Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner (1840-1899)
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Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner was responsible for making Woking a major centre for Islam in Britain. He is one of several famous people buried at Brookwood who have an entry in the Dictionary of National Biography. A noted linguist and academic, he founded over 80 institutions in India and elsewhere, including the University of Lahore. In 1884 Dr Leitner founded the Oriental Institute in Woking. This was designed to become a European centre for the study of oriental culture, history and languages.
Dr G. W. Leitner (1840-1899)
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In the late 1890s the Oriental Institute began awarding degrees under the auspices of the University of Lahore, but it closed for ever in the summer following Dr Leitner's death. Two reminders of the Oriental Institute survive in Woking: the Mosque and Oriental Road, named after the Institute.
The Woking (or Shah Jehan) Mosque. It was designed by the architect W.I. Chambers and opened in 1889. |
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Dr Leitner is buried in plot 2.
The memorial to Dr G.W. Leitner in the cemetery. |
The following links give further information about Dr Leitner:
Woking Muslim Mission article on Dr Leitner
Wikipedia entry for
Dr Leitner
Some of Dr
Leitner's articles on Islam
Glades House, Cemetery Pales, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey
GU24 0BL
Tel: (01483) 472222
Fax: (01483) 472223
Email:
enquiries@brookwoodcemetery.com