FORBES, James. London 19.5.1749 — Aix-la-Chapelle 1.8.1819. British (Scottish) Civil Servant and Artist in India. Son of Timothy Forbes and Elizabeth Crow. In 1765 he came to Bombay as a writer, 1775 private secretary to Lieutenant-Colonel Th. Keating. After a visit to England in 1780 collector and resident in Dabhoy.…
FORBES, Duncan. Kinnaird, Pertshire 28.4.1798 — London 17.8.1868. British (Scottish) Oriental Scholar (Persian and Urdū). Born in a poor family, in 1801 remained with his grandfather, when the parents moved to the U.S.A. In the age of 12 he still knew not English (or was illiterate in it), but as…
FORBES, Charles James Forbes Smith- (C. J. F. Smith). 1834 — Tharrawaddy, Burma 28.11.1879. British Colonial Officer in Burma, Pāli and Burmese scholar. Came to the East in 1858 as Captain of Queen’s Army, and was sent to Burma with his regiment. He soon became so fascinated with the country…
FORBES, Alexander Kinloch. London 7.7.1821 — Poona (Pune) 31.8.1865. British (Scottish) Civil Servant in India and Pioneer of Gujarātī Studies. Son of John Forbes-Mitchell (1781–1822) and Ann Powell. Educated in Finchley (London) and Haileybury. Arrived at Bombay in 1843 and became Assistant Judge in Ahmedabad, then in Surat, later Commissioner…
FOOTE, Robert Bruce. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 22.9.1834 — Calcutta 29.12.1912. British Geologist in South India, a Pioneer of Indian Prehistoric Archaeology. Son of physician Dr. William Henry Foote (1785–1835) and Sophia Wells. Joined the Geological Survey of India 1858 at the age of 24, remained there 33 years, working in South…
FOLEY, Mary Cecilia. Wadhurst, Sussex 8.10.1859 — London 22.10.1925. British Geologist interested in Pāli. Daughter of Rev. John Foley (1805–1888) and Caroline Elizabeth Windham, sister of —> C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1858–1942), whom she then assisted in Pāli editions. Studied geology at London University College, B.Sc. 1891, Chief Lady…
FLEET, John Faithfull. Royston (Chiswick) 1.5.1847 — London 21.2.1917. British Indologist (Epigraphist and Historian). Son of John George Fleet (1818–1902), a wholesale sugar dealer, and Esther Faithful, educated at Merchant Taylor’s School in London. In 1865 he passed the I.C.S. examination and began studies at University College in London, including…
FITZCLARENCE, George Augustus Frederick, First Earl of Munster. London 29.1.1794 — London 20.3.1842. British Officer and Traveller. Illegitimate son of the future king William IV and Dorothea Bland (née Jordan, 1761–1816, an actress from Ireland). Served as officer in Napoleonic wars and 1815-18 in India. Major-General. Earl and Privy Councillor…
FITCH, Ralph. Derby 1550 — London (?) 1611. English Merchant and Traveller in India. In February 1583 left London with other merchants of the Levant Company (with John Newberry as leader) with the purpose of opening trade with India. They travelled through Tripoli, Aleppo (May), Baghdad and Basra to Ormuz…
FIRTH, John Rupert. Keighley, Yorkshire 17.6.1890 — Linfield, Sussex 14.12.1960. British Linguist and Phonetician. Professor in London. Son of William Firth. Educated at Keighley. Studied history at Leeds University (M.A. 1913). A brief time Lecturer in History at City of Leeds Training College, then joined Indian Educational Service in 1914,…