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.
Notes and a letter on events in Crete, the Greek church, consumption of ammunition by Greek troops, Greek newspapers, artillery in Corinth, anecdote on English bulldogs, and the structure of the Greek court.
Letter from Gustave Deville to George Finlay, 30 May, 1866, Athens. Sends Finlay his study on the Tsakonian dialect. (previously loose in Papers Relative to the Mission of the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone to the Ionian Islands, London, 1861)
Paginated by George Finlay pp. 1-30; pp. 6bis-16, bound-up quires of handwritten lists with some newspaper cuttings pasted up, with 1 side loose listing George Finlay's donations (taken from FIN/GF/C/6).
Catalogue of Implements of Stone found in Greece in the possession of George Finlay. [Presented by R. C. Bosanquet, April 1930.]
The notes of George Finlay on inside covering sheet give details of his donations to Archaeological Society of Athens; Society of Antiquaries, Zürich ; Mr. Westropp; Albert Dumont; Sir John Lubbock Bart.; Edward J. Stevens Esq., Blackmore Museum, Salisbury; John Evans Esq., British Museum (sent to Mr. Frank Christy's Collection) ; and adds 'Detailed Account of Donations to May 1874 in General Catalogue of Coins, p. 211' [= FIN/GF/C/14 (R. 9.33)].
See also FIN/GF/C/6 for lists of donations.
Printed pamphlets and offprints.
Pamphlet. British Museum, Guide to the Christy Collection of Prehistoric Antiquities and Ethnography Temporarily Placed at 103 Victoria Street, Westminster. Printed by order of The Trustees of the British Museum, 1868, pp. 1-24.
Pamphlet. Day, Robert Jun., 'Description of a bronze figure, said to have been found at Clonmacnoïse'. [From the Journal of the Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, no. 5, January 1869, pp. 1-24+1 illustr.]
Pamphlet. Day, Robert Jun., 'On some ancient personal ornaments of glass found in Ireland'. [From the Journal of the Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, no. 6, April 1869, pp. 1-4+1 coloured plate.]
Offprint. Dumont, A., 'Collection préhistorique de M. Finlay à Athènes'. Extrait des Matériaux pour servir à l'histoire primitive et naturelle de l'homme, Toulouse, Mai 1872, pp. 1-10+2 plates. Handwritten note on outside to say that George Finlay received 22 copies on 11 June 1873+names of persons to whom 11 of these were sent.
Offprint. Hirschfeld, G., 'Athena und Marsyas, ein attisches Vasenbild in Museum zu Berlin', Zweiunddreissigstes Programm zum Winckelmannsfest der Archäologischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin, Berlin, 1872, pp. 1-16+2 plates.
Offprint. Imhoof-Blumer, Fr., 'Die Flügelgestalten der Athena und Nike auf Münzen', Vienna, 1871, pp. 1-52 +1 plate. [Reprinted from C. W. Huber's Numismatische Zeitschrift, iii, 1871.] Includes loose visiting card of Imhoof-Blumer. Handwritten note on front cover: 'à Monsieur George Finlay hommage de l'auteur F. Imhoof-Blumer.'
Offprint. Lüders, O., 'Eros im Brautgemach'. [From Archäologische Zeitung, Neue Falge, Bd. vi, 1873, pp. 1-4+1 plate.]
Offprint. Nicolucci, M., 'L'âge de la pierre dans les provinces napolitaines'. [Extrait des comptes rendus du Congrès international d' anthropologie et d' archéologie préhistoriques, Bologna, 1871, pp. 1-32.] With a note inside: à Monsieur G. Finlay hommage de l'auteur.' WIth 2 loose pencil drawings of stone implements.
Pamphlet. [George Finlay], 'On certain disputed positions in the topography of Athens'. Read at the Royal Society of Literature on the 14th and 28th of May, 1835, pp. 1-43. 'This Paper has been printed uniformly with the "Additional Notes" of "the Topography of Athens", with a view to its being bound up with that work.'
Pamphlet. Sutherland, G., Outlines of Scottish Archaeology, Edinburgh, Edmonston and Douglas, 1870, pp. iv+63+illustrations in text.
Printed extract. 'Les forteresses de la Sicyonie et le temple d'Esculape à Titané. (Extrait d'un journal).' [This is pp. 21-30 taken from Monumens de la Sicyonie et de Titané and is signed 'Athènes, février, 1840. L. R.']
