Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1782 - 1826 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
6 items rolled paper, 3 backed with canvas
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Francklin, orientalist, was educated at Westminster School from 1777 to 1781 and at Trinity College, Cambridge (1781–2). He was admitted as a cadet in the service of the East India Company in 1782 and appointed ensign of the 19th regiment of Bengal native infantry on 31 January 1783. By 1814 he had risen to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. On being invalided on 1 October 1815 he was made regulating officer at Bhagalpur. He retired from the army in December 1825, and died on 12 April 1839, aged seventy-six.
A distinguished officer, Francklin also enjoyed considerable reputation as an oriental scholar. In 1786 he made a tour of Persia, in the course of which he lived at Shiraz for eight months as the close friend of a Persian family, and subsequently wrote an account of Persian customs, "Observations Made on a Tour from Bengal to Persia" (Calcutta, 1788). His publications also include a compilation of the memoirs of George Thomas (1756–1802); translations from Persian; archaeological remarks on the plain of Troy; and historical, political, geographic, economic, and religious essays on parts of India. His religious writings include a discussion of the worship of the serpent in various parts of the world. Francklin was a member, and during the later years of his life, librarian and council member, of the Royal Asiatic Society. He was also a member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Repository
Archival history
The inscriptions were copied by, or for, Col. William Francklin during his time in India.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The inscriptions were acquired by the Society from Francklin as part of a larger donation on 4 November 1826.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Copies of inscriptions from Mandār Hill. These are labelled D, E and F with two copies of each inscription, one backed with canvas and the duplicate on paper. These are not labelled as to their specific location but that they were presented to the Royal Asiatic Society by Col. Francklin on 4 November 1826. According to the donations register amongst the items donated by Francklin were "Six Sanscrit Inscriptions from Mundar Hill, in duplicate". As these are labelled D, E & F, it is presumed that A,B & C were also present in the collections at one time.
Please note these inscriptions are in a fragile condition.
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
- Sanskrit
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
The Society's collections hold publications written by Francklin and artworks donated by him. Details can be found in our Library catalogue: https://ras.koha-ptfs.co.uk/.
Full details of Francklin's donation can be found in the Donations Register for 1823-1831.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Francklin William 1763-1839 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
The material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.