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.
Copy of verbal message by Sir Thomas Cochrane for Captain Parker and taken down by Mr. Webb for Mr. Hastings. n.d.
Hastings to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. n.d. Asks for reconsideration of his case.
Blue cloth, printed.
(1) Sermon occasioned by the lamented death of the late Kirkman Finlay Esq. of Castle Toward [George Finlay's uncle], preached in Toward Chapel on Sabbath, 13 March 1842 by M. A. Mackay, Minister of Dunoon and Kilmun (Glasgow, John Smith and Son, 1842, pp. 1-40).
(2) Report of a public meeting held in Glasgow on 7 December 1842, at which it was resolved to erect a statue to the memory of the late Kirkman Finlay, Esq., of Castle Toward, Glasgow: printed in the Herald Office, pp. 1-20.
(3) loose press cuttings on various Finlays, e.g. 27 May 1873. 78th Foot. Capt. and Brevet Major John Finlay retires from the service, receiving the value of his commission.
Blue paper folder.
Press cuttings from Glasgow Herald, 10 August 1918 and 17 August 1918, and two letters from Alan Wace, 1 September 1918 and 30 September 1918. Wace refers to his letter of 8 August 1918 in The Times Literary Supplement proposing to delete Kirkman Finlay philhellene from the Dictionary of National Biography.
See FIN/A/38 [Q. 9.23] sermon on death of Kirkman Finlay of Castle Toward.
Offprint from Church Quarterly Review, 126 (1938), 68-82, presented by the author, William Miller; Article IV, 'The Centenary of the English Church in Athens'..
17 foolscap sheets, paginated, pp. 1-16. Presented by W. Miller in 1927.
Handwritten copy of correspondence in Liverpool Mail 21 July 1849, vol. 20, no. 1319, 'My Jotting Book. Sketches from Greece' by Tabakraucher [George Finlay].
[This covers a journey from Smyrna to Greece, the condition of Athens, criticism of Elgin's 'robbery' and of the Bavarians.]
Two quarto typewritten obituary notices of George Finlay from The Times, 2 February and 8 February 1875. 2 pp; 3 pp
Printed pamphlet, pp. 1-27.
Funeral Orations pronounced at the Greek cemetery of Athens on 15/27 March 1873, over the tomb of the late General Sir Richard Church by the Hon. P. Chalkiopoulos, Minister of Justice, and Mr John Gennadius, Secretary of the Legation. Athens, Press of the Journal of Debates, 1873.
[Chalkiopoulos's oration was pronounced in Greek but is given here in an English translation by Gennadius.]
News clipping on 'The State of the Continent', no date. Probably found loose in one of George Finlay's books.
News clipping on 'Lord Broughton's Italy', no date. Probably found loose in one of George Finlay's books.
News clipping on John Ruskin's Stones of Venice, Vol II, The Times, 24 September, 1853. Probably found loose in one of George Finlay's books.
News clipping on 'Wine of the Ancients,' The Athenaeum. Probably found loose in one of George Finlay's books.
Clipping on 'The Periclean age of Grecian Decorative Art' and 'The History of Ecclesiastical Architecture in England,' The Builder, 10 March, 1849. Probably found loose in one of George Finlay's books.
5 cuttings on British Columbia, Palestine, Jerusalem and Istanbul. The Times and other newspapers. 1854-1858. Probably found loose in one of George Finlay's books.
Watercolour painting of corner of ceiling of Mrs Finlay's house, Athens by W. F. Knight, an architect.
Black folder, leather spine tied top, bottom, and side, 'George Finlay' in gilt on front cover, some loose sheets. The A-E categories below have been copied from the type-written sheets in the folder.
The records in Folder A (FIN/GF/A/21/1 - FIN/GF/A/21/7) are miscellaneous papers.
The records in Folder B (FIN/GF/A/21/8 - FIN/GF/A/21/15) are passports.
The records in Folder C (FIN/GF/A/21/16 - FIN/GF/A/21/32) are diplomas, honours conferred, etc.
The records in Folder D (FIN/GF/A/21/33 - FIN/GF/A/21/40) are miscellaneous correspondence.
The records in Folder E (FIN/GF/A/21/41) are miscellaneous photographs There is a miscellaneous newspaper clipping at the end (FIN/GF/A/21/42)
George Finlay's bookplate stamp with his family crest, motto and signature.
Brown mottle boards, brown calf spine, 'MSS. George Finlay.' pasted on spine, handwritten, bound.
Various different MSS. bound together now numbered 1-22; 1 loose letter 20 June 1821 from Haldane, Glasgow, on the rules of the Institution in Glasgow for the encouragement of the Fine Arts.
(1) Observations on Heeren's Vermischte historische Schriften and Handbuch der Geschichte des europäischen Staatenssystems, written at Göttingen March 1823 (paginated 1-40).
(2) 'Notes written on my first visit to Greece in 1823 and 1824. My journal I wrote was lost and the memoranda I wrote in quarantine at Ancona must be in Glasgow with my cousin John Finlay' (3 sides unpaginated).
