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.
Robert G. Watson to George Finlay. On the Atlantic, 17 April 1872. Asks George Finlay to review his Handbook on Greece; is en route for Japan (loose at front of Charles Thomas Newton, Travels and Discoveries in the Levant, vol. 1, London, 1865).
News clipping on Antiquities in Cyprus, The Times, 14 Dec 1872 (loose in Charles Thomas Newton, Travels and Discoveries in the Levant, vol. 1, London, 1865).
John Evans to George Finlay. Nash Mills, Hemel Hempstead, 20 April 1872. Thanks for receipt of obsidian flints found in Corinth and Salagova; comparison with Mexico and Egypt (previously stuck on front flyleaf of J. Evans, The Ancient Stone Implements . . ., London, 1872).
Stephanos A. Koumanoudes to George Finlay. Athens, 8 June 1872. Asks for George Finlay's comments on K's sepulchral inscriptions (in French, stuck on front flyleaf Ἀττικῆς Ἐπιγραφαὶ Επιτύμβιοι, Athens, 1871).
Samuel P. Oliver to George Finlay. Hotel d'Angleterre, 1 November 1872. On possibility of purchasing collection of bronze and stone implements from Mesolonghi. George Finlay's advice sought (stuck on front flyleaf of S. P. Oliver, Madagascar . . ., London, n.d.).
Samuel P. Oliver to George Finlay. Hotel d'Angleterre, 5 November 1872. On possibility of purchasing collection of bronze and stone implements from Mesolonghi. George Finlay's advice sought (stuck on front flyleaf of S. P. Oliver, Madagascar . . ., London, n.d.).
H. Carter to George Finlay. 28 September 1872. To introduce archaeologist Captain Oliver (stuck on front flyleaf of S. P. Oliver, Madagascar . . .).
Robert Keep to George Finlay. Berlin, October 1872. To introduce George Bancroft, U.S. ambassador in Berlin, visiting Athens (stuck in front of G. Bancroft, History of the United States . . ., vol. 1, Boston, 1854).
George Bancroft to George Finlay. Athens, 23 November 1872. Returns a book lent by George Finlay (previously stuck on front flyleaf of G. B., History of the United States . . ., vol. 1, Boston, 1854). Envelope to George Finlay stuck on inside cover and George Bancroft's visiting card loose.
Visiting card of George Bancroft (previously loose in G. B., History of the United States . . ., vol. 1, Boston, 1854). Envelope to George Finlay stuck on inside cover and George Bancroft's visiting card loose.
Achille Postolacca to George Finlay. Athens, 12/24 December 1872. Thanks for George Finlay's review of his work (in French, stuck on front flyleaf of A. P. Κατáλογος τῶν ἀρχαíων Νομισμάτων vol. 1, Athens, 1872, with note by George Finlay of various journals in which the review appeared).
W. Stuart to George Finlay. Athens, 20 March 1873. Thanks for gift of George Finlay's book on Conquest of the Morea in 1715 (previously attached to front flyleaf of F. R. Chesney, Expedition for the Survey of the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris . . ., vol. 1, London, 1850).
Note on the Treaty of Tilsit between Napoleon and Tsar Alexander of Russia (previously loose in F. R. Chesney, Expedition for the Survey of the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris . . ., vol. 1, London, 1850).
Visiting card of Rev. A. N. Arnold (previously loose in F. R. Chesney, Expedition for the Survey of the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris . . ., vol. 1, London, 1850).
George W. Cox to George Finlay. The Knoll, Farnborough, Hants, 4 December 1873. Friend of E. A. Freeman; sends George Finlay his Tales of Ancient Greece, London, 1872, and asks if any prospect of translating it into Greek. Would like to settle in Greece (stuck on front flyleaf of C's book) [cf. above, p. 89, B/6/179
Press cutting of advertisement for A History of Greece by George W. Cox, London (previously loose in Tales of Ancient Greece by George W. Cox, London, 1872)
Sir George Ferguson Bowen to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks George Finlay for his book; offers to be his cicerone in Corfu ; sends copy of his recently published pamphlet (stuck on front flyleaf of G. F. Bowen, Mount Athos, Thessaly, and Epirus . . ., London, 1852.
Press cutting on the new Dean of St Paul's, the Rev. R. W. Church (previously loose in G. F. Bowen, Mount Athos, Thessaly, and Epirus . . ., London, 1852.).
Christos Nikolaides Philadelpheus to George Finlay. n.d. [1843?]. Asks to borrow George Finlay's copy of Ἐλληνομνημων, 1843 (in French, attached to front flyleaf of this book).
Wilfred S. Blunt to George Finlay. n.d. Apologizes for mislaying book lent him by George Finlay (stuck on front flyleafof J. H. C. Schubert, Pausaniae Descriptio Graeciae, vol. i, 1853, with note by Blunt 'In payment of a bad debt').
Jean-Alexandre Buchon to George Finlay. 16 June, n.y. re purchase of memoirs of James Horner (in French; previously stuck on front flyleaf of J. A. C. B., Nouvelles recherches historiques sur . . . la principauté française de Morée, vol. II, Paris, 1843).
? to George Finlay. n.d. The Book Club and dispatch of reviews (previously at back of P. Le Bas, Précis d'histoire du Moyen Age . . ., Paris, 1839).
n.d. Note by George Finlay on Carlos Troya, Della condizione de' Romani vinti da' Longobardi . . ., Naples, 1841 (loose in T's book).
n.d. Notes by George Finlay on Napoleon III, Histoire de Jules César, Paris, 1865 (previously loose in book).
