C.A.F. Rhys Davids
| Caroline Augusta Rhys Davids | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
27 September 1857 Wadhurst, England |
| Died | 26 June 1942 Chipstead, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Fields | Buddhist Studies |
| Institutions | School of Oriental and African Studies, Manchester University |
| Alma mater | University College London |
Caroline Augusta Rhys Davids (née Foley) (1857–1942) made a contribution to economics before becoming widely known as an editor, translator, and interpreter of Buddhist texts in the Pāli language. She was honorary secretary from 1907 and president of the Pali Text Society 1923-1942.
Caroline Augusta Foley was born on 27 September 1857 in Wadhurst, East Sussex, England to John Foley and Caroline Elizabeth Foley (née Caroline Elizabeth Windham). She was born into a family with a long ecclesiastic history—her father, John Foley, served as the vicar of Wadhurst from 1847–88; her grandfather and great grandfather had served as rector of Holt, Worcestershire and vicar of Mordiford, Herefordshire, respectively. Two years before her birth, five of her siblings died within one month in December 1855/January 1856 from diphtheria and are commemorated in the church of St Peter and St Paul, Wadhurst. One surviving brother, John Windham Foley (1848–1926), became a missionary in India and another, Charles Windham Foley (1856–1933), played in three FA Cup Finals for Old Etonians, being on the winning side in 1852; he later had a career as a solicitor.
Rhys Davids was home schooled by her father and then attended University College, London studying philosophy, psychology, and economics (PPE). She completed her BA in 1886 and an MA in philosophy in 1889. During her time at University College, she won both the John Stuart Mill Scholarship and the Joseph Human Scholarship. She was elected a fellow of University College in 1896. Studying Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy with Reinhold Rost, she earned Doctor of Letters degree (D.Litt) in Sanskrit. It was her psychology tutor George Croom Robertson who "sent her to Professor Rhys Davids", her future husband, to further her interest in Indian philosophy. As a student, she was already a prolific writer and a vocal campaigner in the movements for poverty relief, children's rights, and women's suffrage.
...
Wikipedia