Papers of T.W. Rhys Davids

The papers of Professor T.W. Rhys Davids consist of two certificates. These are:

• Certificate of Thanks for 18 years service as Secretary of Royal Asiatic Society. This is undated but Rhys Davids completed his 18 years, serving as both Secretary and Librarian, in 1905. The certificate is signed by Lord Reay and has the names of the Society's Members below.
• Certificate for Philosophy Doctorate at the University of Wratislaviensis (Breslau) with attached seal, signed by Richard Roepell, 1882. With the certificate are 4 additional paper copies.

Thomas William Rhys Davids was born in Colchester, Essex, 12 May 1843. He was educated at Brighton School and Breslau University, where he studied Greek and Sanskrit. He held a number of posts in the Ceylon Civil Service, including District Judge and Archaeological Commissioner, 1866-72. He returned to England and became a barrister in 1877 before being appointed Professor of Pali and Buddhist Literature at University College, London, a position he held from 1882-1904. He subsequently became Professor of Comparative Religion at Manchester University in 1905.

Rhys Davids married Caroline Foley in 1894. She was also a Pali scholar. He was a founder and President of the Pali Text Society from 1881-1922, and a founder of the British Academy, 1901. He served as Secretary and Librarian of the Royal Asiatic Society from 1887-1905, and he established the Indian Text Series.

In his retirement, Rhys Davids wrote for the Manchester Guardian and worked on the preparation of a Pali dictionary. He died in Chipstead, Surrey, on 27 December 1922.

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T.W. Rhys Davids served as Librarian and Secretary at the Royal Asiatic Society from 1887-1905. It is likely that this material was left at the Society after his departure.

These papers were catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

These items were presented to T.W. Rhys Davids.

T.W. Rhys Davids, in the course of his positions at the Society, created some other records. These will be found within the institutional archives. The Society's collections also hold publications by, and a photograph of, Rhys Davids. More information can be found by searching our online catalogue.