John Pendlebury Family Papers

The John Pendlebury Family Papers cover the period from 1913 to 1964 and document the life of archaeologist and WWII hero John Devitt Stringfellow Pendlebury, his wife Hilda and their family.

Through these papers we learn about John’s early years as a schoolboy in England, his career as an innovative archaeologist in the Mediterranean and the investigation behind the circumstances of his death. These precious documents include intimate and uncensored letters, notebooks and photographs which give us insights into the man himself, as well as his family (notably his wife, Hilda, and his parents). They provide a unique narrative of John and Hilda’s travels and encounters around Greece, Egypt, Africa and Britain during the 1920s and 1930s; a first-hand account of the events of World War II, especially in Crete where John was stationed; and the efforts of friends and family to commemorate him after his untimely death during the Battle of Crete in May 1941.