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.
Interior view of the nave looking west. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Interior view of the nave looking east. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Pit at east end of north aisle arcade. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Pit at east end of north aisle arcade. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Mosaic pavement (inner south aisle). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Mosaic pavement (inner north aisle). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East trench (east-west wall). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East trench (east-west wall, detail). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East trench (east-west wall, detail). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East trench (north section-south wall outside crypt?). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Trench in south-east arcade. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Impost block loose in east trench. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East trench outside apse (threshold in north-south wall?). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East trench outside apse (threshold in north-south wall?). Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
South inner aisle, west wall - Mosaic, Hagios Demetrios with Donors. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 5' in the upper right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.The drawing was framed for the 1985 exhibition.
Mosaic-North inner aisle, spandrel B, nave: St. Demetrios with Prophet and Donor The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 1'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North inner aisle - Inscription. The applied technique could be described as: 'painted squeeze'. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 10' ref. To no 1. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North inner aisle - Mosaics. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 2' at the top of the front side. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North inner aisle - Mosaics. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 3'. Further annotation in pencil survives.The drawing was framed for the 1985 exhibition.
North inner aisle - Inscription. The applied technique could be described as: 'painted squeeze'. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 18' ref. to No 2. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North inner aisle - Inscription. The applied technique could be described as: 'painted squeeze'. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 11' ref. To No 3. Further annotation in ink survives.
North inner aisle - Mosaics. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 4'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Mosaic, inscription: north inner aisle, spandrel G, nave The applied technique could be described as: 'painted squeeze'. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 12' ref. To no 4. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North inner aisle - Donor, inscription. The applied technique could be described as: 'painted squeeze'. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This is a preliminary drawing. It is numbered 'No 13' ref. To no 4. Further annotation in pencil survives. See letter George to Schultz in BRF Corporate dated 09 July 1909
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section (east half). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no. 01/08/04/19/03 (BRF no. 01/01/07/223).
Transverse section (north half?). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no. 01/08/04/19/05 (BRF no. 01/01/07/225).
Plans of domes. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan of dome. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Part of ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing in pencil. This bluelined paper was probably once part of a notebook. See also drawing no. 01/08/04/19/12 (BRF no 01/01/07/232).
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 1. It is labelled: 'A Plan of the Church'.
Plan of the domes. The drawing is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 2. It is labelled: 'Plan Through Domes'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
Plan of the domes. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 2. It is labelled: 'Plan Through Domes'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 4. It is labelled: 'Longitudinal Section Looking South-West'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 4. It is labelled: 'Longitudinal Section Looking South-West'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 3. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Looking South-East'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 3. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Looking South-East'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
South-west elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 6. It is labelled: 'South-East Elevation'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
North-east elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Panteleemon Thessalonica', No 5. It is labelled: 'South-East Elevation'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Section. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan? This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Thessalonica' No1.Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Thessalonica' No 4. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Through Church Looking East'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is mis-entitled: 'St Elias Salonica - Long Section'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of S. Elias Thessalonica' No 5. It is labelled: 'South Elevation'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section (top) - Ground plan (bottom). This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed in pencil (W.S.G.) in the bottom right-hand corner. Further annotation in ink survives.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is initialed in pencil (W.S.G.) in the bottom right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Roof plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.