Periodical.
(1) 'Matériaux pour l'histoire primitive et naturelle de l'homme', Revue mensuelle illustrée, Toulouse, 2nd ser., vol. 6, fasc. 1, 1875, pp. 1-48.
(2) Fasc. 2, 1875, pp. 49-96 (uncut).
Periodical. Anzeiger für Schweizerische Altertumskunde, Zürich, vol. 5 (1872), pp. 303-98; vol. 6
(1873), pp. 399-486; vol. 7 (1874) [no. 1 only], pp. 487-506.
Green folder with cloth case (broken), green leather spine, gilt lettering on front and on spine 'Schlieman's [sic] Discoveries at Troy'.
Excavations at Troy, photographs, plans and notes by George Finlay, newspaper cuttings (much rubbed).
Letters (loose) and a paper folder (bound together) labelled 'Translation of Dr von Hahn's Researches at the Troad and correspondence'.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 8 May 1859. Discusses his railway project. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 16 June 1861. His book on his journey from Belgrade to Thessalonica; discussion of title and Academy's procrastination. Asks George Finlay to review it in Athenaeum. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 12 January 1862. Congratulates George Finlay on his latest historical work. Is going to send him news of his discovery on the genesis of the Ionian column. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 8 June 1862. Is leaving Syra to visit Zante and Cephalonia; asks George Finlay to write to him in Jena. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 14 April 1863. Thanks George Finlay for his letter and shares his views on the miserable condition of Greece. Compares the condition of the Albanians, Serbs, and Bulgarians, 'half barbarians'. Divisions determined by religion rather than nationality. Nature of Turkish rule and strength of Roman and Byzantine traditions. Importance of Constantinople as a cultural centre. Reasons for maintaining the status quo in Turkey. Proposed journey to the rivers Drin and Vardar. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 23 May 1863. Thanks George Finlay for group of Greek historians, though light is bad. Conditions in Syra. Progress of his work; proposed Albanian journey. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 2 August 1863. Progress of his Albanian journey, now swollen to an expedition of 6 men. Hopes that his collection of fairy stories is now through the press. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 28 February 1864. Warm thanks for loan of Leake's Asia Minor. Is again working on topography of the Troad and Homer. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 1 March 1864. Is returning Leake; agrees with his views on the Troad. Is still working on the topography. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 6 March 1864. Thanks George Finlay for Mure and Mauduit; discusses various relevant works needed. Problem of Bunarbaschi. Will gladly exchange views with Mr Nikolaides. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 26 July 1864. Thanks George Finlay for the trouble which he has taken over translating his work on the Troad; suggests various corrections of detail. He will leave choice of journal to George Finlay, but thinks the London archaeological journal the only suitable one. He has to return regretfully to the land of the Drin and Vardar. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 12 August 1864. Returns Mauduit; would like to keep Mure longer. Hopes to meet von Prokesch-Osten in the Troad. In Gothic script.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 28 August 1864. Returns Mure. Has been occupied with his Albanian journey. Discusses relation between Iliad and Odyssey. Thanks George Finlay for his help in publishing his work. Finds the format for the plan too small. A notice in the Athenaeum would be useful; and in The Times. The explosive European atmosphere.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 31 August 1864. Thanks George Finlay for his translation; problems of publication.
Baron Johann Georg von Hahn to George Finlay. Syra, 4 October 1864. Is occupied with his Albanian work; difficulty of finding any adequate maps. Discusses Mendere-Skamander problem. Problems of publication.
Herbert to George Finlay. Athens, 14 November 1864. Regrets having missed George Finlay when he called. Is being posted to Stockholm, but will visit George Finlay for last time. Hahn wishes to borrow Ellissen's 'Eroberung von Morea' (in French).
Herbert to George Finlay. n.d. [1864]. Communication and manuscript from von Hahn has not yet arrived (in French).
Bunarbaschi, 16 May 1864. English translation of von Hahn's account of his researches at Pergamus and in the Troad, paginated 1-23+5 blanks.
Bunarbaschi, Syra, 1 June 1864, paginated 1-34+ 1-6, English translation.
Extract from von Hahn's Ausgrabung auf Pergamos, unpaginated (in German).
