The International Dr. G.W. Leitner Trail
Marcus Roberts & Silvia Dovoli (Oxford University Jewish Country House Project)

Key Dates

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1840
Dr.G.W. Leitner is born 14 October, 1840, as a Hungarian Jew called, Gottlieb Sapier (Saphir) in Budapest.
1848
Leitner's mother, Maria Herzberg, newly widowed, moves to Bursa and Constantinople, (Turkey) with her two children and marries Dr Johann Moritz Leitner (1800-1861). Leitner takes his step-father's name and a Christian identity, as his step-father is a Hungarian-Jewish convert to Christianity and a medical missionary for the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews.
1848 - 1855
In this period Leitner receives a remarkable multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multi-lingual education at numerous schools and colleges in Turkey. He also remarkably attends an Islamic school and college and studies Islam, Arabic, Koran and the works of Maimonides. His father may have intended to use his linguistic genius in missionary work.
1856
Leitner takes his first teaching appointment in Bursa (Turkey).
1858
Leitner enters King's College in London.
1859
Leitner is a Lecturer in Arabic, Turkish and Modern Greek, at King's College London.
1861
Leitner is a Professor at King's College, London, of Arabic and Muhammadam Law.
1864
The Central Museum in Lahore, is founded and displays many of the newly discovered Gandharan sculptures.
1865
Leitner is appointed Principal of the Lahore Government College.
1865
Leitner founds the Anjuman-i-Punjab (The Society of Punjab) "Society for the diffusion of Useful Knowledge in the Punjab", in Lahore, which proves to be instrumental in founding the University of Lahore.
1866-70
Leitner explores the Wild Tribes of NW frontier,in Kashmir, Little Tibet and Ladak.
1867
Leitner publishes his key work, 'The Races and the Languages of Dardistan '(Lahore, 1867-1871).
1869
Lahore Punjab University Oriental College, commonly called the Oriental College, is established by the Punjab Government
1870
Leitner conducts excavations in Takht-i-Bahi.
1870-1878
Leitner conducts excavations in Swat, or has them conducted on his behalf.
1870-1886
Leitner is the Registrar of Punjab University.
1872
Leitner exchanges his job with the Punjab's Inspector of Schools and spends a year touring the foothills of the northern frontier, Punjab. During this year he collected a vast quantity of Gandhara sculptures.
1873
Leitner is made Knight of the Order of the Iron Crown of Austria, Honorary Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Honorary Member of the French School of Oriental Languages and finally Honorary Member of the German Hochstift.
1874
Leitner's Collection is on loan at the India Museum in London.
1875
The Kiplings arrive in Lahore.
1876
Leitner attends the 3rd Congress of Orientalists at Saint Petersburg.
1878
Leitner attends the Fourth Congress of Orientalists at Florence.
1882
The full status of 'University' is conferred to the University of Punjab.
1884
On 28 November Leitner requests a return to UK for a year to organise the Oriental Institute but Lord Kimberly (Secretary of State) declines.
1885
Leitner performs a Special Duty with the Indian Foreign Department with instructions to compile a vocabulary and grammar for the language of Hunza.
1887
The Oriental Institute is founded at Woking
1889
Leitner Builds the Mosque at Woking, for the Muslims Students (the earliest Mosque in Britain), with funds from the ruler of Bhopal and the Architect is Mr W.I. Chambers.
1891
The Ninth Congress of Orientalists is held at Woking
1899
March 22 Leitner dies in Bonn of pneumonia
1912
1912,12 May - A Catalogue of the Collections of Egyptian and Indian Antiquities & Curios formed by the Late Dr. G.W. Leitner Oriental Museum, Woking, Surrey, was sold by auction by Mr. J. C. Stevens at the Oriental Institute, Maybury Hill, Woking.
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