METHWOLD (Method), William. Baptized South Pickenham near Swaffham, Norfolk 1590 — Kensington 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 linguist in…
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). 1581 (not 1593) — buried 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, when the Spanish took the town. Educated…
LINWOOD, William. Birmingham 1817 — ?.10.1878. Rev. British Classical Scholar. Son of Willim L., a merchant, and Mary Iliffe. After Birmingham grammar school studied Classics and Sanskrit at Oxford (Christ Church) from 1836 (won 1839 Boden Sanskrit Scholarship). B.A. 1839, M.A. 1842. He took orders and taught at Shrewsbury school,…
SHAW, Robert Barkley. London 12.7.1839 — Mandalay, Burma 15.6.1879. British Traveller in Central Asia, then Civil Servant in Burma. Son of Robert Grant Shaw, “educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Cambridge, became a tea-planter in Kangra. Travelled in 1868 as a merchant to Eastern Turkestan, reaching Yarkand and Kashgar, Jan.…
ROSE, Horace Arthur. East Grinstead 25.11.1867 — Saint Brélade, Jersey 18.9.1933. British Colonial Servant in India. Son of a merchant. Educated at St.Paul’s School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. In 1888-1917 in I.C.S. In 1901 Census Superintendent for Pañjāb, in 1901-06 Superintendent of Ethnography for Pañjāb, in 1906-17 District and Session…
PFUNGST, Arthur Joseph. Frankfurt a.M. 9.3.1864 — Frankfurt a.M. 3.10.1912. German Poet and Bauddha. Son of Julius Pf., a tobacco merchant, studied chemistry and mathematics at Leipzig (dr. 1886). Succeeded his father as one of the owners of Naxos-Union (manufacturing grinding machines) in Frankfurt/Main, but mainly concentrated on Buddhist studies.…
PAES, D. 14?? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In c. 1520 wrote his account, characterized by reliable and exact observations and including important information about Vijayanagara. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used by Barros, but then forgotten. Publications: ed. together with the account of F. Nuniz by…
NUNIZ (Nunes), Fernão. 1??? — 15??. Portuguese Merchant in India. In 1535-37 stayed in Vijayanagar and then wrote an account, including a short history of the Vijayanagara Empire. The manuscript came to Portugal and was used by Barros, but then forgotten for many years. Publications: Ed. together with the account…
NIKITIN, Afanasij. Tver around 1433 (?) — Smolensk 1472 or 1475 (?). Russian Traveller in India. A merchant from Tver, he visited Persia and India, and wrote a good account of these countries. The chronology of his travel is uncertain. He left Tver in 1466, 1469, or 1471 and travelled…