FINCH, William. 15?? — Baghdad ?.8.1613. British Merchant and Traveller in India. Native of London. He came to Surat with Hawkins in 1608 and had to stay there because of an illness, but joined later Hawkins in E.I.C. expedition in spring 1610 at Jahangir’s court and spent one and a…
FIELD, Dorothy (Mrs. Norman Dudley Short). 1884 — 1968. Lady. British Writer, Musician and Woman Activist. In 1923-27 reporter for The Times Educational Supplement. She was much interested in Theosophy, but did not join the Society. Her book on Sikhism was based on Macauliffe’s work. In 1922 she married Norman…
FERGUSSON, James. Ayr 22.1.1808 — London 9.1.1886. British (Scottish) Architect and Historian of Indian architecture. Son of Dr. William Fergusson (1773–1846), a noted army surgeon and medical author, educated at Edinburgh High School and at Hounslow. He came early to Calcutta and served at Fairlie, Fergusson & Cny, where his…
FERGUSSON, John. 17?? — Cape of God Hope 4.9.1773 (?). British Colonial Officer in India. Captain. The author of the first English Hindustani dictionary in 1773, describing the colloquial speech of soldiers for the use of officers, mixing together different forms of language (but with some preponderance of Magahī). Early…
FERGUSON, Donald William. Colombo 8.10.1853 — Croydon near London 29.6.1910. British (Scottish) Journalist and Scholar of Sri Lankan History (especially of Colonial Period). Son of —> Alastair M. Ferguson (1816–1892) and Anne Mackerras. The father came to Ceylon in 1837, was a long time the chief proprietor and editor of…
FAWCETT, Frederick. 1853 — Vienna 20.7.1926. British Civil Servant and Ethnographer in India. Served in South India, from 1878 as Inspector, then Superintendent of Malabar Police. From 1905 Deputy Inspector General of Police in Madras, retired before 1911. An amateur archaeologist and anthropologist. Married Elizabeth Lydia (d. 1933). Publications: “On…
FAWCETT, Charles Gordon Hill. Southsea, Portsmouth 28.6.1869 — Exmouth, Devon 7.3.1952. Sir. British Civil Servant and Historian of Colonial India. Son of Lieutenant-Colonel Rowland Hill Fawcett (1840–1914) and Eliza Rose Wood. Educated at Harrow, from 1888 studies at Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1890 joined the I.C.S. in Bombay. In the…
FARQUHAR, John Nicol. Aberdeen 6.4.1861 — Manchester 17.7.1929. British (Scottish) Missionary in India, a Scholar of Indian Religion. Son of George Farquhar. First apprenticed as draper, in 1882 entered Aberdeen grammar school, 1883 University of Aberdeen, from 1885 at Christ Church in Oxford (B.A. 1889). Student of Macdonell, M.A. 1895.…
FANSHAWE, Herbert Charles. Lanchester, Durham 28.3.1852 — Poole, Dorset 26.3.1923. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Rev. John Faithful Fanshawe (1810–1892) and Elizabeth Upton. Educated at Bedford, Tonbridge, and Repton. Joined I.C.S. 1873, served mainly in the Punjab. In 1898-1901 member of Punjab Legislative Council, retired 1901. Married 1906…
FALLON, Samuel William. Calcutta 1817 — London 3.10.1880. British Teacher in India, Folklorist and Lexicographer. “Entered the Bengal Education Department in his 20th year, was inspector of schools.” Published famous dictionaries, for which he was conferred a Ph.D. in 1862 at Halle University. Retired in 1878 and resided in Delhi,…