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Ross, Sir Edward Denison, 1871-1940 (orientalist and linguist)

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1871 - 1940

Biography

Ross, Sir Edward Denison (1871-1940), orientalist. He was born in St. Philip's Vicarage, Stepney, London and attended Marlborough College (1882-87). In late 1887 he moved to France and discovered an unsuspected ability in speaking foreign languages. He then attended classes in English literature, French and Italian at University College, London (1888-89), and in Arabic, Persian, Turkish and other oriental languages in Paris (1891-93). After graduating Ph.D. in Strasbourg , he was appointed Professor of Persian at University College, London (1896-1901). He spent the years 1901 to 1914 mainly in India, and during his stay in Asia he also acquired knowledge of Chinese, Sanskrit and Tibetan. Ross returned to London in 1914 and he started working at the British Museum on a catalogue of the central Asian collection of Sir Aurel Stein. In November 1916 he was appointed as the first Director of the newly established School Of Oriental Studies in the University of London. He was appointed CIE in 1912 and knighted in 1918. Ross was Fellow of Calcutta and London Universities, foreign corresponding member of the Hungarian and Portuguese academies and the Royal Batavian Society of Arts and letters; he received the gold medal of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1935. In 1939 he was appointed counsellor to the British Embassy in Istanbul. He died in Istanbul, after short illness, on 20th September 1940.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

 Series

Correspondence of E.G. Browne and Sir E.D. Ross, 11th October 1891-21st July 1924

 Series
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Add.7605/2
Scope and Contents

43 Letters from Sir E.D. Ross to E.G. Browne, 1-34 are typed office copies from the School of Oriental Studies, London; 35-62 are manuscript letters from an earlier date. The earlier letters document Ross's unhappiness in India and despair at finding relevant employment in England.

Dates: 11th October 1891-21st July 1924
Conditions Governing Access: From the Fonds: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).