Claude Delaval Cobham

Claude Delaval Cobham (1842-1915) was a British Colonial official in Cyprus from 1878 to 1908, from 1879 until 1907 he acted as the District Commissioner of Larnaca.

He studied law at the University of Oxford getting a bachelor in 1866 and then an M.A. in 1869. In July 1880 together with High Commissioner Sir Robert Biddulph recommended to the Secretary of State for the Colonies Kimberley, the introduction of the English language to the primary schools of Cyprus at the expense of the Greek and Turkish languages of the two communities of the island. When this became known in Cyprus, it draw negative reactions from the locals and was rejected by Kimberley.[1]

Outside of his official work, Cobham was an antiquarian and had participated in excavations with Max Ohnefalsh-Richter at Salamis and elsewhere. He donated some antiquities to the British Museum between the years 1880 and 1898, his personal collection of about 200 artefacts is currently in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.[2]

He is noted for his published works on Cypriot history, especially Excerpta Cypria, were he translated into English from 12 different languages excerpts pertaining Cyprus from various writers, starting from Strabo and ending with Gervinus.[1] Additionally he published the book An Attempt at a Bibliography of Cyprus, with a compilation of bibliography that also included sections on numismatics, epigraphy, language, cartography, consular reports etc.[3] Furthermore his book A Hanbook of Cyprus with J. T. Hutchinson focused on the geological and geographical characteristics of the island, as well as agriculture, commerce, industry, irrigation works, forests, fisheries, harbours, finance, government and other information.[4]