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.
No date. Need for Greek naval organization; Greek personal and private interests opposed to this.
Jotting re money for steam-vessel payment put at disposal of Lord Cochrane.
Karteria, Syra. 8 November 1826.
Account of delays in equipping steam vessels to be commanded by Lord Cochrane; attack on C's integrity and demand for his resignation.
To 'Mr Editor'. n.d.
State of Greece; delays; need for speeding naval organization.
A friend to truth' to Editor of Courier. n.d.
International law on neutrality and its relation to the present situation vis-a-vis
Greece and Turkey.
Mr Editor.' n.d.
Inadequacy of present impromptu Greek army; Greek fleet formed from small merchant vessels without artillery. Those wishing to help the Greeks should recognize need for proper naval and military organization.
Suggestions for use of funds (if any) for the relief of Candia; discussion of suitable artillery for use there.
Prospects for a loan for Crete and for successful revolt there (in French).
Possibility of raising a loan from the moneyed men in Greece.
Need for unity in Greece. Government should develop communications and economy of the country (in French).
Hastings justifies purchase of steam vessel (in French).
Mémoire sur le bateau à Vapeur proposé dans le papier No 1' (in French).
Navy vital for Greek war (in French).
Greek need for good military organization; Hasting's suggestions (in French).
Difficulty of getting a loan for Crete; sea power a vital factor here (in French).
Regrets seeing so many beggars who are victims of war in Greek tours. Suggests that the Greek government might now ameliorate their poverty by internal economic development (in French).
Manière de se servir des balles, boulets, valets et cordages incendiaires.
Suggestions for land and sea operations with details on artillery. 'Written at Athens in April 1824 and presented to the Greek government' (in French).
Extracts from the work of M. de Paix Hans (on artillery) (in French).
Greek and Turkish naval resources. Refutes criticisms of the steam vessel Karteria (Perseverance ).
Rules for ricochet firing.
Notes on Greece and naval warfare.
Mémoire sur les manœuvres d'une flotte (in French).
Mémoire sur les manœuvres d'une flotte, rough draft (in French).
Manœuvres d'une flotte. On reverse of one plan, 'A son Altesse le Prince Constantin Caranza' (in French, with plans).
Mémoire à servir d'explications des plans pour les manceuvres d'une flotte (in French).
Proposition pour une attaque sur la flotte Turque, redigée par M. Frank Hastings . . . maintenant à la service des Grecs, laquelle il a l'honneur de presenter à Monsieur L'Amiral en chef des armées de mer de Hydra. 1 Mai 1822 à bord la corvette le Θεμηστοκλες (sic) pres de l'ile de Scio.'
Plan and explanation (in French).
Thomas Perronet Thompson (Capt. 17th Lancers) to H. Thompson's Hotel, Cavendish Square, 22 November 1824.
Discusses Greek translators and books on naval tactics.
J. Critchley to H. Nightingale Vale, Woodwich, 24 May 1824. Ordnance recommendations for H's purpose.
Thomas Perronet Thompson to H. 25 Duke Street, Westminster, 10 August 1825. Naval artillery; recent views.
Thomas Perronet Thompson to H. 19 August 1825. Steam vessels and naval artillery.
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.
Volume 2 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.
vol. I, pp. 1-368, 1 January 1775-28 June 1782 (short preface on his family and early life, pp. 1-7).
Grey mottle board, leather spine and corners, handwritten, bound.
Volume from the Journal of John Finlay, which is paginated continuously pp. 1-1863. In addition to autobiographical matter the Journal contains many observations on the topography and flowers of England, the Channel Islands, and certain West Indian islands.
vol. II, pp. 369-710, 29 June 1782-22 March 1783, with 6 water-colour and 1 pencil sketches and maps of the Channel Islands + 1 water-colour of ixia bulbocodium and schoenus bound in.
Grey mottle board, leather spine and corners, handwritten, bound.
Volume from the Journal of John Finlay, which is paginated continuously pp. 1-1863. In addition to autobiographical matter the Journal contains many observations on the topography and flowers of England, the Channel Islands, and certain West Indian islands.
vol. III, pp. 711-1080, 24 March 1783-1 November 1786, with 33 loose sketches.
Grey mottle board, leather spine and corners, handwritten, bound.
Volume from the Journal of John Finlay, which is paginated continuously pp. 1-1863. In addition to autobiographical matter the Journal contains many observations on the topography and flowers of England, the Channel Islands, and certain West Indian islands.
vol. IV, pp. 1081-1444, 1 November 1786 (continued)- 15 August 1789, with 1 loose engraving.
Grey mottle board, leather spine and corners, handwritten, bound.
Volume from the Journal of John Finlay, which is paginated continuously pp. 1-1863. In addition to autobiographical matter the Journal contains many observations on the topography and flowers of England, the Channel Islands, and certain West Indian islands.
vol. V, pp. 1445-1788, 17 August 1789-21 April 1791, with 1 water-colour sketch bound in.
Grey mottle board, leather spine and corners, handwritten, bound.
Volume from the Journal of John Finlay, which is paginated continuously pp. 1-1863. In addition to autobiographical matter the Journal contains many observations on the topography and flowers of England, the Channel Islands, and certain West Indian islands.
vol. VI, pp. 1789-1863 (+unpaginated blank), 22 April 1791-5 May 1791, with 1 loose water-colour of plants and 1 loose press cutting.
Grey mottle board, leather spine and corners, handwritten, bound.
Volume from the Journal of John Finlay, which is paginated continuously pp. 1-1863. In addition to autobiographical matter the Journal contains many observations on the topography and flowers of England, the Channel Islands, and certain West Indian islands.
No. 3. 1 April-7 May 1791. From a series of 3 calf-bound notebooks, handwritten, unpaginated, bound, date on front cover, numbers 3-5 (the rest missing).
No. 4. 8 May-1 June 1791. From a series of 3 calf-bound notebooks, handwritten, unpaginated, bound, date on front cover, numbers 3-5 (the rest missing).
No. 5. 1 June 1791-8 January 1792. From a series of 3 calf-bound notebooks, handwritten, unpaginated, bound, date on front cover, numbers 3-5 (the rest missing).
Brown suede, 'Letter Book 1798' on spine, handwritten, paginated, pp. 1- 84+blanks, bound. Letter Book, containing drafts of 99 letters from 20 January 1798 to March 1799, mainly official letters concerning his work for the Board of Ordnance as 'Inspector of the Royal Manufacturers of Gunpowder' at Faversham and Waltham Abbey where he was directing 'the Engineer Department'.
17 letters, contract and memorandum, loose.
Memorandum (copy, loose), 29 March 1796, re money owed JF by the Duke of Richmond.
Contract (loose), 4 December 1799, with the Board of Ordnance for dealing with escaping acid of wood at the Royal Gunpowder Works at Faversham. Seventeen letters to his wife Helen 27 June 1799-21 April 1802.
Sketch book, sewn, 14 sheets.
Water-colour, black and white sketches of West Indies and Channel Islands.
7 loose sheets.
Water-colour, black and white sketches of West Indies and Channel Islands +2 coloured drawings of flowers.
30 January 1770. Lieutenant with Glasgow Regiment of Foot.