SYKES, William Henry

SYKES, William Henry. near Bradford, Yorkshire 25.1.1790 — London 16.6.1872. British Colonial Officer in India, with wide scholarly interests. Colonel. Son of Samuel Sykes, an estate owner. Entered as cadet in 1803, Lieutenant in Bombay Army 1805, participated in the siege of Bharatpur. Learned soon Hindī and Marāṭhī and became…

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SCOTT, Jonathan

SCOTT, Jonathan. Shrewsbury 1754 — Shrewsbury 11.2.1829. British Colonial Officer and Oriental (Arabic and Persian) Scholar in India. Son of Jonathan Scott and Mary Sandford, brother of John Scott (1747–1819), an officer in India and supporter of Warren Hastings. Educated in Shrewsbury. “To India, in the 29th N.I., in 1772,…

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SLEEMAN, William H.

SLEEMAN, William Henry. Stratton, Cornwall 18.8.1788 — at sea 10/25.2.1856. Sir. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of yeoman Philip Sl. and Mary Spray, lost his father in 1798, mother 1818. In 1809 joined the Bengal Army as infantry cadet, was immediately sent to India. From 1810 Ensign, 1814 Lieutenant,…

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SIDDONS, George Richard

SIDDONS, George Richard. Fort Marlborough, Bengkulu, Sumatra 1.12.1809 — at sea ?.7.1857. British Colonial Officer in India. Major. Son of George John S. of Bengal Civil Service and Mary Fombelle, born in the British base in Sumatra, baptized in Calcutta. Lieutenant in the 1830s, then Captain, finally Major. Married 1850…

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SHORE, John

SHORE, John (1798 first baron Teignmouth). London 5. or 8.10.1751 — London 14.2.1834. British Colonial Officer. Son of E.I.C. employee Thomas Shore and Dorothy Shepherd. Educated at Harrow. In India 1769-90 in E.I.C.’s civil service in Calcutta: in 1775-80 Member of Committee of Revenue, then Revenue Commissioner in Dacca and Bihar…

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SHAKESPEAR, John (younger)

SHAKESPEAR, John. Indore 1.9.1861 — 1942. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Colonel Sir Richmond Campbell Sh. (1812–61, served in India) and Marion Sophia Thompson. “Educated at Wellington College and Sandhurst, entered the Army, 1881, and became Major, 1895. Intelligence Officer, Lushai and Chin-Lushai expeditions, 1888-9, … Superintendent, South…

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WILKS, Mark

WILKS, Mark. Isle of Man 1759 — Kelloe House, Berwickshire 19.9.1831. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of Rev. James Wilks and Elizabeth Christian, a family of Manx gentry. Joined the E.I.C.’s army and went to Madras in 1782. Learned soon Persian. In 1786 Deputy Secretary to the Military Board…

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WILFORD, Francis

WILFORD, Francis. 1761 (1771 makes him too young for his early career) — Benares 1822. British (of German Origin) Colonial Officer and Indologist in India. Born in the Kingdom of Hannover, obtained classical education. In 1781 joined the E.I.C.’s military service. Served many years as Lieutenant, in the end Colonel…

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WESTMACOTT, G. E.

WESTMACOTT, George Edward. London 23.2.1807 — near Kabul 23.11.1841, when 35. British Colonial Officer in India. Son of George W. and his wife Ann. Arrived in India in 1823 as Ensign. Captain 1833, then Assistant to the Government General’s Agent in North-East Frontier, visited Assam and Sindh. Participated in the…

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WATSON, John Whaley

WATSON, John Whaley. India 25.12.1837 — Rajkot, Gujarat 24.3.1889. British Colonial Officer in India, interested in Archaeology and History. Served in Bombay Staff Corps. In the end of the 1870s President of Rājasthānik Court in Kathiawar, in 1881-89 political agent of Kathiawar Agency, as Colonel. Married Elizabeth Charlotta Watts, four…

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