MORELAND, William Harrison. Belfast 13.7.1868 — Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire 28.9.1938. British (Anglo-Irish) Historian of Islamic India. Born in Northern Ireland, son of the elder W.H.M. and Emily McGowan. Educated 1881-86 at Clifton College, Somerset. In 1886 accepted to I.C.S., studied law and other subjects at Cambridge (LL.B. 1889 Trinity College).…
LEES, William Nassau. London 26.2.1825 — London 9.3.1889. British (Irish) Colonial Officer and Oriental Scholar in India, Specialist of Arabic, Persian and Hindustani. Fourth son of Sir Harcourt Lees, Bart. (1776–1852), a Protestant clergyman from Ireland, and Sophia Lyster, educated at Nut Grove and Trinity College in Dublin. In 1846…
JAHN, Karl Emil Oskar. Brünn (now Brno) 26.3.1906 — Utrecht 7.11.1985. Austrian/Czechoslovakian Persian Scholar in the Netherlands. Professor in Leiden. Born of an originally Silesian family, son of Oskar J., an Oberfinanzrat (a high revenue officer). Studies of chemistry at Brno, but after one year moved to Prague, where he…
HAMILTON, Charles. Belfast 1752/53 — Hampstead, London 14.3.1792, when 39. British Colonial Officer in India. Probably son of Charles H., a merchant (d. 1759), and Katherine Mackay (d. 1767). Worked two years in a Dublin mercantile house, then “went to India in the E.I.C.’s military service in 1776; was one…
HAIG, Thomas Wolseley. Plumstead, Woolwich, Kent 7.8.1865 — Kensington, London 23.4./28.4./4.5.1938. Sir. British Colonial Officer and Historian of India. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of Major Robert Wolseley Haig (of old Scottish family, 1830–1872) and Maria Brown. Educated at Wellington College and Sandhurst. In 1884 joined Senforth Highlanders, 1887 Indian Army. Served also…
GRENARD, Joseph-Fernand. Paris 4.7.1866 — Paris 1.4.1945. French Traveller. Companion of Dutreuil de Rhins in his travels of exploration in Central Asia and Tibet. Son of telegraph official Alphonse Gr. and Jenny Panthin. Studied at École des sciences politiques and É.L.O.V. For particulars of the travel see —> Dutreuil de…
GARRETT, Herbert Leonard Offley. Cambridge 16.6.1881 — Cambridge 6.12.1941. British Historian of India. Son of Dr. George Mursell G. (1834–1897), an organist and composer, and Maria Green. Educated at Charterhouse and St.John’s College, Cambridge, graduated 1902. He entered Colonial Educational Service, taught 1904-12 at Queen’s College, Hong Kong. Then Professor…
FRASER, James. 1713 — Easter Moniack, Inverness-shire 21.1.1754. British (Scottish) Factor in India, Historian and Manuscript Collector. Son of Alexander F. (d. 1733) of Reelick near Inverness. Residing in Surat in 1730-40 he is said to have learned Sanskrit and Avestan (at least he knew Persian). Back in England started…
ERSKINE, William. Edinburgh 8.11.1773 — Edinburgh 20.5.1852. British (Scottish) Civil Servant and Lawyer. 1804-23 in India. Son of David E., a lawyer, and Jean Melvin. Educated at Royal High School and Edinburgh University (dr. iuris). He “was a lawyer’s apprentice, 1792-9, went to India in 1803-4 with Sir James Mackintosh”,…
ELPHINSTONE, Mountstuart. Dumbarton, Scotland 6.10.1779 — Hookwood, Surrey 20.11.1859. British (Scottish) Civil Servant in India. Son of John, the 11th Baron E., and Anne Ruthven. Educated in Edinburgh and Kensington. From 1795 writer in E.I.C.’s service, was sent to Benares, where he soon learned Persian and Hindi and barely escaped…