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,…
SELIGMAN, Charles Gabriel (until 1914 Seligmann). London 24.12.1873 — 19.1.1940. British Anthropologist. Originally a physician (pathologist), soon interested in anthropology. The only child of Hermann S., a wine merchant, and Olivian Mendez da Costa, a middle class Jewish family. Educated at St.Paul’s school. Studied pathology in London (M.D.), then worked…
WINSLOW, Miron. Williston, Vermont 11.12.1789 — Cape Town 22.10.1864. Rev. U.S. Missionary and Tamil Lexicographer in South Asia, where he remained in 1819-64. Son of Nathaniel Winslow and Anna Kellogg. Graduated from Middlebury College 1815 and Andover Theological Seminary 1818, ordained priest 1818. Together with his wife he arrived in…
WAYLAND, Edward James. London 23.1.1888 — Ramsgate, Kent 11.7.1966. British Geologist and Civil Servant in Ceylon. Son of Edward Wayland 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. Turnour, the Earl of Winterton (1768–1813), who at the time of his birth was high civil officer in Ceylon, 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 William 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 Thomson (1778–1849) and Katherine Byerley (1797–1862), an authoress, elder brother of —> J. C. Thomson. Studies at London University College and Cambridge (Jesus College,…