author
Sir Richard Carnac Temple
1850–1931
A soldier, colonial administrator, and keen collector of folklore, he wrote vividly about South Asia and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. His work blends official experience with a strong curiosity about local cultures, customs, and stories.
1 Audiobook
Lord Lawrence
by Sir Richard Carnac Temple
About the author
Born in Allahabad on 15 October 1850, Sir Richard Carnac Temple was an Indian-born British army officer, administrator, and writer. He was educated in Britain, served in the Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Indian Army, and later held senior colonial posts, including Chief Commissioner of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Alongside his official career, he became well known for his writing on anthropology, folklore, and Asian history. He published studies of the Andaman Islands, Punjab legends, and other subjects connected with South Asia, and he was active in learned societies, becoming a Fellow of the British Academy.
Temple's books are often shaped by the outlook of the British Empire, but they also preserve stories, observations, and historical material that continue to interest readers and researchers. He died on 3 March 1931.