WAYLAND, Edward James. London 23.1.1888 — Ramsgate, Kent 11.7.1966. British Geologist and Civil Servant in Ceylon. Son of Edward W. and Emily Street, educated at the City of London College, the Royal College of Science, and the Royal School of Mines. Conducted geological fieldwork in Egypt 1909 and Portuguese East…
RIBEIRO, João. Baptized Lisbon 17.5.1622 — ?.11.1693. Portuguese Officer in South Asia. Son of a cap-maker. Left for India as private soldier in 1640 and was sent from Goa to Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Participated in the war between Portugal and the Netherlands, wounded several times. In 1658 caught by the…
RHYS DAVIDS, Thomas William. Colchester, Essex 12.5.1843 — Chipstead, Surrey 27.12.1922. British Indologist, Pāli and Buddhist Scholar. Professor in Manchester, Founder and President of the Pāli Text Society. Married with —> C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1858–1942). Son of Rev. Thomas William Davids (1816–1881), a minister and ecclesiastic historian of…
RASK, Rasmus Kristian (bapt. Rasmus Christian Rasch). Brændekilde near Odense 22.11.1787 — Copenhagen 14.11.1832. Danish Linguist and Traveller, also interested in Sanskrit and Old Iranian. Professor in Copenhagen. Son of Niels Hansen Rasch (1749–1810), a smallholder and tailor, and Birthe Rasmusdatter (d. 1801). Educated at home and in Odense, became…
TURNOUR, George. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 11.3.1799 — Naples 10.4.1843. British Civil Servant and Indologist in Sri Lanka. Son of elder G.T., the Earl of Winterton, who at the time of his birth was high civil officer in Ceylon (d. 1813), and a French mother, Emilie de Beaussett, from 1811 grew…
TOLFREY, William. 1778 — Colombo 4.1.1817. British Colonial Officer in India and Civil Servant in Sri Lanka. Son of a colonial official (in India?), grew up in England. He came to the island in 1805, after having served in army in India in 1794–1805, participating in Mysore and Maratha wars.…
THOMSON, Henry Byerley (until 1846 Henry William Th.). ?.5.1822 — Colombo 6.1.1867. British Lawyer in Sri Lanka. Son of the well known physician, Anthony Todd Th. (1778–1849) and Katherine Byerley (1797–1862), an authoress, brotherof —> J. C. Th. Studies at London University College and Cambridge (Jesus College, B.A. 1846). Called…
TENNENT, James Emerson (until 1832 James Emerson). Belfast 7.4.1804 — London 6.3.1869. Sir (Bart). British (of Northern Ireland) Lawyer, Administrator and Politician in Sri Lanka. Son of William Emerson, a merchant in Belfast, and Sarah Arbuthnot. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1824 he traveled in Greece. In 1831 called…
QUEYROZ, Fernão de. Canavezes near Amarante 1617 — Goa 12.4.1688. S.J. Portuguese Priest and Historian in India. Joined S.J. in 1631 and arrived at Cochin in 1635. In 1635-41 studied philosophy, then Theology in Goa. From 1647 taught Theology at St. Paul’s College in Goa. Rector of college in Thana…
PEARSON, Joseph. Yorkshire 19.4.1881 — Tasmania 20.6.1971. British Zoologist and Marine Biologist also interested in History, in Sri Lanka and Australia. Son of Daniel Pearson and Cecilia Parr. Educated at Liverpool College, then at university there. B.Sc. 1902, Liverpool, then postgraduate studies at Manchester. In 1910-33 Director of Colombo Museum.…