BAILEY, Harold Walter. Devizes, Wiltshire 16.12.1899 — 11.1.1996, Cambridge. Sir (1960). British Indo-Iranian Scholar, Famous Specialist of the Khotan Saka. Professor in Cambridge. Son of Frederic Charles Quinton B. (1869–1952) and Emma Jane Reichardt (1871–1962). Born in England, he moved with his parents in 1910 to start a farm in…
BABINGTON, Benjamin Guy. London 5.3.1794 — London 5/8.4.1865. British Physician interested in Tamil Language and Literature. Son of a London physician, William B. (of Irish origin), and Martha Elizabeth Hough. Educated at Charterhouse 1803-07. He served in the navy until 1810, got then an appointment in India and went there…
AVERY, John. Conway, Mass. 18.9.1837 — North Bridgetown, Maine 1.9.1887. U.S. Indologist, Linguist and Ethnologist. Professor of Classics in U.S. Universities. Son of Joseph A. and his wife Sylvia, lost rather early his parents. Graduated 1861 from Amherst College, then further studies at the Leicester Academy (Mass.) in 1861-62. In…
AUFRECHT, Simon Theodor. Leschnitz, Schlesien (now Leśnica, Poland) 7.1.1822 (1821?) — Bonn 3.4. 1907. German Indologist. Professor in Edinburgh and Bonn. Born in a Jewish merchant family, took later Christianity. Gymnasium in Oppeln, where he already became interested in Old German. In 1843 started the study of Classical Philology at…
ATKINSON, Robert. Gateshead, Yorkshire 6.4.1839 — Rathmines near Dublin 10.1.1908. British Linguist (IE, Celtic and Sanskrit Scholar) in Ireland. Professor in Dublin. Born in Yorkshire as the only child of John and Ann A., school there. Studies at Trinity College in Dublin in 1856-57 and at Liège, Belgium 1857-58. Then…
ASSIER DE POMPIGNAN, Raoul-Henri. Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines) 2.6.1862 — Paris 11.12.1947. French Naval Officer interested in Indology. Son of Adrien A. de P. and Marie Gastel. In 1884 graduated from École navale. In 1909 naval lieutenant, in the 1920s captain of frigate, in the 1930s retired, living in Tamaris-sur-Mer (Var), then…
ASCOLI, Graziadio Isaia. Gorizia 16.7.1829 — Milano 21.1.1907. Italian (Jewish) Linguist. Professor in Milano. Born in a rich Jewish merchant family in Gorizia (Görz, then of Austria) as the son of Leone Flaminio A. (died early) and Elena Norsa. Never went to school, but was tutored by the famous Hebrew…
ARROWSMITH, Robert. Brooklyn, N.Y. 23.11.1860 — 1.6.1928. U.S. Linguist and Classical Scholar interested in Sanskrit. Son of Milton A. and Phebe Wood. Studies at Columbia University: A.B. 1882, A.M. 1883, Ph.D. 1884; University Fellow in 1882-83 and 1885-86. In 1884-85 further studies at Berlin University. Assistant in Modern Languages at…
ARNOLD, Edwin. Gravesend, Kent 10.6.1832 — London 24.3.1904. Sir. British Poet and Journalist interested in Sanskrit and India. Son of Robert Coles A., a magistrate, and Sarah Ann Pissey. Educated at King’s School in Rochester and King’s College in London. From 1851 at Oxford (University College): B.A. 1854 and M.A.…
ARIEL, Édouard-Simon. Nantes 5.10.1818 — Pondichéry 23.4.1854. French Marine Officer and Indologist (Tamil scholar) in India. Student of Burnouf in Paris. In 1844 he went to Pondichéry and worked as Deputy Commissar of marine and as Conservator of Pondichéry Library and Archives. On advice of Burnouf, began collecting and studying…