Cowell, Edward B. (Edward Byles), 1826-1903

Edward Byles Cowell (1826-1903), scholar and man of letters, was born in Ipswich on 23 January 1826. He studied Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic, before training in his father's business as a merchant and maltster from 1842. He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1850 (B.A., 1854), and catalogued manuscripts for the Bodleian Library. Cowell was Professor of English History at Presidency College, Calcutta, 1856-1864, and became Principal of the Sanskrit College in Calcutta in 1858. He returned to England in 1864, and became the first Professor of Sanskrit at Cambridge University, 1867-1903. He founded the Cambridge Philological Society in 1868, and became a Fellow of Corpus Christi College in 1874. Cowell died in Cambridge on 9 February 1903.

From the guide to the Edward Byles Cowell: Papers, 1854-1890, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

Edward Byles Cowell (1826-1903), scholar and man of letters, was born at Ipswich on 23 January 1826. He studied Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic, before training in his father's business as a merchant and maltster from 1842. He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1850 (B.A., 1854), and catalogued manuscripts for the Bodleian Library. Cowell was Professor of English History at Presidency College, Calcutta, 1856-1864, and became Principal of the Sanskrit College in Calcutta in 1858. He returned to England in 1864, and became the first Professor of Sanskrit at Cambridge University, 1867-1903. He founded the Cambridge Philological Society in 1868, and became a fellow of Corpus Christi College in 1874. Cowell died at Cambridge on 9 February 1903.

From the guide to the Edward Byles Cowell: Papers, 1810-1903, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

From the guide to the Edward Byles Cowell: Brennus Stories, 1847, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

Edward Byles Cowell (1826-1903), scholar and man of letters, was born at Ipswich on 23 January 1826. He studied Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic, before training in his father's business as a merchant and maltster from 1842. He entered Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1850 (B.A., 1854), and catalogued manuscripts for the Bodleian Library. Cowell was Professor of English History at Presidency College, Calcutta, 1856-1864, and became Principal of the Sanskrit College in Calcutta in 1858. He returned to England in 1864, and became the first Professor of Sanskrit at Cambridge University, 1867-1903. He founded the Cambridge Philological Society in 1868, and became a Fellow of Corpus Christi College in 1874. Cowell died at Cambridge on 9 February 1903.

From the guide to the List of the Pote Collection at Eton, 19th century, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

From the guide to the Edward Byles Cowell: Correspondence and Papers, 1835-1902, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

1854-1856 cataloguer of Persian and other oriental manuscripts for the Bodelian Library; 1856 professor of English history at Presidency College, Calcutta; 1857 secretary of the Vernacular Literature Society; 1858 principal of the Sanskrit College, joint philological secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal; 1865 examiner in oriental subjects of the civil service commission; 1867 professor of Sanskrit at the University of Cambridge; 1874 fellow of Corpus Christi College; 1898 gold medal of the Royal Asiatic Society; 1902 member of the British Academy.

Epithet: orientalist

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000680.0x000164