Black cloth, 'Swiss Antiquities' on spine in gilt, handwritten notes, printed pamphlets and cuttings pasted in, with 9 loose letters and papers, paginated pp. 1-147, bound. Includes loose note by Joan Hussey that something is missing betwen p1 and p21.
Contents listed by George Finlay as follows:
Contents of this Volume
How Indians make Stone Arrowheads from Mr Maltby
Stone Instruments and relics in Mr Finlay's possession
Dighton Sculptured rock Massachusetts
Prehistoric Times by Sir John Lubbock (Athenaeum)
Denmark in the early Iron age by Conrad Engelhardt (The Times)
The Lake Dwellings of Switzerland by Ferdinand Keller (The Times)
Letter from Mr Sharman (The Times)
Prehistoric Canada
Die Pfahlbau Alterthümer in Moosseedorf im Canton Bern von Alb Jahn und Joh Uhlmann Bern 1857
Die Keltische Alterthümer der Schweiz von Alb Jahn with plate. Bern 1860
Extracted from the Swiss Newspaper Der Bund
Die Schweizerischen Pfahlbauten der ältesten Zeit von H. Runge
Discoveries in the Swiss lakes Saturday Review by Mr Freeman
Works of Art by primeval man in Europe, Evening Mail
Ethnological Society and Anthropological Society
Treasure Trove by Godfrey Faussett The Times Do by John Evans
Discovery of a manufactory of Stone implements 1864
Letter G. Finlay to Athenaeum on Stone implements 1867
The Great French Exhibition The Times Oct 11, 17. 1867
The Primitive inhabitants of Scandinavia by Sven Nilsen
Falconer's Paleontological Memoirs. The Times April 16. 1868
Opening of a tumulus on the Yorkshire wolds Oct 2. 1867
Mammoths preserved in ice Lake dwelling in Loch Arisaig
Ethnological research and criticism Roman remains at Malton
The Wroxeter Excavations
The Mammoth Cave of Kentucky
Antique treasure trove and Stone implements near York
The Treasure trove of Hildesheim
Letter to the Editor of The Athenaeum June 5. 1869 with <ι>Παρατηρήσεις
Observations on this letter in The Athenaeum
Archeology in England
M.S. Observations on Prehistoric Archaiology in Switzerland and Greece by George Finlay LL.D. Athens 1869 M.S. printed
Wood cuts of specimens in George Finlay's collection
M.S. Observations by Mr von Heldreich on draft of Observations
Collection of Swiss antiquities presented by G. Finlay to the Archaiological Society of Athens
Stone implements found in Greece presented by G. Finlay to the Archaiological Society of Athens
List of Objects sent by Dr Uhlmann to the Archaiological Society and Dr F. Keller's memoirs
Swiss Antiquities of the Stone period in the collection of George Finlay
Instruments of Bone and Horn
From Palestine
Discoveries at Santorin (Thera)
Greek Collection of Mr Finlay. Observations on material of implements
List of the members of the Archaeological Society of Ireland with the publications 1845
Letters and printed note on canton of Solothurn.
(1) T. von Heldreich to George Finlay. 25 March 1869.
Sends 22 'pieces' (stone objects) to George Finlay for the sum of 150 dr. (in French, loose). 3 pp.
(2) George Finlay to Editor of Athenaeum, London. Athens, 10 July 1867.
Account of stone celts found in Greece by George Finlay with sketches (inserted in Athenaeum, 3 August 1867, pp. 147 ff. bound in, pp. 27-30). 4 pp.
(3) T. von Heldreich to George Finlay. 30 September 1870.
Re supplementary payment for stone objects (in French, loose, inserted at p. 57). 2 pp.
(4) George Finlay to Editor of Athenaeum, 20 Wellington St., Strand, London, W.C. Athens, 5 June 1869.
Re similarity of Stone Age implements found in Greece and Switzerland (published in Athenaeum, 25 June 1869, bound in, pp. 77-8). 2 pp.
(5) Albert Dumont to George Finlay. Athens, n.d. (inserted with material of 1869).
Re discovery of lake dwellings in Macedonia (in French, stuck in at p. 82). 2 pp.
(6) M. Scinas, Chief Librarian of National Library, Athens, Curator of the Numismatic Museum, to George Finlay. 26 May/7 June 1869.
