BRUIN, Cornelis de (Bruyn, C. De Bruijn). the Hague 1652 — Utrecht 1727. Dutch Painter and Traveller. Son of Jan de Bruin. In 1672-1693 he went through Italy to Turkey, then to Syria and Egypt, coming back through Venice. The second trip began in 1701 when he first went via Archangelsk…
BONVALOT, Pierre Gabriel Édouard. Épagne (Aube) 13.7.1853 — Auteuil, Paris 10.12.1933. French Central Asian Explorer. Son of Pierre Bonvalot and Louise-Félicie Congniasse des Jardins, school in Troyes. In 1880-82 and 1886-87 expeditions to Russian Central Asia. In 1889-90 with Prince Henri of Orléans through Russia to Chinese Central Asia, then through…
SYKES, Percy Molesworth. Brompton, Kent 28.2.1867 — London 11.6.1945. Sir. British Colonial Officer and Diplomat. Brigadier-General. Son of army chaplain Rev. William Sykes (1829–1900) and Mary Molesworth, educated at Rugby, military education at Sandhurst. From 1888 served in 2nd Dragoon Guards in India, 1895 Lieutenant, 1897 Captain. In 1892 secret…
SPRINGER (Sprenger), Balthasar. Vils, Ausserfern, Tyrol 14?? — 1509/11. Austrian Traveller in service of Welser trading house of Augsburg. Probably son of Johannes (Hans) Springer who was in service of the local prince, and Anastasia Steidlin (?). Very little is known of Balthasar’s own life. In Welser service he went…
MASTER, Streynsham. Langdon, Kent 28.10.1640 — Lancashire 28.4.1724. Sir. British Colonial Administrator of E.I.C. in India. Son of Richard Master. Served long in Surat, then in Masulipatam and Bengal and in 1678-81 as Company’s Agent in Madras. Returned in 1692 and bought Codnor Castle estate in Derbyshire. Married Elizabeth Leigh,…
MAJOR, Richard Henry. Jersey (Wikipedia: Shoreditch, London) 3.10.1818 — Kensington 25.6.1891. British Geographer. Son of the elder R.H. Major, a physician, and his wife Elizabeth. The father died when he was three and he was brought up by his paternal grandfather. School in London (Merchant Taylors’ School). From 1844 in…
LUARD, Charles Eckford. Farnham, Surrey 11.11.1869 (or 11.10.) — Oxford 17.5.1927. British Colonial Officer in India. Lieutenant-Colonel. Son of Colonel Charles Henry Luard and Amelia Juliana Martin. Educated in Marlborough, studies at Oxford (Christchurch), M.A. Cadet 1891, in 1892-98 served in Indian army, then in Indian Political Service until 1925. Superintendent…
GIROLAMO DA SANTO STEFANO. 14?? — 15??. Italian (Genoan) Merchant and Traveller. Son of n.n. and Susanna Mainieri. In 1494 he left Genoa, together with Girolamo Adorno, for the East on a commercial venture. They went via Cairo to the Red Sea and from Aden to Bengal, then to Ceylon and Coromandel coast…
FLETCHER, William Kew. Gloucestershire 9.8.1802 — Worthing, West Sussex ?.12.1867. Rev. British Clergyman in India. Son of engineer Thomas Fl. and his wife Jane. M.A. Oxford (Magdalen College). For a while deaon in Lichfield, then in Bombay, 1832-66 chaplain in Byculla, then senior chaplain and Archdeacon. Married 1832 Maria Jane…
CASTRO, João de. Lisbon 27.2.1500 — Goa 6.6.1548. Portuguese Nobleman, fourth Viceroy of Portuguese India. Second son of Álvaro de Castro, the civil governor of Lisbon, and Leonor de Coutinho. Originally he was destined for a church career and studied for this, but when 18 he went to Tangier and…