COLES, Stephen. 18?? — 13.9.1901. Rev. British Missionary, member of Church Mission Society in Sri Lanka. After Highbury Training College arrived at Ceylon as early as 1861 and remained there until his death. Married 1860 Elizabeth Nicklin (d.1898). Publications: “Summary of the Contents of the First Book in the Buddhist Canon…
CODRINGTON, Humphrey William. Hambleden, Buckinghamshire 25.9.1879 — Kensington, London 7.11.1942. British Scholar of Sri Lankan History and Ethnography. Son of the rear-admiral William C. (1832–1888) and Mary Auber Leach, educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford (B.A.). In 1903 joined Ceylon Civil Service. Married 1919 Joyce Bleaden, at least…
CLOUGH, Benjamin. Bradford, Yorkshire 1791 — Southwark, Kent 13.4.1853. British Methodist Missionary and Pāli Scholar in Sri Lanka. Joined the Methodists in the age of 17 and became a preacher. Ordained priest and went to Ceylon among the first Methodist missionaries in 1813. Worked as teacher, first in Galle, from…
CHILDERS, Robert Cesar. Nice 1838 — London 25.7.1876. British Indologist (Pāli scholar). Born in southern France as the son of Charles Ch. (1806–1896), the English chaplain of Nice (then still part of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia), and Dulcibella Chester. Studies at Wadham College, Oxford. Travelled in Ireland. In 1860 joined the…
CHAPMAN, Isham J. 1??? — 1???. British Colonial Officer in Ceylon. Captain of Royal Artillery. Possible relatives in I.C.S. (see Buckland). The first article is based on field observations made in 1828, the second on information obtained from others. One Captain Isham Chapman died in 1852, but the rare name…
CHALMERS, Robert (1919 first baron of Chalmers of Northiam). London 18.8.1858 — Oxford 17.11.1938. Lord. British (Scottish) Civil Servant and Indologist (Pāli Scholar). Born in London in a Scottish family, son of John Ch. and Julia Mackay. Educated at City of London School (under E. Abbott). From 1877 studies of…
CARTER, Charles Henry. Leicestershire 29.10.1828 — Auckland 6.7.1914. Rev. British Baptist Missionary in Ceylon. Son of Thomas Carter, a stonemason, and Anne Thomson, raised near Leicester. Became Baptist and from 1849 studied at Horton College, learning Hebrew and Greek. Arrived in the island 1853, from 1855 Pastor of the Kandy…
BOWDEN, Ernest Monnington. Rochford, Herefordshire bapt. 17.7.1859 — Ramsgate, Kent 3.4.1904. British Author and Inventor (Wikipedia calls him Irishman, which seems unlikely, his father was born in London). Son of Rev. Ellis Treacher Bowden and Maria Jones (d. 1875). After Malvern College studies at Pembroke College, Cambridge (B.A. 1881). In…
BOAKE, William John Slade. Colombo 1844 — London 2.6.1889. British (Irish) Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Son of Rev. Dr. Barcroft Boake of Dublin (1814–1876), Principal of Colombo Academy in 1842-70, and Mary Katherine Slade (d. 1860). Obtained Lic. Med. of Trinity College, Dublin, and Diploma of Medicine and Surgery,…
BELL, Harry Charles Purvis. India 21.9.1851 — Kandy 6.9.1937. British Archaeologist of Sri Lanka. Son of General Harry Wainwright Bell (1821–1888) of Irish/Scottish descent, and Harriet Croker. From 1864 educated at Cheltenham College, but never went to a university. From 1873 in Ceylon Civil service, served in various positions, finally…