Acknowledges gift of George Finlay's observations on prehistoric archaeology in Switzerland and Greece (in Greek; loose, at p. 87). 1 p.
(7) C. K. Tuckermann to George Finlay. Athens, 4 June 1869.
Acknowledges gift of archaeological pamphlet; hopes to visit George Finlay's collection of antiquities. Comments on England's friendship for Greece; absorption of Turkey by Russia, and integrity of Greece (loose, at p. 87). 4 pp.
(8) C. K. Tuckermann to George Finlay. Athens, n.d. (inserted with 1869 material).
Requests copies of George Finlay's pamphlet on archaeological remains in Switzerland and Greece to send to the Historical Society and to friends. Note on a passage in Stanhope's Greece on the total Greek population 1823-4 (loose, at p. 87). 2 pp.
(9) Baron de Bonstetten to George Finlay. Eichenbühl, près Thoune (Suisse), 21 July n.y. Asks for information on Greek bronze objects found in tombs (in French, loose; at end). 4 pp.
(10) George Finlay to C. Lyall, Foreign Secretary to the Geological Society, London. Athens, 25 February 1837.
Sends Geological Society of London duplicates of fossil bones discovered by George Finlay at Pikermi in Attica (loose at end). 3 pp.
(11) Sir Edmund Lyons to George Finlay. Athens, 24 February, 1837.
Re transport of box with duplicates of fossil bones to England (loose at end). 3 pp.
(12) Printed note on canton of Solothurn (loose at end).
Faded royal blue cloth, gilt letters 'Prehistoric Archaiology' on front cover, bound.
(1) Letter 26 February 1870 from George Finlay's cousin Alec S. Finlay from Glenormiston with acknowledgement (in Greek) from Melbourne Public Library of George Finlay's pamphlet: 'Paratereseis epi tes en Helvetia kai Helladi Prohistorikes Archiologias kupo [sic] Georgiou Finlau en Athenais--,-1869- .'
(2) Printed pamphlet, A. Dumont, 'Collection préhistorique de M. Finlay à Athènes', Extrait de Matériaux pour servir à l'histoire primitive et naturelle de l'homme, Mai, 1872, Toulouse, pp. 1-10.
(3) Pamphlet in Greek referred to in (1), pp. 1-22.
(4) Printed list unpaginated [pp. 1-9] entitled 'Objects found in Greece in the collection of George Finlay', Ἀντικεíμενα εὑπεθέντα ἐν Ἑλλάδι ἐν τῇ αυλλογῇ τοῦ κυρίου Γεωργίου Φίνλαι
Handwritten, 1 sheet quarto+small octavo, pp.3-8.
'Archaeological discoveries at Athens, 16 April 1862.' To Editor of Athenaeum, 17 April 1862.
Mottle board, bound, brown calf spine and corners. 'Miscellany M.S.' gilt lettering on spine, paginated by George Finlay, pp. 1-203+pp. 2-67 (= Cameniates which begins on p. 203), bound.
Contents listed by George Finlay on flyleaf:
On the Chronology of the Medes by Major General Gordon
Two visits to Anapaea above Thermopylae by Major General Gordon [see printed pamphlet FIN/GF/E/56 (R. 9. 5.)]
On the topography of Oropia and Diacria
On the battle of Marathon by George Finlay
On pieces of obsidian (usually called Persian arrowhead) found in the tumulus at Marathon
Memoir read in the Society of National History of Athens on presenting a collection of fossil bones found in Attica 1/13 December 1836
Memorandum relating to the column of Minerva Polias and the caryatid 1840
Letter to Dr. Emil Braun [1840 Arch. Inst. Rome] on scarabaeus and choragic inscription
Letter from Dr Braun on 4 gems in George Finlay's collection
Parts of Greece in which Albanian is the vernacular tongue
A historical account of the Canal which connected the Nile and the Red Sea in ancient times
Authorities proving that the small statue of Venus in Mr Finlay's collection is a copy of the Venus of Praxiteles
Translation from the Greek. John Cameniates one of the clergy and Kou boukleisios (or chaplain of the imperial palace). Narrative of the taking of Thessalonica by the Saracens [continued as pp. 2-67]
Loose: 2 lists of regions and towns in Greece where Albanian is spoken.