Thomas William Rhys Davids
Thomas William Rhys Davids entered the world on the 12th of May 1843 in Colchester, Essex. His father served as a Congregational clergyman from Wales and earned the affectionate title Bishop of Essex. The family home was filled with religious devotion until his mother died at age 37 following childbirth. She had previously managed the Sunday school attached to her husband's church. Young Thomas grew up in this environment before deciding to pursue a career within the Civil Service. He traveled to Germany to study Sanskrit under A.F. Stenzler at the University of Breslau. While there he earned money by teaching English to local students.
Rhys Davids returned to Britain in 1863 after passing his civil service exams. He received a posting to Sri Lanka which was then known as Ceylon. Serving as Magistrate of Galle brought him face-to-face with ecclesiastical law for the first time. A legal case presented evidence written in the Pāli language that he could not read. This document sparked his lifelong interest in the ancient tongue. By 1871 he held the post of Assistant Government Agent of Nuwarakalaviya. Anuradhapura stood nearby as the administrative centre of the region. Sir Hercules Robinson governed the area and had founded the Archaeological Commission in 1868. Rhys Davids joined excavations of the abandoned city destroyed during an invasion in 993 CE. He collected inscriptions and manuscripts while writing articles for the Ceylon branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Journal between 1870 and 1872. His tenure ended abruptly due to personal differences with superior C.W. Twynham. A formal investigation led to a tribunal where he faced dismissal for misconduct involving fines exacted from subjects and employees.
Following his dismissal from government service Rhys Davids studied for the bar and practiced law briefly. He continued publishing articles about Sri Lankan inscriptions and translations including work in Max Müller's Sacred Books of the East series. From 1882 until 1904 he served as Professor of Pāli at the University of London. The position offered no fixed salary and relied entirely on lecture fees. In 1905 he accepted the Chair of Comparative Religion at the University of Manchester. He actively lobbied the British government alongside the Asiatic Society of Great Britain. Their goal was expanding funding for Indian languages and literature. Arguments focused on how such study might strengthen British control over India. He also took part in founding both the British Academy and the London School for Oriental Studies.
In 1894 Rhys Davids married Caroline Augusta Foley who was a noted Pāli scholar herself. Unlike his wife he remained a critic and opponent of Theosophy. They raised three children together including a daughter named Vivien. Vivien participated in the Girl Guide movement and became friends with Robert Baden-Powell. Their only son Arthur Rhys Davids served as a Royal Flying Corps fighter ace. He achieved twenty-five victories before being killed in World War I. Thomas William Rhys Davids died on the 27th of December 1922 in Chipstead, Surrey. The loss of his son cast a long shadow over his later years.
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Common questions
When and where was Thomas William Rhys Davids born?
Thomas William Rhys Davids entered the world on the 12th of May 1843 in Colchester, Essex. His father served as a Congregational clergyman from Wales.
What event sparked Thomas William Rhys Davids interest in Pali language?
A legal case presented evidence written in the Pāli language that he could not read while serving as Magistrate of Galle. This document sparked his lifelong interest in the ancient tongue.
Why did Thomas William Rhys Davids leave government service in Ceylon?
His tenure ended abruptly due to personal differences with superior C.W. Twynham. A formal investigation led to a tribunal where he faced dismissal for misconduct involving fines exacted from subjects and employees.
Where did Thomas William Rhys Davids serve as Professor of Pali between 1882 and 1904?
From 1882 until 1904 he served as Professor of Pāli at the University of London. The position offered no fixed salary and relied entirely on lecture fees.
Who was Thomas William Rhys Davids married to and what was her profession?
In 1894 Rhys Davids married Caroline Augusta Foley who was a noted Pāli scholar herself. Unlike his wife he remained a critic and opponent of Theosophy.
When and where did Thomas William Rhys Davids die?
Thomas William Rhys Davids died on the 27th of December 1922 in Chipstead, Surrey. The loss of his son cast a long shadow over his later years.