Miss Constance MacGregor to Mr. William Cooke. 27 May n.y. Personal details and references to 'The Exhibition' (stuck on front flyleaf of Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition . . ., London, 1851).
News clipping on Paris Universal exhibition, The Times, 26 Mar 1856 (previously loose in Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition . . ., London, 1851).
News clipping on Paris exhibition 1855, The Morning Advertiser, 22 Apr 1854 (previously loose in Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition . . ., London, 1851).
News clipping on publication of catalogue for Exhibition of 1851 (previously loose in Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition . . ., London, 1851).
Personal advertisements section, The Times, 1984 (previously loose in Official Catalogue of the Great Exhibition . . ., London, 1851,).
William Mure to George Finlay. n.d. re visit to Prokesch and Gordon (previously attached to front flyleaf of William Mure, Journal of a Tour in Greece . . ., vol. l, London, 1842). Visiting card of Col. Mure pasted on front pastedown.
William Mure to George Finlay. n.d. Apologies for altering date of meeting with George Finlay (attached to front flyleaf of William Mure, Journal of a Tour in Greece . . ., vol. l , London, 1842). Visiting card of Col. Mure pasted on front pastedown.
Robert G. Watson to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks for loan of book (previously attached to front flyleaf of F. R. Chesney, Expedition . . ., vol. l , London, 1850).
Georg-Christian Gropius to Mrs. Finlay n.d. Invitation to her, with George Finlay and Miss Groot [? Grocott], to meet at Mme Prokesch's house that evening (in French, stuck on front flyleaf of W. R. Wilde, Narrative of a Voyage . . ., vol. 2, Dublin, 1840).
Ludwig Ross to George Finlay. 13 December n.y. Regrets illness prevents acceptance of invitation, and requests loan of Spon and Guillet (in French, stuck on front flyleaf of L. R., Reisen auf den griechischen Inseln . . ., vol. l, Stuttgart, 1840).
Newspaper clipping on discovery of a catacomb on island of Milos (stuck on front flyleaf of L. R., Reisen auf den griechischen Inseln . . ., vol. l, Stuttgart, 1840).
Mrs. C. Lenormant to George Finlay. n.d. Visiting card with compliments of the deceased author's wife (stuck on front flyleaf of C. L., Commentaire sur le Cratyle de Platon, Athens, 1861).
Mrs. C. Lenormant to George Finlay. n.d. Note with compliments of the deceased author's wife(stuck on front flyleaf of C. L., Commentaire sur le Cratyle de Platon, Athens, 1861).
Miss F. Lenormant to George Finlay. n.d. Note with compliments of the deceased author's daughter (stuck on front flyleaf of C. L., Commentaire sur le Cratyle de Platon, Athens, 1861).
James Skene to George Finlay. n.d. Asks for loan of Arundell, Asia Minor. (Loose in front of A. Forbiger, Handbuch der alten Geographie, vol. 1, Lepizig, 1842.)
James Skene to George Finlay. n.d. Returns Arundell, Asia Minor. (Loose in front of A. Forbiger, Handbuch der alten Geographie, vol. 1, Lepizig, 1842.)
Carl Boetticher to George Finlay, Athens. Berlin, 1 July 1862. Thanks George Finlay for hospitality; his archaeological work; he is not persona grata to the Athenians. (in French; previously loose in front of C. Boetticher, Der Baumkultus der Hellenen, Berlin, 1856).
G. Werthern to George Finlay. n.d. Invitation to meet German archaeologists (in French; previously loose in front of C. Boetticher, Der Baumkultus der Hellenen, Berlin, 1856).
General Sir Richard Church to George Finlay. n.d. Asks if he may delay return of book on Dacia lent by George Finlay (stuck on front flyleaf of J. A. Vaillant, La Romanie . . ., Paris 1844+loose newspaper cuttings).
News clippings on 'Turkey' (1858), 'The Servian Insurrection and the Hungarian Government of 1848-9' (The Times, 27 November 1851), and untitled undated clipping on 'the state of the Danubian provinces now under Austrian domination.' (found loose in J. A. Vaillant, La Romanie . . ., Paris 1844+loose newspaper cuttings).
Millingen's itinerary from Smyrna to Kiutaya, with newspaper cutting 'Turkey in Asia' from our own correspondent [on Erzerum] (previously loose in front of H. Kiepert, Memoir über die Construction der Karte von Kleinasien . . ., Berlin, 1854).
James Clyde to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks for receipt of newspapers (previously stuck on back flyleaf of J. A. Cramer, A Geographical and Historical Description of Ancient Greece, vol. 1, Oxford, 1828).
Rudolph Rohrer to George Finlay. n.d. Visiting card with note asking for payment of bill (in German, stuck on front flyleaf of Aristotelis Categoriae . . ., Leipzig, 1832).
Paul Lambros to George Finlay ? n.d. Memoir on Byzantine gold coins of Philippi (stuck on back flyleaf of M. Pinder and J. Friedlander, Die Münzen Justinians, Berlin, 1843).
Draft letter by George Finlay describing his collection of Byzantine coins, No date. (loose in M. Pinder and J. Friedlander, Die Munzen Justinians, Berlin, 1843).
Newspaper clipping on gold coins of Philippi. In Greek. (loose in M. Pinder and J. Friedlander, Die Munzen Justinians, Berlin, 1843).