About the BRF Collection
The Byzantine Research Fund Archive (BRF) is a unique collection of architectural drawings, photographs and notebooks created from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century by a small team of British architects trained in the Arts & Crafts tradition whose studies of Byzantium shaped the Byzantine Revival in later years.
The collection contains over 1,500 drawings and 1,000 photographs, numerous notebooks and the corporate records associated with the Byzantine Research and Publication Fund, the original body created in 1907 to support this work. Although the Fund was associated with the BSA from the time it was founded, it was not until 1937 that the BSA formerly took over the property and operation of it. The BRF Archive contains records of Byzantine monuments in Greece, Turkey, Italy, the Near East, Egypt, and Cyprus. In some cases, the collection contains the only record of a monument before its destruction in modern times, the most important example being the church of Hagios Demetrios in Thessalonike which was almost completely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1917 shortly after being recorded by one of the BRF architects, Walter Sykes George. It also contains personal records of the following architects; Robert Weir Schultz, Sidney Howard Barnsley, Walter Sykes George, William Harvey, Harold Swainson, Peter Gus Corbett, and A.H.S (Peter) Megaw. The aspirations of the BRF Archive Project today are to make these materials accessible to a wide range of researchers.
Turkish plaster cornice. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Mosque of Yacoub Pasha', 'Turkish Plaster Ornament Round Interior '. Further annotation in pencil survives.
External pilaster (detail). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine', 'Thessalonica' No 1. It is labelled: 'A Plan of the Church'.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine', 'Thessalonica' No 1. It is labelled: 'A Plan of the Church'.
Plan of the domes. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine', 'Thessalonica' No 2. It is labelled: 'A Plan Through Upper Part Of Church And Domes'.
Plan of the domes. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine', 'Thessalonica' No 2. It is labelled: 'A Plan Through Upper Part Of Church And Domes'.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine', 'Thessalonica' No 1. It is labelled: 'A Plan of the Church'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section (top) - Longitudinal section (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing.It is entitled: 'Church Of S. Catherine Thessalonica', No 3. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Through Church Looking East' and 'Longitudinal Section Through Church Looking North'.
East elevation (top) - North elevation (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine Thessalonica' No 4. It is labelled: 'East Elevation', 'North Elevation'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
East elevation (top) - North elevation (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of S. Catherine Thessalonica' No 4. It is labelled: 'East Elevation', 'North Elevation'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Additional information has been contributed by W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) as noted on the drawing by Schultz in 1921. Further annotation in pencil survives
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Additional information has been contributed by W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) as noted on the drawing by Schultz in 1921. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section (top) - Ground plan (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Longitudinal section (east half). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See drawing no: 01/08/04/15/05 (BRF no 01/01/07/173). W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Longitudinal section (west half). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See drawing no: 01/08/04/15/04 (BRF no: 01/01/07/172). W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See drawing no: 01/08/04/15/07 (BRF no: 01/01/07/183). W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives by W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?).
Dome plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Dome plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
West elevation (top) - South elevation (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
West elevation (top) - South elevation (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
West elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
North elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
East elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no: 01/08/04/15/06 (BRF no: 01/01/06/174). W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Through Narthex & Gallery Looking Towards Church'. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Through Church'. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Transverse section. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition.
On the left: Elevation (top), Plan (bottom) of the phiale in the atrium. On the right: Two capitals-one with cross section (top) - Elevation, section and plan of the phiale (bottom). The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. Further annotation in pencil survives. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition.
Ground plan. The drawing is initialed (W.S.G.) in the middle of the lower margin. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawings no. 01/08/04/06/01 (BRF no. 01/01/06/257) and 01/08/04/06/02 (BRF no 01/01/06/258. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition.
Plan of the lower galleries. The drawing is entitled:'Church of St Demetius Thessalonica' No 2. It is labelled: 'Plan of Lower Galleries. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition.
Plan of upper galleries. The drawing is entitled:'Church of St Demetius Thessalonica' No 3. It is labelled: 'Plan of Upper Galleries. See also drawing no 01/08/04/07/02 (BRF no 01/01/06/260). The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition.
Longitudinal section (top) - South elevation (bottom). The drawing is numbered: 'Pl. IV a'. Further annotation in pencil survives. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition.
Transverse section. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Sections and plan of undercroft below south trancept. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Two sections (upper row) and plan (lower row) of the 'Tomb Chamber' at the north-west of the church. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in ink: 'S. Demetrius Thessalonica'. It is initialed (W.S.G.) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Various gallery plans. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed (W.S.G.) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section looking east (upper row, left), Transverse section looking west (upper row, right), Longitudinal section (lower row). The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed (W.S.G.) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Section of part of the central bay. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed (W.S.G.) in pencil in the upper right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Section of the nave looking west. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed (W.S.G.) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Longitudinal section (upper row), East elevation (lower row, left), Sections of windows with window measurements. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed (W.S.G.) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Plan of north transept, Various gallery plans, Sections and an Elevation of south aisle wall. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Architectural sculpture (Capitals). The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. Each sketch is labelled in pencil. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Architectural sculpture - Capitals in the north transept. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in pencil:'St. Demetrius-Capital in the North Transept'. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Marble revetments. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed in pencil (W.S.G.) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Marble opus sectile. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Marble opus sectile panels. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed in pencil (W.S.G.) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Marble revetments of colonnade of west gallery. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed in pencil (W.S.G.) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Marble revetment of nave colonnade (south side). The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed in pencil (W.S.G.) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.