Fonds DH - Papers of David Haliburton

Identity area

Reference code

GB 891 DH

Title

Papers of David Haliburton

Date(s)

  • 1832 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

1 file 2 pieces 3 sides handwritten

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

David Haliburton (1774-c.1833) of Muirhouselaw, Berwickshire, who in later life lived at Bushey Grove, Hertfordshire, was a distant cousin of Sir Walter Scott though his paternal grandmother. He served in the East India Company, as a member of the Board of Revenue and was responsible for exposing the corrupt practices of Edward and John Holland who both served as Governor of Madras. They used Avadhanum Paupiah to amass forged evidence against Haliburton which ended Haliburton's career in India. However, the scheme was uncovered by Lord Cornwallis, Governor-General of India, and Haliburton exonerated. Haliburton was a founder member of the Royal Asiatic Society. He never married and was the last of the line of Haliburtons written about by Walter Scott in his Memorials of The Haliburtons.

Archival history

The Paper was presented to the Society by David Haliburton, the author.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The Paper was received from Haliburton.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

"The Brahminical Mode of Computing Time and generally followed in all parts of Hindostan". A paper that was presented to the Royal Asiatic Society and read by Lieutenant-Colonel James Tod at the General Meeting of the Society on 21st July 1832, under the title of "Calculation of the Variation of the Measure of Time in India". The material is handwritten in ink with pencil annotations. Also with the paper is a comment upon the paper with criticisms of Haliburton's methods, dated 19 January 1833.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

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.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Finding aids

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    A description of the reading of the Paper can be found in the General Meeting Minutes for 1832.

    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Description control area

    Description identifier

    gb891-dh

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Language(s)

      Script(s)

        Sources

        Archivist's note

        This material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

        Accession area