(3) Reflections on 'the present revolution in Greece' (42 sides unpaginated).
(4) 'Words composing the Cypher of the Sultan. The Emperor Sultan Mahmoud son of Sultan Mustapha ever victorious' (4 sides unpaginated).
(5) 'Journal of a Tour in Sicily and return through Italy to England 1825' (5 April- 6 July 1825, 36 sides unpaginated).
(6) On the state of Political Naval and Military affairs in Greece, written at Egina July 1827 (26 sides paginated 1-26).
(7) Observations on His Royal Highness Prince Leopold's Resignation of the Sovereignty of Greece by George Finlay Esqr. A note at the beginning runs: 'The following observations . . . are the fruits of a long devotion to the cause of Greece. Egina 12 July 1830' (paginated 1-28).
(8) Four letters. I. To Alex. Mavrocordatos Esqr, Secretary of State for Finance (7 sides). 15/27 June 1833, signed Προμηθεύς.
(9) II. [To the same.] (Seven sides.) Undated, signed Προμηθευς.
(10) III. [To the same]. (Ten sides.) Undated, unsigned.
(11) IV. To the Greek people. (Nine sides.) Undated, signed Prometheus.
(12) A further letter (14 sides). 'My dear Sir', ending 'Adieu' and unsigned.
(13) 'Letter on the State of the Plan of Athens, 28 May 1834. Sent to Messrs D'Eichthal Weissenberg and Masson'; written below is a note from George Finlay to Noel asking for his views on this.
(14) On need for social order in Greece (8 sides loose and paginated in part).
(15) Memorandum on the situation in Greece. Salona, April 1824 (21 sides un paginated).
(16) On the formation of regular troops in Greece. Ancona, 16 November 1826 (9 sides paginated in part).
(17) Printed notice (3 sides) : Institution in Glasgow for the encouragement of the Fine Arts, signed by George Finlay, Secretary, July 1821.
(18) Letter (loose) dated Glasgow, 20 June 1821, to George Finlay from J. Haldane [who became one of the Directors of the British School at Athens] protesting that the principles of management were not sufficiently liberal.
(19) 'On the Progress of Civil Liberty in Modern Europe' (25 sides paginated 1-25). Paper read in the Speculative Society of Glasgow, 26 March 1821.
(20) 'Some Observations on the commercial situation and policy of Great Britain' (24 sides paginated 1-24). Paper read in the Literary and Commercial Society of Glasgow, 18 April 1821.
(21) Notes on Roman Law (paginated 1-33).
(22) Notes on legal topics (6 sides unpaginated).
Mottle covers, red leather spine, enclosed in red cardboard case, paginated, pp. 1-74, some blank, bound.
George Finlay's sketch book, with pencil sketches and engravings pasted in, dated 1825 on inside cover, but dates and places range from Scotland (1820), Sicily (1825), Sardinia (1826), to Greece (1828).
Brown mottle notebook, green leather spine, handwritten, paginated, pp. 1-106, with 4 loose sheets.
Cash memorandum 1826-31.
Brown leather notebook, oblong with clasp, handwritten, book plate, pp. 1-80.
Memorandum Book, 'George Finlay in Egina or Athens
Memorandum Book. address London Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Coy
St Helens Place
Bishopsgate Street'.
This includes 'Journal of a Voyage from Athens to England 12 April to June 1832' [the entry begins on 8 April, see p. 13].
Red leather pocket book, handwritten, pp. 1-60, 61-4 are blank, bound. George Finlay's Journal 6 July-28 September 1832. [Liverpool, London, sea voyage to Athens].
Vellum, handwritten on spine 'June 1829 to April 1832', pp. 1-136+3 loose sheets of jottings.
George Finlay's Journal, 1 June 1829-10 April 1832.
Brown leather, gilt letters on spine 'Journal 3', pp. 1-260 (pp. 214-59 are blank). George Finlay's Journal, 1 January 1833-24 June 1848 [not a continuous diary; there are considerable gaps and pp. 113-15 ( = 28 May 1860) contain 'Anecdotes of George King of the Hellenes'. At the end of the book there is a note on Gordon and Church].
Red leather pocket book, handwritten, paginated, pp. 1-127. 'George Finlay's road book July 11. 1835' on inside cover. Travel notes on various journeys in Greece, scenery and route described and time taken for various parts of the journey noted.
See also FIN/GF/A/19 and George Finlay's notes in his copy of W. Gell, The Itinerary of Greece (now D. 57 in BSA Main Library).
Black-red mottle notebook, black calf spine, gilt lettering on spine 'Journal 1835', handwritten, paginated by George Finlay, pp. 1-296+some blank sheets. Loose, newspaper cutting, advertisement for Sketches of Modern Athens
Indexed by George Finlay thus:
'Statistical Questions. Journal of Expedition under the command of General Gordon against the brigands' (begins July 11, 1835).
