BORROW, George Henry. East Dereham, Norfolk 5.7.1803 — Lowestoft, Suffolk 26.7.1881. British Author interested in Gypsies. Son of Thomas Borrow (1758–1824), an army recruiting officer, and Ann Perfrement (1772–1858). Educated in Edinburgh and Norwich, for a while also briefly in Ireland, then studied law, but soon turned to languages and…
BOR, Norman Loftus. Tramore, County Waterford 2.5.1893 — London 22.12.1972. Irish Botanist. Son of Edward Norman Cavendish Bor (1861–1931) and Mabel Thornton. Educated in Kilkenny and Dublin, studied medicine at Trinity College, but in 1914 joined the army. War service in Greece and Palestine, wounded 1916. B.A. 1921 and M.A.…
BOMFORD, Trevor. Bembridge, Isle of Wight 18.11.1849 — India 21.12.1929. Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of Major Samuel Bomford (1813–1898) and Frances Jane Winter. Studies at Cambridge (Corpus Christi College) and Durham University (M.A.). Ordained 1874. Worked for Church Missionary Society in Multan and Peshawar. Married 1883 Jane Catherine Charlotte…
BOCARRO, Antonio. Abrante (or Lisbon?) 1594? — Goa 1643?. Portuguese Historian and Geographer. Son of New Christian parents (with Jewish background), parents Fernão Bocarro, a physician, and Isabel Nunes. Educated at Jesuit College Santo Antão in Lisbon. In 1615-38 served in India, first as soldier in Goa and Cochin, finally…
BLUNT, Edward Arthur Henry. Curepipe, Mauritius 14.3.1877 — Fleet, Hampshire 29.5.1941. Sir. British Civil Servant in India. Son of Frances Theophilus Blunt (1837–1881, later Commissioner of the Seychelles) and Emily Rainsford. Educated at Marlborough College, then studies at Corpus Christi College (Oxford, B.A.) and University College (London). From 1901 served…
BLIN, Amédée. 1799? — 18??. French Colonial Officer. Still in Paris, he had some months attended the Hindustani classes of Garcin de Tassy. From 1823 (if not earlier) served in Pondichéry (1831 mentioned as Lieutenant of the Cypahi Battalion). His dictionary is “dédié à Mr. le Ministre de la Marine”.…
BLAKESLEY, Thomas Holmes. Ware, Hertsfordshire 8.7.1847 — London 13.2.1929. British Civil Engineer and Scientist also interested in Archaeology. Son of Rev. Joseph Williams Blakesley (1808–1885), later Dean of Lincoln, and Margaret Wilson Holmes. Educated in Smithfield, studies at King’s College, Cambridge, graduated B.A. in 1869. Then 1871 B.A. in civil…
BLACKADER, Adam. 17?? — 1807?. British Physician in India. In 1777-92 Surgeon of Presidency of Fort Saint George (Madras), in the 1780s positioned in Madurai. Visited England in 1789, returned to India by land-route with Major John Taylor (who published a 2-vol. account of it in 1799). Retired. Married, at…
BIDIE, George. Buckies, Banffshire 3.4.1830 — Bridge of Allan, Scotland 19.2.1913. British (Scottish) Physician in India. Surgeon-General. School in Aberdeen, studies at Edinburgh and Aberdeen, M.D. 1853 Marischal College. In 1856 joined Indian Medical Service as Assistant Surgeon and went to Madras. Served in Hyderabad, Guntur, Mysore and Coorg. In…
BESSE, Léon (Leo). 27.3.1853 — 1919. Father. S.J. French Jesuit Missionary and Historian in India. Joined the S.J. in 1881. Teacher and in 1903-09 Rector of St.Joseph’s College in Tiruchirappalli. Not to be confused with Jean Martial Léon Besse (1861–1920), a benedictine monk, who wrote much about French church history…