Charles Otto Blagden was born the 30th September 1864, the eldest son of William George Blagden. He was educated at Dulwich College and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was appointed to the Straits Settlements Civil Service in 1888 and held various administrative and judicial posts in Malacca and Singapore. He retired for health reasons in 1897. Returning to England he studied at Gray’s Inn and was called to the Bar in 1900. From 1910 he developed an academic career becoming Examiner in Malay at the University of London in that year. In 1917 he joined the newly-opened School of Oriental and African Studies as Lecturer in Malay Studies. He remained in the service of the School until 1935 when he retired as Reader in Malay Studies. At various dates he was a Vice-President of the Royal Anthropological Society and of the Royal Asiatic Society. His most important published work was (with W.W.Skeat) the comparative vocabulary of aboriginal races in Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula which appeared in 1906. Blagden also interested himself in Burmese studies especially Mon inscriptions. He died 25th August 1949.
From the guide to the Blagden, Charles Otto, 1825-1938, (School of Oriental and African Studies)
