Horace Hayman Wilson was an English orientalist, interested in the language and literature of India. In 1811 he was appointed as Secretary to the Asiatic Society of Bengal. In 1813 he published the first Sanskrit-English dictionary, and later, many other publications. He was an original member of the Royal Asiatic Society, of which he was director from 1837 until the time of his death. Wilson is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.
Ralph Pinder-Wilson was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, and then joined the Indian Army, learning Persian. He became curator in the Department of Oriental Antiquities at The British Museum (1948), later made Deputy Keeper in the same department (1969-1976). He subsequently became Director of the British Institute of Afghan Studies in Kabul (1976-82) during which time he made studies of Afghan architecture including the Minaret of Jam.