author
James Talboys Wheeler
1824–1897
A Victorian historian and civil servant, he wrote widely read books that helped shape how British readers understood India and its past. His work ranges from classical studies to sweeping histories of the Indian subcontinent under British rule.
1 Audiobook
India Under British Rule from the Foundation of the East India Company
by James Talboys Wheeler
About the author
Born in Oxford in December 1824, he came from a family connected to the book trade and first tried publishing and bookselling before turning to writing. Early in his career he produced student guides and classical works, including books on Herodotus and Thucydides.
His reputation grew through his histories of India. He later went to Madras, where he edited the Madras Spectator, taught at Presidency College, and entered government service. He eventually worked in the India Office in London, combining administrative work with historical writing.
He is best remembered for books such as The History of India from the Earliest Ages, Early Records of British India, and India Under British Rule. Although his perspective reflects the British imperial world he lived in, his books were influential for many readers of the late nineteenth century. He died at Ramsgate on January 13, 1897.