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.
William Gordon Cornwallis Eliot to George Finlay. 18 August n.y. [1860] Encloses papers to be sent to Mr. Noel.
M. Ellis to George Finlay. n.d. Returns books borrowed.
T. S. Fay to George Finlay. n.d. Regrets his own indisposition; hopes that George Finlay will visit him.
George Finlay to Durand. n.d. Asks for renewal of subscription to Revue des deux mondes; orders Mas Latrie on Cyprus, vol. i, pt. 2. (On reverse side is an extract from a memorandum(?) of George Finlay's criticizing Kolettes' policy.)
George Finlay to Ionides. n.d. Desirability of improving postal facilities between England and Greece (incomplete). 3 pp. With an extract from letter of George Finlay deploring breaking of foot of Victory in Acropolis by French marine officers in 1860 and 1861. Discrimination against Elgin unjust.
George Finlay to Librarian of Oxford Debating Society on order of Mr. Newton of B.M. n.d. [in or after 1862 ?]. Asking for payment (if the Union is solvent) of subscription to the newspaper Elpis which he took out on its behalf at request of Mr. Newton. Money to be sent to George Finlay c/o T. Cooke, Rusholme Hall, near Manchester.
George Finlay to Baron Rouen, Ministre plénipotentiaire de France en Grèce. n.d. [?1852]. George Finlay thanks R for his good offices in matter of book lent several years ago to M. le Marquis de Boisguilbert. Thinking this was lost B had sent George Finlay the cost of a replacement, and George Finlay therefore returns present copy (2 copies of draft in French).
Peter Wilhelm Forchhammer to George Finlay. n.d. To introduce Professor Olshausen who is travelling in east Mediterranean. Request for pamphlets. Greetings to Mrs. Finlay and George Finlay's daughter (in German).
Cyril C. Graham to George Finlay. 7 April n.y. Announces his departure for Syria to explore topography of the northern mountains and Canaanite antiquities.
Cyril C. Graham to George Finlay. Athens, 29 December n.y. Regrets could not pay farewell visit. Hopes to send George Finlay his geographical papers but regrets slow communications between Athens and Egypt.
Demetrios Kalliphronas to George Finlay. n.d. Invitation to dinner and to see illuminations in the Botanic Garden (in Greek).
Georgina Muir Mackenzie to George Finlay. Gary Cottage, Perth, Scotland, 24 October n.y. Appreciation of George Finlay's objective point of view in Greek-Turkish dispute. Criticism of support of Turkey against the Christians. Praises Serbian qualities and achievements.
N. A. Miaoulis to George Finlay. n.d. Asks George Finlay to tell Perrons that the Μεθωνη has been ordered to bring him to Origino (?); he is asked to inform the captain if he does not wish to go (in German, Gothic script).
George Middleton to George Finlay. Hotel d'Angleterre. n.d. Asks George Finlay to visit his friend who is ill (Mr. David, Hotel d'Angleterre, pencilled in George Finlay's hand).
Alice Noel to George Finlay. n.d. Frank Noel and the Greek brigand affair.
L. R. Packard to George Finlay. 24 December n.y. Asks George Finlay to lend him Ernst Curtius's book on Piraeus.
Walter Pater to George Finlay. n.d. Regrets George Finlay's toothache. Accepts dinner invitation. With old enclosure.
Andrew A. Paton to George Finlay. Mesolonghi, 4 June n.y. Remarks on political state of Greece.
Sophie Duchesse de Plaisance to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks for gift of George Finlay's essay on state of Greece. Hopes to meet George Finlay (in French). With old enclosure.
Baron A. von Prokesch-Osten to George Finlay. n.d. Proposes to visit grotto of Archidamus [Vari Cave] and desires to borrow C. Wordsworth's work and William M. Leake's work on Attic demes.
Raoul Rochette to George Finlay. 27 May n.y. Asks George Finlay to deliver letter and pamphlet to Prokesch; requests drawing of Aristocles stele by architect Hansen (in French). With old enclosure.
Baron Rouen (Ministre Plénipotentiaire de France en Grèce) to George Finlay. [? 1 September 1852.] Returns book with George Finlay's name found in Legation (in French). With old paper enclosure.
N. Senior to George Finlay. Athens. n.d. Suggests meeting for a walk.
N. Senior to George Finlay. n.d. Leaves Athens. Books lent left with Sir Thomas [Wyse].
N. Senior to George Finlay. Paris, 19 April n.y. To introduce French consul passing through Athens en route for Monastir.
