Shep's Place Family Tree

Arthur was not listed in his family's household in the 1871 English census. They were living at 15 Clapton Square in Hackney where his father Jonathan was 73 years and mother Sarah 49 years. His siblings were still at home. Arthur had already gone to India where he worked for the Indian Civil Service.

Arthur was a Bombay civil servant and explorer before retiring to Switzerland. Early in his career in the Indian Civil Service, he became very interested in Central Asia and planned a journey to the frontiers of Northern Tibet, "a long cherished scheme," which came to fruition in 1885. Arthur wrote an account of his journey for the Royal Geographical Society which was read at the society on 28 November 1887.

According to a letter written by his sister Blanche Carey, "He died in Switzerland. He was well as usual & simply "fell asleep". It leaves me the last of his tribe." Arthur was 91 years old when he died in Montreaux.

Arthur's obituary was published in the Geographical Journal, Vol. 88, 1936, p. 191/2.

Royal Geographical Society, New Series, Vol. 9, 1887. "A journey around Chinese Turkistan and along the Northern Frontier of Tibet" by Arthur Douglas Carey pp. 731-752.

Obituary from the Royal Geographical Journal, Vol. 88 1936 P. 191-192.

ARTHUR DOUGLAS CAREY
Mr. A.D. Carey who died in his 92nd year on June 11th, joined the Indian Civil Service in 1864 and served some time in Bombay. Becoming interested in Central Asia, he began an extensive journey on the frontiers of NORTHERN TIBET. This "long cherished scheme" came to fruition in 1885, when he left Simla to spend two years' leave on the frontiers in Chinese Turkistan. Carey set out via Lahoul for Leh, where he ‎[joined]‎ with Mr. Andrew Dagleish, who acted as Turki interpreter and Assistant.

Taking a little used trade route to Polu, they entered Turkistan at Kiria to the surprise of the Chinese Officials, who were unaware of this route. Their aim was to travel northwards round the Tarim basin, ‎(at Khoten they just missed the Russian traveller Proyevalsky)‎ and then on to winter quarters at Kurla. Having organised their party, they travelled to Charklik and the Lop Nor basin. In the mountains to the east they encountered their most difficult stage: so inhospitable was the country that no human was encountered for eighty days, and their animals were almost lost through lack of pasture. The situation was finally saved after a strenuous journey for supplies by Carey among the Mongol tribes.

They were then south of Angirtakshia Pass, on the Lhasa Road, but the long delay and official discouragement led Carey to abandon his intension of travelling towards that City.

Turning northward they reached Sachu and crossed the Gobi to Hami. Their return journey lay to the north of their outward route via Turfan and Kuchu to Yarkand. Leh was reached by the Karakoram Pass. Much of the route, particularly in the Tsai dam region, had not previously been traversed by Europeans, and much information regarding the Tarim basin and Lop Nor was collected.

The travellers were with few exceptions extremely well received by the inhabitants and particularly at Urumchi by the Chinese Governor-General, who had recently restored Turkistan to Chinese rule.

The sole published account of his experiences is in the "proceedings New Series, Vol. 9, 1887 p.p. 731-52. The itinerary compiled by Dagleish is printed in Vol. 3. of the Supplementary papers of 1893.

Mr. Carey retired from the Indian Civil Service in 1893, and passed the remainder of his life in Switzerland."

In the Dictionary of Indian Biography, C.E. Buckland, C.I.E., London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., Bloomsbury 1906 ‎(page 72)‎:

"Carey, Arthur Douglas
I.C.S. ‎[Indian Civil Service]‎: educated at the City of London School : went out to Bombay, 1865 : Collector of Salt Revenue, 1881 : acting Commissioner of Inland Customs, 1881 : in 1885 travelled, via Ladak to Northern Tibet, to Lake Mungtsa, Khotan, Kuchar, Lake Lob, Tsaidam, Urumtsi, Yarkland, to Ladak : commissioner of Customs, Salt, Opium and Abkari, 1891 : on special duty to Lisbon, in connexion with Goa Treaty negotiations, 1891-92 : retired 1893."