BSA Digital Collections

The BSA Pantheon

The subjects of this exhibition were chosen for their representation of a bigger picture. They were chosen to represent the span of time and the variety of characters who make up the School’s story and to celebrate that story. They were also chosen to be reflective of the development of the School and the times in which it developed: women were not at first admitted as students and the School didn’t have its first female Director until the late 20th century; although people had been agitating for setting up the School for some time, it took a prince’s involvement to set the ball rolling; and although Britain is ethnically diverse, even today most students, scholars and administrators of the School are clearly “anglo”. Therefore this exhibition both celebrates and asks us to reflect.

Richard Jebb - Early Initiator of the School

Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb (1841 – 1905) Jebb was one of the earliest initiators of the British School at Athens.

Albert, Prince of Wales - Early Initiator of the School and first Royal Patron

Albert, Prince of Wales (1841 – 1910) responded to Richard Jebb’s call in the Fortnightly Review (1883) to establish a British Institute in Athens by calling a meeting at Marlborough House to discuss it.

Francis Penrose - First Director 1886-1887 and Architect of the original building

Francis Cranmer Penrose (1817 – 1903) was the first Director of the British School at Athens and architect of the first School building. He was an architect, artist and researcher and was Surveyor of the Fabric of St Paul's Cathedral from 1852–1897.

Arthur Evans - Archaeologist & Philanthropist

Sir Arthur Evans (1851 – 1941) is a significant person in the history and development of the British School at Athens because he is responsible for the close connection of the School to the archaeological site of Knossos in Crete, where the School continues to have a base and a curator.

Eugenie Sellers Strong - First Female Student & Art Historian & Archaeologist

Eugenie Sellers Strong (1860 – 1943) was a British archaeologist and art historian. She was the first female student admitted to the British School at Athens in 1890.

Alan Wace - Director 1914-1923

Alan John Bayard Wace (1879 – 1957) was an English archaeologist and was Director at the British School at Athens from 1914 -1923. His post coincided with the First World War.

Humfry Payne - Director 1929-1936

Humfry Payne (1902-1936) was an English archaeologist and historian who specialised in Greek pottery, particularly Corinthian. He was Director of the British School at Athens from 1929 until his accidental death in office in 1936 when he was 34.

John Pendlebury - Archaeologist

John Devitt Stringfellow Pendlebury (1904-1941) was a British archaeologist who died in action in the Battle of Crete during World War II.

Jane Rabnett (Cox) - BSA Secretary & Librarian 1950-1975

Jane Rabnett (1914 – 2001) was Secretary of the British School at Athens for 25 years from 1950 – 1975 and was an institution at the School. She was BSA Secretary during the time of five Directors, including Hector Catling, John Cook and Sinclair Hood and during the Junta and its fall in 1974.

Elizabeth “Lisa” Wace French - First Female Director 1989-1994

Dr. Elizabeth “Lisa” Wace French (1931 – 2021) was Director of the British School at Athens from 1989 to 1994 and was the School’s first female Director.

Evangelia Kiriatzi - Director, Fitch Laboratory

Dr. Evangelia Kiriatzi is an archaeologist trained in archaeological science who specialises in ceramic analysis. She has been the Director of the Fitch Laboratory at the British School at Athens since 2001.

John Bennet - Director 2015-2022

Prof. John Bennet is a British archaeologist and classicist who until very recently was Director of the British School at Athens since 2015.