Wolseley Haig
School of Oriental and African Studies | |
---|---|
Languages | Persian, Arabic, Hindustani |
Personal details | |
Alma mater | Wellington College, Berkshire |
Sir Thomas Wolseley Haig
Early life
Haig was the son of Major Robert Wolseley Haig RA, FRS, (1830–72) the military astronomer, and Maria Georgina Brown. His maternal great-grandfather was Charles James Blomfield, Bishop of London. He was also descended from the Haigs of Bonnington, a branch of the Border house of Haig of Bemersyde, and was thus related to the first Lord Haig. He was educated at Wellington College, and then Sandhurst.[1]
Army career
Haig joined the
Indian civil service
Haig entered the Berar Commission in 1892 and became Assistant Commissioner, then Deputy Commissioner, Inspector-General of Police, Jails, Stamps, Registration, and Excise, and Civil and Sessions Judge. He was officiating Secretary to the Board of Examiners, Fort William, 1897 and 1898–99. He entered the Political Department in 1901 as First Assistant to the Resident at Hyderabad, a post that gave him day to day control of Berar.[1]
Haig became Assistant Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, in 1907, then Political Agent in
Haig's final years abroad were spent mostly in Persia. He was the British Consul at
Academic career
Soon after Haig returned to Europe, he was appointed Professor of Arabic, Persian and Hindustani at
Haig made two important translations into English of
Herald
Haig was appointed March Pursuivant of Arms in Scotland in 1923 and was Albany Herald 1927–35.[3]
![]() |
|
Personal life
Haig married Beatrice, older sister of Michael Lloyd Ferrar, ICS, in 1892. Beatrice died in 1927. They had one son (Robert Wolseley) who joined the Imperial Bank of Iran, and two daughters (Margaret Wolseley and Helen Ferrar).[1]
Death
Haig died at home, in Kensington, London, on 28 April 1938 after a long illness.[1]
Selected publications
- Books
- Hints on the study of Urdu, for the use of candidates for the lower and higher standard examinations in that language. Pioneer Press, Allahabad, 1898.
- Historical landmarks of the Deccan. Pioneer Press, Allahabad, 1907.
- The history of the Nizam Shahi kings of Ahmadnagar. British India Press/Education Society's Press, Bombay, 1923. (Reprinted from The Indian Antiquary, April 1920 – November 1923.)
- The Cambridge history of India Vol. III Turks and Afghans. University Press, Cambridge, 1928. Edited by Wolseley Haig.
- Persian grammar. Linguaphone Institute, London, c. 1930.
- Persian. Linguaphone Institute, London, 1933. (With Darab Khan, Mojtaba Minovi and Ghulām Ḣusain) (third edition) (Linguaphone Oriental language Courses)
- The Cambridge shorter history of India. University Press, Cambridge, 1934. Editor H.H. Dodwell. (contributor)
- The Cambridge history of India Vol. IV The Mughul period. University Press, Cambridge, 1937. Planned by Wolseley Haig, edited by Richard Burn.
- Other works
- Various entries in The Encyclopaedia of Islam.
- Contributions to the Persian Bible published in London by B. & F.B.S., 1928.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Obituary: Sir Wolseley Haig, Soldier Administrator, Orientalist" in The Times, 30 April 1938, p. 14.
- ^ "Deaths" in The Times, 30 April 1938, p. 1.
- ^ Who Was Who, A & C Black, Oxford University Press, 2014, online edition. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ^ "No. 27428". The London Gazette. 25 April 1902. p. 2794.
- ^ Charles John Burnett Esq. (2016). Officers of Arms in Scotland 1290-2016.