N. Senior to George Finlay. n.d. To introduce his relations Miss Hampden and her two brothers visiting Athens.
James H. Skene to George Finlay. n.d. Asks George Finlay to lend him books on vases and museum catalogues.
James H. Skene to George Finlay. Oxford, 14 November n.y. Requests George Finlay's assistance for the Revd. H. Coxe on his archaeological mission. (Cf. no. 81.)
J. L. Stoddart to George Finlay. Athens, 18 April n.y. Requests delivery of dispatch of Col. Rose to bearer or through Health Office (with visiting card).
John S. Stuart-Glennie to George Finlay. n.d. Proposes to visit Marathon but will be back by 5 p.m.
Sir Charles Trevelyan to George Finlay. Hotel des Etrangers, n.d. [? 1871 or 1872]. Regrets postponement of visit (with 2 cuttings from The Times, 14 November 1871, of letter on 'Indian Mussulmans' by C. E. Trevelyan, taken from Spectator, 12 Dec 1860).
Sir Charles Trevelyan to George Finlay. n.d. Announces time of visit to George Finlay.
David Urquhart to George Finlay. 14 Ledbury Terrace, Bayswater, n.d. [? 1851 or later]. Critical of George Finlay's views on medieval Byzantium and Bulgaria. Urges him to rouse himself to think for himself.
David Urquhart to George Finlay. Pera, 6 January n.y. To introduce Mr. Regaldi.
M. A. Wyly to Mrs. F. n.d. Returns book lent (Dodwell).
Sir Thomas Wyse to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks for present received. Invites George Finlay, Mrs. F, and Miss Grocott to dinner. With old paper enclosure.
G. Knowles to George Finlay. n.d. Accepts invitation to meet George Finlay after bathing in Piraeus.
Handwritten, notebook, pp. 1-48, the rest unpaginated [S. g. 6]. Byzantine notes by George Finlay 'Byzantine Greece: a historical view of the condition of the Greek nation under the government of the Byzantine emperors A.D. 717-1453'; some loose jottings.
Brown mottle with brown calf spine, gilt lettering on spine 'Chronology of Greek Revolution', handwritten, paginated by George Finlay, bound, with loose sheets and letter. Contents listed by George Finlay:
'Chronology of the Greek Revolution in which the dates are inserted as far as possible from the best authorities following the authority of persons present when such testimony is obtainable', pp. 1-241.
Bibliography of the Greek Revolution, pp. 242-53+a loose sheet p. 230, inserted between p. 241 and p. 242.
Loose papers at back are listed below.
Letter of George Finlay to Alick [Finlay]. n.d., inserted at October 1862. Rough draft of letter on revolts in Greece (unfinished) br> Newspaper AYΓH, 13 June 1862.
Death notice for Helene Leutwein, 1861.
Death notice for Sir Thomas Wyse, 1862.
List of Greek newspapers.
Note on Greek state budget.
Notes on Mills' History of the Crusades.
King's printed response to first constitutional draft voted by national assembly, 31 October 1864. Loose in FIN/GF/08 Timeline of the Crusades.
Historical note on medieval France.
Note on the French revolutionary months with their names.
List of cabinet members for Spain and France.
Population of Turkey.
Notes on the Ionian islands.
Note on Orlov revolt.
Death notice of Kuriakos Pittakis, 1863.
Budget of economic administration of the state, January 1833 - December 1843.
G. Finlay, Letter to the Athenians 1844' printed (in Greek), Athens, 1844, with MS. translation in English.
Small notebook with a plan for an essay (probably related to GF’s History of the Greek Revolution). It also contains notes on Chios, and on the ‘Greek character’ (undated).
59 identical engravings of George Finlay, wearing the two medals he was given for his participation in the 1821 Greek War of Independence, stored in a brown folder.
Hepworth Dixon, Athenaeum Office, London, to George Finlay
The collection contains John Finlay, Frank Hastings and George Jarvis’ personal papers as well as those of George Finlay, although George Finlay’s papers form the bulk of the collection.
The collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, commonplace books, catalogues of books, journals, drafts of Finlay’s History of the Greece, a sketchbook, log books, commonplace books and account books. Many of the letters are pasted or copied by Finlay into letter books. These records give an overview of the Greek War of Independence and especially the role of the British philhellenes, as well as many of Finlay's other interests, such as Classical and Byzantine history, natural history and politics. Finlay had a wide range of correspondents, both Greek and British.
