WIJK, Walter Emile van. Amsterdam 23.1.1887 — Arnhem 14.11.1961. Dutch Scholar of Chronology and History of Science. Son of Wouter van Wijk (1854?–1915), an insurer, and Emilie Hunziker (1858?–1942). Studies of science at Leiden, 1920 dr. in chemistry. Even before this worked as teacher in adult education. PD of Chronology…
RODET, Léon. 1832? — 1895. French Oriental Scholar and Historian of Mathematics. Several internet sources (e.g. Wikidata) give the impossible 1850 as his birth year (1832? in DataBnF). Studies at École polytechnique, Paris, then living in Paris styling himself only as a member of Société Asiatique, which perhaps indicates employment…
THIBAUT, Georg Friedrich Wilhelm (George Frederick William Thibaut). Heidelberg 20.3.1848 — Berlin-Lichterfelde 16.10.1914. German Indologist in India. Professor in Calcutta. Son of Carl Thibaut (1807–1881), the librarian of Heidelberg University, and grandson of the famous lawyer Anton Friedrich Justus Thibaut (1772–1840). After school in Heidelberg studied at Heidelberg (Holtzmann) and…
PRATT, John Henry. London 4.6.1809 (?) — Ghazipur 28.12.1871. Rev. British Clergyman, Astronomer and Mathematician in India. Son of Rev. Josiah Pratt (1768–1844) and Elizabeth Jowett. After Oakham School studies at Caius College, Cambridge. B.A. 1833, M.A. 1836. From 1838 chaplain in service of E.I.C., from 1850 Archdeacon of Calcutta.…
PLUNKET, Emmeline Mary. Dublin 1.10.1835 — 6.4.1924. British Historian of Astronomy. Daughter of the Right Hon. John Span, the 3rd Baron Plunket (1793–1871), and Charlotte Bushe. Unmarried, living in Wimbledon. Publications: “Astronomy in the Rig Veda”, OC 12, Rome 1899, 1, 1901, 55-100. – Ancient Calendars and Constellations of the…
NEUGEBAUER, Otto Eduard. Innsbruck 26.5.1899 — Princeton, N.J. 19.2.1990. Austrian Historian of Astronomy and Mathematics in the U.S.A. Son of Rudolph N., a railway engineer and collector of Oriental carpets, lost early his parents. In 1917 he left Akad. Gymnasium, Graz, to join the army and thus obtained his matriculation…
LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISSIÈRE, Guillaume-Joseph-Hyacinthe-Jean-Baptiste. Coutances (Manche) 12.9.1725 — Paris 22.10.1792. French Astronomer and Traveller, in India 1768–71. Instead of the planned career in church and studied theology in Paris, but turned to astronomy. Left for India in 1760 in order to observe the transit of Venus in 1761,…
KERN, Johan Caspar Hendrik. Poerworedjo, Bagelen, Central Java 6.4.1833 — Utrecht 4.7.1917. Dutch Indologist and Indonesian Scholar. Professor in Leiden. Son of a colonial officer, Johan Hendrik Kern (1799–1863) and Marta Corradina Schindler (1803/04–1894), came from Java to the Netherlands with his parents in the age of seven to start…
KAYE, George Rusby. Leicester 1866 — Tunbridge Wells, Kent 1.7.1929. British Teacher and Indologist in India. Son of the elder George Rusby Kaye (1839–1895) and Lucy Emma Oliver. Educated at Wyggeston Grammar School in London and St. Mark’s College in Chelsea. In 188? he came to India as teacher, taught…
HOLTZMANN, Adolf Karl Wilhelm (der ältere). Karlsruhe 2.5.1810 — Heidelberg 3.7.1870. German Indologist and Germanist. Professor in Heidelberg. Son of Johann Michael Holtzmann (1774–1820), a teacher (at Lyceum), and Christiane Fetzer, brother of Karl Julius Holtzmann (1804–1877), the father of the younger —> Adolf Holtzmann (1838–1914) From 1828 studies of…