Observations on the State of Northern Greece Geographical notes
Journal of a visit to Lioussia On the position of Aphidna
Itinerary of a ride round Hymettus
Letters from General Gordon relating to the Expedition [bound in at end]
(1) Thomas Gordon to George Finlay. Neopatra, 20 September 1835. Requesting lodging and containing news of defeat of robbers at Smochovo.
(2) Charles Soutzos [Suzzo] to George Finlay. Hypata, 15/27 September 1835. Concerning contagious fever in Athens, brigandage, and George Finlay's arrival (in French) .
(3) Thomas Gordon to George Finlay. Zeituni (Lamia), 29 September 1835.Concerning brigandage and theft and state of troops in northern Greece, illness of cousin, and expectation of recall.
(4) H. Robinson to George Finlay. Patras, 3 October 1835. Concerning brigandage and theft at Lidoriki.
(5) Thomas Gordon to George Finlay. Zeituni (Lamia), 4 October 1835. Request for arrangement of lodgings in Athens and a note concerning brigandage.
(6) Thomas Gordon to George Finlay. Livadia, 15 October 1835. Concerning ambush by brigands at Agia Marina. Expected arrival in Athens.
(7) Thomas Gordon to George Finlay. Argos, 23 May 1836. Departure, increase of brigandage in Peloponnese, and corruption in government. Remarks on brigandage in northern Greece.
(8) Thomas Gordon to George Finlay. Cairness, 27 August 1836. Letter introducing Mr. Neeld.
Memoranda of visits to the Wadi Tomlah and Canal of Suez and to the Fyoum [sic] and Lake Moeris [sic]', January, February 1846, pp. 1-12 and pp. 11 [Fayoum visit]. Loose pages at the end regarding a trip between Smyrna, Cairo and Alexandria in October 1845 as well as 2 pages (undated but possibly 1840) which appear to be written at a separate time and contain notes on Mr D.J. Mc Cauley American Consul at Tripoli which discuss the slave trade from Benghazi which includes Greek vessels which take slaves to Scios (Chios) and Smyrna.
'Cairo to Jerusalem. Jerusalem to Dead Sea and Beyrout', unpaginated, 136 pp.+ some loose.
'Memoranda' [random lists of travel requirements and notes on Egypt and Palestine+relevant bibliography] as well as notes on Syria
'Egypt. The social and political conditions of its inhabitants', pp. 1-41 + pp. 1-4 on the pyramids.
'Topography of Jerusalem', unpaginated, 46 pp.+some blanks; this also contains historical notes on Jerusalem and a hand drawn plan of the city
Resources of Syria'. Notes and observations and George Finlay's comments, unpaginated, 16 pp.
Historical Memoir on the different races of mankind who have inhabited Greece in ancient and modern times by G. Finlay, K.R.C., Member of the American Antiquarian Society, and Corresponding Member of the Archaeological Institute at Rome (41 sides large quarto).
Handwritten notes on Greek grammar in envelope addressed to George Finlay (16 sides quarto).
Letter from George Finlay on advantages of Salonica as a rail terminus for British communications with India [to 'Your Excellency', unnamed and undated] (16 sides foolscap).
Worn foolscap green paper folder 'Modern Scraps' containing odd comments and impressions of George Finlay, e.g. of Rome from Piazza di Spagna or on the merits of Greece and Rome.
'Personal notes and general reflections'. An account of a visit in 1845 to Cairo and Mehemet Ali and to Upper Egypt.
About 15 copies of single sheet (unpaginated) of proof 'Explanation of the frontispiece' [gold coin of Justinian I] (printed).
Proposed organization of the Hellenic Association 'for the promotion of Education in Greece.' (in Greek).
Proposed organisation of the Hellenic Association 'for the promotion of Education in Greece.' (in English).
Turkish document addressed to George Finlay (in Turkish).
Three copies of the Notice of George Finlay's Funeral (15 January 1875) by Nectar Finlay (in Greek).
Facsimile of document of January 1821 signed by Jeremias, Archbishop of Constantinople and Patriarch (in Greek).
Facsimile of Latin document relating to Baldwin, Count of Flanders and Hainault, with transcription.
Print from Greek Press Panagiou Taphou (1834).
England to Malta-to Mr. Finlay (George) avec son domestique from le Maire de Marez (26 June 1825).
London to Calais or Boulogne-to Captain George Finlay avec deux domestiques from the French Ambassador in London (12 October 1826).
For Smyrna-to M. Georges Finlay gentilhomme Anglais avec un domestique from Robert Gordon, British Ambassador at the Sublime Porte Ottomane (28 August 1829).
Malta to Napoli di Romania-to Mr. George Findlay (sic) aged twenty-six years a British subject from Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby, Lieut. Governor of Malta (15 October 1831).
Marseilles to Naples-to Mr. George Findlay (sic) from W. H. Richardson, Vice Consul of Great Britain for the Dept. des Bouches du Rhone (19 September 1831 ) .