712). French Huguenot Jeweller and Traveller. Sent to the east by his father, the wealthy Parisian jeweller Daniel Chardin, in 1664 he visited Persia (entering the service of Shah Abbas II in Isfahan), then Surat and…
CHAMBERS, William. Newcastle-upon-Tyne 21.11.1748 — Calcutta 22.8.1793. British Colonial Official and a Pioneer of Indology. Son of Robert Chambers (d. 1749), an attorney in Newcastle, and Anne Metcalf, younger brother of —> Robert Chambers (1737–1823). Educated in Newcastle. Went to India before 1774. Political servant of E.I.C., apparently first in…
BURTON, Richard Francis. Barnham House, Elstree, Hertfordshire 19.3.1821 — Trieste 20.10.1890 (Dingle & Garrett: born in Torquay, Devon, Penzer explains: born in Toquay, baptised in Elstree, Herts). Sir. British (partly of Irish origin) Oriental Scholar, Pioneer of Anthropology, Traveller and Diplomat. Son of colonel Joseph Netterville Burton (1782–1857) and Martha…