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 Babington (1756–1833, 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…
AYRTON, Edward Russell. Wuhu, prove. Anhui, China 17.12.1882 — Tissamaharama 18.5.1914. British Archaeologist in Sri Lanka. Son of William Scrope Ayrton (1849–1904), of China Consular Service, and Ellen Louisa McClatchie. Educated at St.Paul’s School in London. Archaeological training in Europe and Egypt (as Flinders Petrie’s Assistant 1902-04 at Abydos). In…
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 businessman John Atkinson and his wife Ann. Educated at Anchorage grammar school in Yorkshire. Studies at Trinity College in Dublin…
ARNOT, Sandford. 1797? — London 21.6.1834. British (Scottish) Indologist (Hindi/Urdu Scholar). From 1821 (then already in India, but still young) Assistant editor of the Calcutta Journal. He wrote an article considered offensive to Government and was banished from India to Singapore, where Raffles arranged his journey to England. The quarrels…
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 Arnold, a magistrate, and Sarah Ann Pissey. Grew up in Southchurch, Essex. Educated at King’s School in Rochester and King’s College in London. From 1851 at Oxford (University…
ARNOLD, Edward Vernon. South Norwood, London 18.7.1857 — 19.9.1926. British Indologist and Classical Scholar. Son of Rev. Charles Maddock Arnold (1812–1876) and his wife Jane, educated at Westminster School. Studies at Cambridge (Trinity College) and Tübingen (under R. Roth), graduated from Cambridge B.A. in 1879, M.A. 1882. Fellow of the…
ARIS, Michael Vaillancourt. Havana, Cuba 7.3.1946 — Oxford 27.3.1999. British Tibetan Scholar, Specialist of Bhutan. Son of English father (John Arundel Aris, a British Council Officer) and Canadian French mother (Josette Vaillancourt), one of identical twins (brother Anthony Aris). Educated at Worth School in Sussex, then studied modern history at…
ARDEN, Albert Henry. Longcroft, Staffordshire 5.5.1841 — on sea 7.11.1897. Rev. British Missionary in South India, a Dravidian Scholar. Son of a clerk, Thomas Arden (1796–1860), and Isabella Mary Cooper (1795–1860), educated at Kepton and Christ College, Cambridge (B.A. 1861, M.A. 1863), ordained 1864. Missionary in South India 1864-74, then…
ARCHER, William George (“Bill”). 11.2.1907 — Islington, London 6.3.1979. British Ethnologist and Art Historian of India. In India 1931-48, then in Victoria and Albert Museum. Son of William Archer, educated at Strand School. Studied history at Cambridge (Emmanuel College) and aspired for a good position in Whitehall, but poor success…
ANDERSON, William. 1804 — Albury Hall, Ware, Hertsfordshire 22.9.1869 (when 64). British Colonial Officer. C.B. 1842. Served as a major in India, then lieutenant-colonel in Bengal Artillery in 1854-55. In 1855 retired and returned to the U.K. Married Frances Sophia Prattle, one daughter (born 1846). Publications: “An Attempt to Identify Some…