POITIERS, Thomas de. 16?? — ?.4.1742. Father. French Capuchin Missionary in India. Arrived in India in the 1690s, in 1715 in Madras. General supérieur of Capuchin missions on Coromandel coast in Pondichérey from before 1733 until death. He was involved in the quarrels between Jesuits and Capuchins. Publications: Le Paganisme des…
PHILLIPS, Godfrey Edward. 4.3.1878 — 29.11.1961/63. Rev. British Missionary in India. Studies at Oxford (Mansfield College), M.A. Worked for London Missionary Society in Bangalore, from 1910 teaching at United Theological College as Professor of Church History. Apparently returned in 1926 and was Professor at Kingsmead College in Birmingham until 1944.…
PERREAUX, Paul-Florentin-Marie. Paris 15.1.1807 — 1???. French Teacher in India. Son of Jean François Perreaux and Marie Jeanne Pouillard. Professot of mathematics at Collège royal de Pondichéry (from before 1838), in 1842 also its director. In 1857/68 mentioned as notary in Pondichéry. Married 1833 Charlotte Mathilde Jame (d. 1853). Publications: Traité…
PERCIVAL, Peter. Prestwich, Lancashire 24.7.1803 — Yercaud (Eṟkāṭu), Salem dt. 11.7.1882. Rev. British Missionary and Indologist (Tamil Scholar) in Sri Lanka and India. Son of Peter and Jane P. In 1826 Wesleyan Methodist Mission sent him to Jaffna, worked there until 1829 and after a few years in Bengal in…
OUCHTERLONY, John. Walworth, Surrey 15.1.1813 — Ootacamund 29.4.1863. British Colonial Officer in India. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of William O. (1766–1829) and Harriet Lee. Served in Madras Engineers, in 1841-43 in Hong Kong. Married 1844 Alice Trevor Puchterbury (ancestry) or Turton (Wikitree, with years 1826–1915), four daughters. Died of “jungle fever”. His…
OSBORNE, Łucja (Lucia, Ludka, née Lipszyc). 15.2.1904 — Landon 2.12.1987. Polish Disciple of Ramana Maharshi. Born in a large orthodox Jewish family (the most of them died in camps during WW II). She met Arthur O. in Warsaw, where he was teaching English. They were married in 1934 and 1936 moved…
ONORATO DA UDINE (Franciscus Honoratus ad Utino, lay Giangiacomo). Tomba near Udine 7.11.1757 — Rome 8.12.1836. Italian Capuchin Missionary in India. Went to India in 1792, worked many years in Pondicherry, Surat, Madras and Masulipatan. Very little is known of his life (except some contradicting mentions, claiming he worked in Tibet, Madagascar, or…
MURPHY, John D. Buffalo, NY 1921 — 24.7.1997. U.S. Linguist. Educated in Buffalo, studies at Harvard. In WW II translator of Japanese in Army Signal Corps in Arlington. In 1964-78 Research Professor at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. As a linguist he is said to have been self-taught and mastered…
MURDOCH, John. Glasgow 22.7.1819 — Madras 10.8.1904. British (Scottish) Missionary in Sri Lanka and India. Son of John and Margret Murdoch, educated at Glasgow High School. After an unsuccesful attempt as a painter studies at Glasgow. Worked as teacher, in 1844 left for Ceylon. Headmaster of schools in Kandy, but…
MATTHEWS, Gordon. Crosby near Liverpool 1886 — Scotland 1947. Rev. British Missionary in South India. Son of John Matthews, a local G.P., the family came from North Wales. Studies at Merton College, Oxford. M.A. 1910, B.Litt., B.D. 1912 (Mansfield College), now left for India. Professor of English and Vice-Principal at…