CORDINER, James. 1775 — Aberdeen 13.1.1836. Rev. British (Scottish) Episcopal Priest in Sri Lanka. Son of Rev. Charles C. of Banff. Studies at Aberdeen (A.M. 1793). From 1797 in charge of Military Orphan Asylum in Madras. In 1799-1804 second chaplain to the garrison in Colombo and principal of all schools in the island…
CHOUNAVEL, Constant. Socourt, Saint-Dié (Vosges) 9.4.1825 — Borella, Sri Lanka 23.8.1923. O.M.I. French Catholic Missionary in Sri Lanka. Son of Joseph Chounavel and Christine Pierron. Studied theology at seminary of Saint-Dié and took the habit in 1849. Ordained priest in 1852 in Marseille and left for Ceylon. In 1852-83 served…
CALLAWAY, John. 1793? — 23.11.1846, when 48. Rev. British Wesleyan Missionary in Sri Lanka. Arrived in 1815 and worked there about ten years (1816 in Matara, 1817 and 1821-24 Principal of Galle School). In 1826 retired to England, apparently lived in London. Publications: A Vocabulary, with Useful Phrases and Familiar…
BLAKESLEY, Thomas Holmes. Ware, Hertsfordshire 8.7.1847 — London 13.2.1929. British Civil Engineer and Scientist also interested in Archaeology. Son of Rev. Joseph Williams Blakesley (1808–1885), Dean of Lincoln, and Margaret Wilson Holmes. Educated in Smithfield, studies at King’s College, Cambridge, graduated in 1869 (B.A.). From 1872 Government Engineer at Public…
BARROW, George. Mayfair, London 22.10.1806 — West Molesey, Surrey 27.2.1876. Sir, 2nd Baronet. British Civil Servant. Son of Sir John Barrow (1764–1848), a geographer, linguist and historian, and Anna Maria Truter, educated at Charterhouse. From 1825 Clerk at Colonial Office, Senior Clerk 1843, Chief Clerk 1870, retired 1872. C.M.G. 1874.…
SELIGMAN, Brenda Zara (née Salaman). London 26.6.1883 — Kensington, London 2.1.1965. British Anthropologist. Daughter of Myer and Sarah Salaman, a well-to-do Jewish family. Studied pre-medical biology at Bedford College in London. Married 1905 —> Charles Gabriel S. (1873–1940), with whom she then collaborated, but also became known as independent scholar.…
MOORE, Osbert John Salvin (Ñānamoli Thera). Cambridge 25.6.1905 — Veheragama near Mahawa 8.3.1960. British Bauddha and Buddhist Scholar. Lived in Sri Lanka 1949–60. Son of John Edmund Sharrock Moore (1870–1947), a biologist, and Heloise Salvin (1875–1927). Studies at Exeter College, Oxford. During the war served as officer in Italy, read Evola’s…
STEELE, Thomas. Walton near Brampton, Cumberland 27.5.1834 — Walton 29.12.1895. British Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Son of William Steele, a poet. Joined the Ceylon service in 1856. Worked in Kurunegala, Galle and Kandy, then Assistant Government Agent in Hambantota (1869 there). Translator, after retirement in 1876 lived in Carlisle,…
STILL, John. Lambeth, London 1880 — Port Arthur, South Africa 9.9.1941. British Tea Planter Author, and Archaeologist in Sri Lanka. Son of Canon John Still and Anna Nitrill (or Nihill, 1853–1894), educated at Winchester College. In 1897 emigrated to Ceylon and became a tea planter near Dickoya. In 1.1.1902–31.12.1907 Assistant…
SKEEN, William. London 1822 — Sri Lanka 1872. British Printer in Sri Lanka, the first officially appointed Government Printer for Ceylon in 1849-72. From 1860 also had a photographic studio in Colombo. Married with Louisa Matilda Kemp (1822–1864), three sons worked as printers and photographers in Sri Lanka and Burma,…