The collection also contains the personal papers of Frank Abney Hastings, with Hastings' naval involvement in Greece heavily represented.
Greece was one of the last European countries to adopt the newer Gregorian calendar. For most of the nineteenth century, the Julian calendar was 12 days behind the Gregorian. British correspondents in the Finlay Collection tend to use the newer calendar. Letters with two dates 12 days apart, eg. 24 April / 6 May 1828, refer to both the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
Brown mottle board, leather spine broken, tied with string, bound, paginated pp. 1-102+3 loose photographs (Gambetta, Thiers, and group with George Finlay) ; in poor condition.
Lithographed portraits, scenes, and various miscellaneous items. Items 1-70 were drawn, collected, and (probably) described by Lieut. Krazeisen, 1st Lieut. in the King's Regiment of Bavaria.
Εἰσητήριον διὰ τὸ ἀκπροατήριον τῆς Ἐθνοσυνελεύσεως
(Athens 8 November 1843) Amélie, Reine de la Grèce
Otho King of Greece, Ὄθων Βασιλεὺς τῆς Ἑλλάδος
Theodore Colocotroni
Colocotroni
MS letter of J. Tombasi (Poros, 2 March 1828, in Greek, loose)
Giacomachi Tombasi
Thomas Gordon
Das Fort Palamydes mit einem Teil von Napoli di Romania
Nikitas
G. Conduriotis
Das Hafen Fort Bourdzi Bey Napoli di Romania
A. Mavrocordato (with signature and visiting card)
Makrijannis
Nicodemos
Aegina
Andreas Miaulis: (with loose visiting card)
Autograph of Petros Mavromichalis
G. Mavromichalis
Bailly
Beschiessung des Klosters St. Spiridione am Piraeus
MS letter of K. Kanaris to George Finlay (Athens 23 May 1861) (in Greek)
Kanaris (photograph) : note of George Finlay to Soteriades (loose)
Canaris
G. Sissini
A. Schilcher
Ein Kapitan mit seinen Pallikaren im Gefechte
Karl van Heideck
(Col.) Fabvier
MS letter of K. Tzavellas to George Finlay (11 October 1843)
Kizzo Tzavellas
Die Fregatte Hellas und das Dampschiff
Karteria
Karaskaïkis
Zaïmis
I. Milaitis
Die Acropolis van Athen
Short notes on portraits and scenes (in French and German) by Lieut. Krazeisen
Map of the surroundings of Athens (positions of Greek and Turkish forces 6 February-6 May 1827)
Miscellanea :
Small print of Lord Byron's monument in Hucknell Church near Newstead Abbey
Hastings (photograph of bust)
Clifford ( ,, ,, ,, )
Lithograph of I. Venthulos
(? Clephts) from Kossovo recognised by an Albanian Bey from Ochrida (A.J.B.W.) (in colour)
Dance (in colour)
A. Miaulis (photograph of bust)
Monasteriotes ( ,, ,, ,,)
Lord Byron
George Finlay (as a young man)
P. Mavromichalis
Street scene in Joannina (in colour)
Roza de Bozaris (demoiselle d'honneur de S.M. la Reine de Grèce)
Printed copy of Discourse, pronounced by Lieut. Col. A. H. Touret at the Funeral of C. Colocotronis (in French)
A. H. Touret (Philhellène français, Lieut. Col., with signature)
MS letter of Ephorate of Athens Archaeological Society to George Finlay (27 March 1861) thanking him for antiquities presented to the Society's museum (in Greek)
George Finlay (as a young man; with coat of arms)
Cutting from the Illustrated London News of 29 April 1854 (archaeological)
Cutting from the Illustrated London News of 10 November 1855
Cutting from the Illustrated London News of 14 February 1857
Cutting from the Illustrated London News of 14 February 1857
Cutting from the Illustrated London News of 16 February 1856
Document no. 6281 from the Military Governor of the Capital to the Nomarch of Attica and Boeotia by hand of George Finlay (Athens 7 April 1844) (loose; in Greek)
(missing)
(missing)
Water-colour of Pallikari
(In the back (loose) are 3 photographs: Group photo with George Finlay (undated), M. Thiers (1873), and Gambetta (1873))
Miscellaneous items from the Hastings Centenary 1928. Includes a manilla envelope.
Two notebooks of conservation notes for the George Finlay papers.
Black book bound in black plastic with 'Finlay Books' label on front cover. Entries from visitors signing out books from the Finlay Library and the Finlay Papers.