DICKSON, John Frederick. Harmondsworth, Middlesex 17.9.1835 — London 21.12.1891. Sir. British Civil Servant and Pāli Scholar in Sri Lanka. Son of Robert Dickson (1805–1875), a physician, and Mary Ann Coope. Educated in Westminster and studied from 1855 at Christ Church, Oxford. Graduated B.A. in 1859 and joined colonial service. Served…
CROSBY, Josiah. Falmouth, Cornwall ?.5.1880 — 4.12.1958. Sir. British Diplomat interested in South-East Asian History. Son of Captain J. P. Crosby and his wife Christina, educated in Newcastle. Studies at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (B.A. 1902, M.A. 1928). Came to Thailand as young cadet in 1904, spent many years…
COPLESTON, Reginald Stephen. Barnes, London 26.12.1845 — Wandsworth, London 19.4.1925. Rev. British Priest in Sri Lanka and India. Son of Rev. Reginald Edward Copleston, of Barnes, Surrey. Educated at Merchant Taylor’s school, studies from 1864 at Exeter College, Oxford (B.A. 1869). In 1870-75 Fellow of St. John College. M.A. 1871,…
COOMARASWAMY, Ananda Kentish (Kumārasvāmi). Colombo 22.8.1877 — Needham, MA 9.9.1947. Sri Lankan/British Art Historian and Indologist in the U.S.A. Son of Sir Mutu Coomaraswamy (1834–1879, a noted Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and statesman) and Elizabeth Clay Beeby (1851–1939, she came from Kent, therefore “Kentish”), lost early his father and grew…
COLES, Stephen. Ringwood, Hampshire 1837 — Sri Lanka 13.9.1901. Rev. British Missionary, member of Church Mission Society in Sri Lanka. Son of William Coles and his wife Harriet. After Highbury Training College arrived in Ceylon as early as 1861 and remained there until his death. Married 1860 Elizabeth Sarah Nicklin…
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 Codrington (1832–1888) and Mary Auber Leach (1855–1930), educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford (B.A.). In 1903 joined Ceylon Civil Service. In WW I served in…
CLOUGH, Benjamin. Bradford, Yorkshire 1791 — Southwark, Kent 13.4.1853. British Methodist Missionary and Pāli Scholar in Sri Lanka. Lost his father, a militia officer, when four. Joined the Methodists in the age of 17 and became a preacher. Ordained priest and went to Ceylon among the first Methodist missionaries in…
CHILDERS, Robert Cesar. Cantley, South Yorkshire 1838 — London 25.7.1876. British Indologist (Pāli scholar). Born in southern France as the son of Charles Childers (1806–1896), the English chaplain of Nice (then still part of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia), and Dulcibella Chester. Grew up in Nice. From 1857 studies at Wadham…
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). Stoke Newington, 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 Chalmers and Julia Mackay. Educated at City of London School (under E. Abbott). From 1877…