About the George Finlay Papers
The George Finlay Papers contain materials created by and related to the British Historian and Philhellene George Finlay, his father John Finlay, Greek-American Philhellene George Jarvis, and British Philhellene Captain Frank Abney Hastings, dating from 1791 to 1949. Most of the collection consists of George Finlay’s meticulous records of his travels, personal and official correspondence, his personal expenditures, copious memoranda on strategy and on military and political organisation, journal entries, maps, facetiae, scrapbooks, personal notes on people—Greeks and others—and on revolutionary events, newspaper cuttings mainly on Greece and international affairs, as well as Finlay’s original manuscripts of the History of the Greek Revolution (1861) as well as corrected proofs of Finlay’s other published works.
Also included are the papers of Finlay’s father, John, two journals of Greek American philhellene, George Jarvis, and those of Finlay’s fellow British philhellene, Captain Frank Abney Hastings. The Hastings papers, which Finlay purchased in 1830, include personal and official correspondence, ship’s logs, notes that he took on board or ashore, as well as memoranda on strategy and on the naval organisation of the revolutionary forces. Collectively, these records reveal a great deal about the character, motivations, ideas, as well as the military and political judgements of these British individuals, as well as of many others, both British and Greek, with whom they interacted during the Greek War of Independence as well as many of Finlay's other interests, such as Classical and Byzantine history, natural history and politics.
Grey mottle boards, brown calf spine, items paginated separately.
Notes from Dr. Hope's Lectures on Botany, No. 2 (in shorthand, part of a series, pp. 175-222).
Mr. Crawford's Observations on Fire (pp. 1-12).
Pencil jottings of accounts; remains of mounted specimens of pressed flowers.
Brown calf notebook with clasp, unpaginated, handwritten, bound. Mainly notes, accounts, and recommendations concerning making of gunpowder 1791-1801.
The King's Commissions of John Finlay Gent. for various positions in the Army
30 January 1770. Lieutenant with Glasgow Regiment of Foot.
28 June 1786. Paymaster of Works at Fort George in Scotland.
28 June 1786. Storekeeper at Fort George in Scotland.
27 April 1787. Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.
1 January 1789. Inspector of the Royal Manufacturers of Gunpowder.
12 June 1790. First Lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers.
1 May 1794. Captain in the Army.
2 July 1794. Captain Commandant of the Volunteer Companies in the Royal Powder Mills at Faversham and Waltham Abbey.
31 December 1795. Captain Lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Engineers.
5 December 1798. Major Commandant of the Volunteer Companies in the Royal Powder Mills at Faversham and Waltham Abbey.
Two notebooks of conservation notes for the George Finlay papers.
Black book bound in black plastic with 'Finlay Books' label on front cover. Entries from visitors signing out books from the Finlay Library and the Finlay Papers.
Finding aids by Malcolm Nicholson for the George Finlay catalogue. Arranged by subject, for example, 'Family life,' 'Finlay the Philhellene,' 'Army Career,' 'Finlay the Traveller.'
Offprint of "The Finlay Library" by William Miller
Correspondence and newspaper clippings from Hugh Ferguson on George Finlay, Kirkman Finlay, their family and the family's connection to Glasgow.
Photocopies of 4 letters or copies of one letter from George Finlay to Hodder Westropp, dated 2 March 1871, and of 3 letters from George Finlay to John Evans dated between March and November 1872, The originals are in the John Evans' collection at the Ashmolean Museum.
Letter from Sue Sherratt at the Ashmolean to Amalia Kakissis, Archivist at the British School at Athens, accompanying the copies of the letters.
1 note that A/6 (now FIN/GF/A/06) is missing (17 October 1984). Resolved November 2021.
1 note that FIN/GF/B/06/003 and FIN/GF/B/06/004 are missing (3 November 1987). Resolved November 2021.
Letter from Francis Noel-Baker to Dr E French, Director of the BSA, 22 February 1992. Terms of the loan of correspondence between George Finlay and Edward Noel.
Letter from Penelope Wilson, Deputy Librarian at the BSA, to Professor Joan Hussey, 10 March 1992. Notifies her of the loan of the Noel letters.
Letter from Professor Hussey to Penny (Penelope Wilson), 27 July 1992. Checks the availability of the Noel-Baker letters during her stay in Athens.
Letter from Professor Hussey to Penny Wilson, 6 April 1992. Offers to catalogue the Noel-Baker letters.
Letter from Björn Röe to David Blackman, 10 May 1999. Encloses information on George Finlay's purchases of Turkish land in Attiki.
Frank Stubbings to Jane, 10 July 1954. Encloses copy of a letter from the Lord Lyon, King of Arms, to F. H. Stubbings (15 June 1954). Lyon confirms that Finlay did not have a right to the shield he used.
John Prag, Hon. Professor in the Manchester Museum to Amalia Kakissis, Archivist at the BSA, 7 January 2008. Encloses photocopies of two versions of the catalogue of Finlay's ancient gems and stone implements, as well as assorted correspondence on the collections.
Notes in French. Probably post-1950.
Miscellaneous items from the Hastings Centenary 1928. Includes a manilla envelope.
Reply from the College of Arms to an enquiry about Hastings' coat of arms.
Oration at centenary commemoration of Hastings' death.
6 captions for an exhibition on Hastings
Order of Service for the Centenary Commemoration Service for Frank Hastings
Hastings Centenary Celebrations Official programme
Letter on exhibition of Hastings memorabilia from the Historical and Ethnological Society
Letter from Walter Abel Heurtley to Mr Pados, with description of objects relating to Frank Hastings in the British School.
List of Hastings' souvenirs at the Historical and National Museum
Two tickets in Greek to nautical games and demonstrations
Exhibition organised by the Historical and Archaeological Society of Greece and the Ministry of Naval Affairs