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Edward Denison Ross
Who was Edward Denison Ross?
British linguist and orientalist (1871-1940)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Edward Denison Ross (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Sir Edward Denison Ross (6 June 1871 – 20 September 1940) was a British orientalist and linguist who was highly proficient in languages from the Middle East, Central Asia, and East Asia, making him one of the leading philologists of his time. Born in London, Ross showed a remarkable talent for languages from a young age, eventually reading in 49 languages and speaking 30. His academic career was a blend of scholarly work, leadership roles, and public service, placing him at the forefront of British orientalist scholarship during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Ross's most important role was as the founding director of the University of London's School of Oriental Studies, which started in 1916 and is now known as SOAS, University of London. He held the director position until 1937, developing the school's academic focus and establishing it as a major hub for studying Asian and African languages and cultures. His period at the school coincided with major changes in British imperial affairs, and the school's mission included both scholarly and strategic interests in global languages and cultures. In 1914, before the school was founded, Ross joined the British Museum staff to catalogue the large collections of explorer and archaeologist Sir Aurel Stein.
In addition to his administrative roles, Ross was a productive scholar and editor. He wrote an introduction to a reprint of George Sale's important eighteenth-century translation of the Quran and was a founding trustee of the E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series, which published scholarly editions of classical Turkish, Persian, and Arabic texts. Along with historian Eileen Power, he created, wrote, and edited The Broadway Travellers, a 26-volume series by George Routledge and Sons, which made historical travel narratives more accessible to the public. This included publishing the diary of 17th-century naval chaplain Henry Teonge. In 1934, Ross attended the Ferdowsi Millenary Celebration in Tehran, honoring the medieval Persian poet, a gathering of scholars and dignitaries from around the world.
In January 1940, after World War II began, Ross was appointed head of the British Information Bureau in Istanbul, with the rank of Counsellor. He had known Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, and viewed his role in Istanbul as a meaningful contribution to the British war effort. This assignment was his last. His wife Dora passed away in April 1940, and Ross, greatly affected by her death, died in Istanbul on 20 September 1940 at the age of 69. He is buried at the Haydarpasha English Cemetery in Uskudar, on the Asian side of Istanbul.
Before Fame
Edward Denison Ross was born in London in 1871 during a time when studies of Asian cultures were becoming more recognized, partly because of Britain's expanding interests in Asia and the Middle East. Late in the nineteenth century, there was a rising need for scholars who understood Asian languages, both for academic reasons and to help with diplomacy, colonial administration, and trade. Ross fully engaged with this world, learning many languages through both formal education and personal interest.
His early scholarly work connected him with key philological and archaeological projects of that time, such as cataloging activities linked to Aurel Stein's Central Asian expeditions. By the time he joined the British Museum in 1914, Ross was already seen as one of Britain's top experts on the languages and literatures of the East. This reputation made him the clear choice to lead the newly established School of Oriental Studies two years later.
Key Achievements
- Served as the first director of the University of London's School of Oriental Studies (now SOAS) from 1916 to 1937, establishing it as a leading institution in its field.
- Read in 49 languages and spoke in 30, representing one of the most extensive linguistic repertoires recorded in British scholarship.
- Co-edited the 26-volume Broadway Travellers series with Eileen Power, published by George Routledge and Sons.
- Appointed to catalogue the collections of Sir Aurel Stein at the British Museum from 1914.
- Served as an original trustee of the E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series, supporting the publication of critical editions of classical Islamic texts.
Did You Know?
- 01.Ross could read in 49 languages and spoke 30 of them fluently, making him one of the most accomplished polyglots in British academic history.
- 02.He co-edited a 26-volume travel series with medieval historian Eileen Power, which included the diary of a seventeenth-century naval chaplain named Henry Teonge.
- 03.Ross attended the Ferdowsi Millenary Celebration in Tehran in 1934, an international event commemorating the medieval Persian poet Ferdowsi, author of the Shahnameh.
- 04.He was personally acquainted with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and cited this connection as part of his motivation to serve at the British Information Bureau in Istanbul during World War II.
- 05.Ross died and was buried in Istanbul, at the Haydarpasha English Cemetery in Uskudar, on the Asian side of the city where he had been posted only months before his death.