ROSSET, Carl Wilhelm. Freiburg i. Br. 24.4.1851 — Duderstadt 18.6.1923. German Merchant, Adventurer and Collector. In 1874-76 travelled in Africa, in 1881 in the Near East. In 1881 also participated in Riebeck expedition to Socotra, 1884 to Ceylon. In 1885 he spent two months in the Maldives, stayed in Malé…
GIROLAMO DA SANTO STEFANO. 14?? — 15??. Italian (Genoan) Merchant and Traveller. Son of n.n. and Susanna Mainieri. In 1494 he left Genoa, together with Girolamo Adorno, for the East on a commercial venture. They went via Cairo to the Red Sea and from Aden to Bengal, then to Ceylon and Coromandel coast…
PELSAERT, Francisco. 1595? — Batavia ?.9.1630. Dutch Factor in India and Indonesia. Born in a wealthy family of Antwerpen, Roman Catholic. In 1618 sailed to the East as Assistant, the lowest grade of the Dutch E.I.C.’s service. In 1620 promoted to junior factor (onderkoopman) and posted to India. Travelled overland…
METHWOLD (Method), William. Baptised in South Pickenham near Swaffham, Norfolk 1590 — Kensington (London) 5.3.1653. British Merchant and Traveller in India. Son of Thomas M. and Susanna Hogan. Aged 16 he was apprenticed to a merchant, served four years in London and five in Middelburg, the Netherlands. In 1615 accepted as Persian…
LEWIS, R. E. (or G. C.?). 1817? — Anerley ?.3.1899. British Businessman in Sri Lanka. Arrived in 1841, when 24, representing Parlett, O’Halloran & Co. In 1848-53 the editor of the Ceylon Examiner. In 1853 left for England, returned 1855 and worked in business. Finally returned to England in 1870. Publications: “The…
LAET, Joannes de (Latin: Ioannes Latius). Antwerpen 1581 (not 1593) — buried the Hague 15.12.1649. Flemish Geographer, Philologist and Naturalist, who wrote from secondary sources a well known book on India. Son of a cloth merchant, Hans de Laet, who as a protestant fled to north in 1584, when the…
SHAW, Robert Barkley. Upper Clapton, London 12.7.1839 — Mandalay, Burma 15.6.1879. British Traveller in Central Asia, then Civil Servant in Burma. Son of Robert Grant Shaw and Martha Barkley. “Educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Cambridge, became a tea-planter in Kangra. Travelled in 1868 as a merchant to Eastern Turkestan,…
SASSETTI, Filippo. Florence 26/28.9.1540 — Goa 3.9.1588. Italian Traveller. Son of a wealthy merchant, he studied at Pisa 1568-73 and thus knew Latin and Greek. In 1578 he went to Spain and Portugal and then 1583 to India as the agent of a Florentine spice syndicate. On way to India…
PAES (Pais), Domingo. 14?? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In a group of merchants from Goa he went to Vijayanagara c. 1520 and then wrote his account, characterized by reliable and exact observations and including important information about the Hindu state. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used…
UPHAM, Edward. Exeter 1776 — Bath 25.8.1834. British Bookdealer and Orientalist. Born in Exeter, where his father Charles Upham was later (1796) the mayor. Himself worked as bookseller in Exeter, in 1807 became its sheriff and 1809 mayor. After earlyretirement lived in Dawlish (Devon) and Bath. Married 1801 Mary Hoblyn…