Henry Charles Sirr
Encyclopedia
Henry Charles Sirr was a British
lawyer, diplomat and writer. He was a barrister
who qualified at Lincoln's Inn
, London
and eventually went into government service, working as Deputy Queen's Advocate for the Southern Circuit of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka
) in the mid-19th century.
He was the son of Henry Charles Sirr
, Town Major of Dublin and Eliza D'Arcy. His older brother was Rev Joseph D'arcy Sirr.
He is perhaps best known for writing Ceylon and the Cingalese, a book published in two volumes in 1850 covering "their History, Government and Religion; the Antiquities, Institutions, Revenue and Capabilities of the Island; and a full Account of the late Rebellion; with Anecdotes illustrating the Manners and Customs of the People." The book was widely regarded as an authoritative account of life in Ceylon. It was
cited by Jules Verne
in his classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
; in chapter 2, the book's narrator Professor Aronnax tells the reader that while searching for a description of Ceylon in Captain Nemo
's library aboard the Nautilus
, "I found a book by H.C. Sirr, Esq, entitled Ceylon and the Cingalese."
Sirr also served as British Vice-Consul in Hong Kong
from 1843. He described his experiences in another book, China and the Chinese, subtitled: "Their religion, character, customs and manufactures; the evils arising from the opium trade; with a glance at our religious, moral, political and commercial intercourse with the country." The book provides important contemporary insights into the nature of the opium
trade and the endemic smuggling that took place in the Pearl River
region.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer, diplomat and writer. He was a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
who qualified at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and eventually went into government service, working as Deputy Queen's Advocate for the Southern Circuit of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
) in the mid-19th century.
He was the son of Henry Charles Sirr
Henry Charles Sirr (soldier)
Henry Charles Sirr was an Irish soldier, police officer, wine merchant and collector.He was born in Dublin Castle, the son of Major Joseph Sirr, the Town Major of Dublin from 1762 to 1767....
, Town Major of Dublin and Eliza D'Arcy. His older brother was Rev Joseph D'arcy Sirr.
He is perhaps best known for writing Ceylon and the Cingalese, a book published in two volumes in 1850 covering "their History, Government and Religion; the Antiquities, Institutions, Revenue and Capabilities of the Island; and a full Account of the late Rebellion; with Anecdotes illustrating the Manners and Customs of the People." The book was widely regarded as an authoritative account of life in Ceylon. It was
cited by Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
in his classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
; in chapter 2, the book's narrator Professor Aronnax tells the reader that while searching for a description of Ceylon in Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo, also known as Prince Dakkar, is a fictional character featured in Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island ....
's library aboard the Nautilus
Nautilus (Verne)
The Nautilus is the fictional submarine featured in Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island . Verne named the Nautilus after Robert Fulton's real-life submarine Nautilus...
, "I found a book by H.C. Sirr, Esq, entitled Ceylon and the Cingalese."
Sirr also served as British Vice-Consul in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
from 1843. He described his experiences in another book, China and the Chinese, subtitled: "Their religion, character, customs and manufactures; the evils arising from the opium trade; with a glance at our religious, moral, political and commercial intercourse with the country." The book provides important contemporary insights into the nature of the opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
trade and the endemic smuggling that took place in the Pearl River
Pearl River (China)
The Pearl River or less commonly, the "Guangdong River" or "Canton River" etc., , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name Pearl River is usually used as a catchment term to refer to the watersheds of the Xi Jiang , the Bei Jiang , and the Dong Jiang...
region.