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.
6 handwritten, unbound quires. Memoranda relating to travels in Middle East
The ‘Souliots’ (undated note, fragile) .
Note on the personality of Colonel Leake (undated).
Volume 1 of George Jarvis, Journal, 2 vols.
Description of MSS. and contents and considerable extracts are published in George Jarvis: His Journal and Related Documents, with introduction, prologues, sequel, and notes, ed. by G. G. Arnakis, with the collaboration of E. Demetracopoulou, Thessalonica, 1965.
Nottingham Place, London. Athens, 18 October 1833. Details of Gropius's archaeological work on antiquities of Acropolis and old city. Ross's work in Boeotia. Present policy concerning national land. Other land at present on market. George Finlay's property in Attica. Government distribution of land to 'the Captains'. An extract (in Greek) from the Minister of Finance Mavrocordatos defining national property.
1-2 April 1829. Topographical and archaeological notes made while travelling between Mesolonghi and Livadia.
n.d. His copy of L's recent work on Morea not yet arrived but has glanced at copy of British Minister at Agos and sends Tzakonian itineraries which seem missing (Argos-Astros-Lenidi-Palaeocastro-Paleomonembasia) with sketch map.
Note on the character of King Otto (undated).
Transcription of inscriptions found in a late town. Originally from FIN/GF/B/7/13, but with a note from Joan Hussey suggesting the records may belong to FIN/GF/B/7/11.
Athens, 18 October 1837. (Note added 'Read before the Royal Society 14 December 1838'.) Archaeological and topographical details of George Finlay's tour in Cyclades. Critical comments on increasing Austrian influence on Greek policy. List of islands visited in Cyclades with population and taxes paid.
One portrait of George Finlay with medals by Numa Blanc. This portrait reappears pasted into FIN/GF/A/20.
Lord Byron to Editor of Galignani's Messenger. Venice, 27 April 1812.
Denies that he is author of The Vampyre; facsimile stuck on p. xxxiii of H. L. Bulwer (ed.), Complete Works of Lord Byron, Paris, 1835.
George Finlay to Leicester Fitzgerald Charles. Argos, 31 May 1824
Two of George Finlay's letters, including his reminiscences of Lord Byron, are printed in Leicester F. Stanhope, Greece in 1823 and 1824 . . ., London, 1825, pp. 510-19. F. Stanhope's visiting card pasted inside the front cover.
George Finlay to Leicester Fitzgerald Charles. Tripolitza, June 1824.
Two of George Finlay's letters, including his reminiscences of Lord Byron, are printed in Leicester
F. Stanhope, Greece in 1823 and 1824 . . ., London, 1825, pp 519 - 529
Julius Millingen to George Finlay at Zante. Mesolonghi, 16 October 1824.
M's own illness. Complaints about Bruno's accusations and discussion of Byron's last illness (stuck on front flyleaf of Julius Millengen, Memoirs of the Affairs of Greece . . ., London, 1831; this book contains a number of pencilled additions by George Finlay and some reference to himself).
(Attic above) Philippe Le Bas to George Finlay. 26 October 1842. Is sending his book Monuments d'Antiquité figurée . . . de Morée, Paris, 1837 to George Finlay and to Col. Leake (in French; letter attached to front flyleaf).
Aubrey de Vere to George Finlay [24 August 1843]. Sends George Finlay copy of his book The Waldenses . . ., Oxford, 1842 (letter attached to front flyleaf of his book).
The Revd. Henry D. Leeves to George Finlay. Sends new Greek translation of the New Testament by N. Bambas, assisted by C. Nicolaides and L (stuck on front of Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη . . ., Athens, 1844).
Sir Charles Fellows to George Finlay. London, July 1844. To introduce the Revd. G. S. Cantley who is visiting Greece (letter attached to front flyleaf of C. F., Travels and Researches in Asia Minor . . ., London, 1852).
Ludwig Ross to George Finlay. 17 December 1844. Asks to borrow vol. 1 of Spon's book on Athens (stuck on front flyleafof J. Spon and G. Wheler, Voyage d'ltalie, de Dalmatie, de Grèce . . ., vol. 1, Amsterdam, 1679).
T. Hayes to George Finlay. Liverpool Courier Office, 3 April 1845. Acknowledges justice of George Finlay's accusation of plagiarism against H. W. Dewhurst but begs him to let matter drop (letter stuck on front flyleaf of Young, Criticism on the Elegy . . . of Gray, 2nd edn., Edinburgh, 1810. Newspaper cuttings of Dewhurst's lecture at end of book).