William Wilson Hunter

author

William Wilson Hunter

1840–1900

A Scottish historian and Indian Civil Service official, he became one of the best-known British writers on India in the late 19th century. His sweeping histories and reference works helped shape how Victorian readers understood the subcontinent.

1 Audiobook

Rulers of India: The Earl of Mayo

Rulers of India: The Earl of Mayo

by William Wilson Hunter

About the author

Born in Glasgow on July 15, 1840, William Wilson Hunter studied at Glasgow University before joining the Indian Civil Service in Bengal. His years in India led him into historical and statistical research, and he built a reputation as a careful compiler of information as well as a prolific writer.

Hunter is especially remembered for major works including Annals of Rural Bengal, A Brief History of the Indian Peoples, and the vast Imperial Gazetteer of India. He also served in roles connected with statistical and administrative surveys, bringing together large amounts of material on India's geography, history, and peoples for official and general readers alike.

Later in life he returned to Britain, where he continued writing and remained an influential interpreter of India for English-speaking audiences. He died near Oxford on February 7, 1900.