Claude Delaval Cobham (June 30, 1842 - April 29, 1915) was a British colonial official, scholar, and antiquarian who spent much of his career in Cyprus.Queer Places:
University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3PA
St Andrew Churchyard, 2 St Andrews Cl, Ashburton, Newton Abbot TQ13 7DT, United Kingdom
Claude Delaval Cobham (June 30, 1842 - April 29, 1915) was a British colonial official, scholar, and antiquarian who spent much of his career in Cyprus.
Born on June 30, 1842, in Devon, England, Cobham was the fifth child of Thomas and Maryann Cobham. He attended University College, Oxford, where he studied Literae Humaniores from 1861 to 1865, later earning an M.A. in 1869.
In 1878, following the British establishment of an administration in Cyprus, Cobham began his tenure as a colonial official. He served as the Assistant Commissioner of Larnaca starting in September 1878 and was promoted to District Commissioner of Larnaca in 1879, a position he held until his retirement in 1907/1908. Due to his extensive knowledge of the region, its languages, and its politics, he was nicknamed "The Pasha of Larnaca."
Cobham was a prolific scholar, particularly regarding the history and culture of Cyprus. His notable contributions include:
Excerpta Cypria (1908): A landmark collection of translated travellers' accounts documenting the history of the island.
An Attempt at a Bibliography of Cyprus: A comprehensive, multi-edition work documenting the island's history, numismatics, and cartography.
A Handbook of Cyprus: Co-authored with Sir Joseph Turner Hutchinson, this work provided a rigorous overview of the island's geography, economy, and government.
He was a founding member of the Cyprus Museum Committee (1882) and participated in several excavations. His private collection of antiquities was later donated to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.
Unlike many of his military colleagues, Cobham had little interest in traditional field sports or colonial social activities like horse racing, preferring to dedicate his life to scholarship and the administration of the island.
Historical records, notably the writings of his contemporary John Addington Symonds, provide insights into Cobham's personal life during his time at Oxford. Symonds, who knew Cobham as a student, described him as someone who identified as an "anderastes" and expressed a clear preference for male companionship. Symonds noted that while Cobham was considered "sympathetic, warm-hearted" and intellectually gifted by those who knew him, he held distinct views on his own sexual orientation and social preferences.
After retiring from his post in Cyprus, Cobham returned to England. In 1913, his health failing, he returned to Devon to live at the house “Waverley” in the town of Ashburton. He died there aged 72 two years later, on 29 April 1915. On 4 May he was buried in the churchyard of the village church, St Andrew’s. The inscription on his gravestone reads: “TO THE MEMORY OF / CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM / C.M.G. M.A. B.C.L. OXON / FOR MANY YEARS H.M. COMMISSIONER / OF LARNACA – CYPRUS / BORN 30 JUNE 1842, DIED 29 APRIL 1915”. He left behind a significant legacy as a historian of Cyprus, with his research materials and library archives remaining important resources for modern scholars.
References:
 Love Stories: Sex between Men before Homosexuality by Jonathan Ned Katz |
Other references:
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