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"Autograph Book belonging to Susan Hodgson, Alderley Grange, Wotton under Edge" A leather bound autograph book belonging to Hodgson's wife, Susan, in which are placed certificates, diplomas, academic and personal correspondence, newspaper cuttings and extracts related to Brian Houghton Hodgson's life. Leather binding with metal clasp. The book's binding is broken and some pages are loose. Care must be taken when using this item.

Certificate of leaving for Brian Houghton Hodgson from the East India College, Haileybury. Hodgson had attended the Public Examinations of May 1816 in which he gained a prize in Bengalese and Great Credit in other departments. In Examinations of December 1816 he again attained a prize in Bengalese, and Highly Distinguished in all other departments. In May 1917 he gained a prize in Classics, Political Economy and Bengalese and was Highly Distinguished in all others. In December 1817, he gained the Medal in Classics, a prize in Bengalese and Highly Distinguished in all others. The College therefore placed him in the First Class in Merit and assigned him the Rank of First on the list of students now leaving for the Presidency of Fort William. Signed J H Batten, Principal, and Edward Lewton, Registrar. Printed material with handwritten insertions, dated 5 December 1817.

Hodgson used much of his time in both Nepal and Darjeeling in research, wanting to discover and understand about the architecture, languages, ethnography, religion, zoology and botany. He collected specimens and manuscripts, and had many drawings made, which he donated to many collections throughout Europe. He was also politically involved during his Residency in Nepal, and also later in England, when he continued to show an active interest in the Indian subcontinent, particularly regarding trade and vernacular education. These Personal Papers reflect these interests and are a record of much of his activity - Hodgson and his wives seemed to have a need to record all his successes. He was also a keen annotator of material, so that most of the printed material also bears his handwritten comments.