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.
Charles Keating Tuckermann to George Finlay. Athens, 8 December 1870. Agricultural problems of Greece; need for roads; a surfeit of selfish foreign counsellors; the Great Idea.
Ferdinand Keller to George Finlay. Antiquarische Gesellschaft, Zürich, 26 March 1871. Troubles provoked by Franco-German antagonisms in Zürich. Regrets George Finlay's ill-health, a warm welcome awaits him should he visit Zürich to avoid summer heat in Athens. George Finlay's collection and work on the Stone Age. Benndorf's work on vases and stelae (in German). With old paper enclosure.
Albert Dumont to George Finlay. rue Jacob 50, Paris, 20 May [1871]. Apologies for failure to take leave of George Finlay in Athens on account of his illness. His 7 months' travel in Thrace and Constantinople. Inquires where copies of George Finlay's article on coins of Achaean League can be obtained (in French).
Charles Keating Tuckermann to George Finlay. Athens, 12 June 1871. Reference to notes written by George Finlay.
Miss Winifred M. Wyse to George Finlay. Ballinlough Castle, C. T. Delvin, Co. Westmeath, 31 August 1871. Local news. The Prince in Ireland. Alarm at Prusso-Austrian alliance. Greece and the 'Grande ldée'.
Lady (Georgina) Sebright to George Finlay. British Consulate, Corfu, 8 April 1872. Sends her book to George Finlay. Comments on the superiority of Serbian economy and order to that of Greek. With old paper enclosure.
Lady (Georgina) Sebright to George Finlay. Corfu, March, 1873. Appreciation of George Finlay's wisdom derived from long experience in the East. George Finlay's letters much valued. Glad that he is 'fairly well . . . talking and thinking with as clear a head as ever'. Life in the Sebright household. Mining at Sunion. Orthodox Church of Bulgaria, geographical limits of Bulgarian population, and Greek policy toward Bulgaria. Praise of present Nomarch of Corfu, Dimitri Kazako, and Director of Police, Zangarola. Inadequacy of Sir Charles's salary. With old paper enclosure.
The Revd. George William Cox to George Finlay. The Knoll, Farnborough, Hants, 3 February 1874. Possibility of Greek translation of C's Tales of Ancient Greece. His History of Greece about to be published. Will gladly send copies to George Finlay and Professor C. Paparregopoulos. WIth envelope.
Amy M. Pennethorne to George Finlay. 76 Charlesworth Street West, S.W., 24 June 1874. George Finlay's niece thanks him for her wedding present; personal news. With old paper enclosure.
Jacques Argyropoulo to Mrs. F. 10 February n.y. Regrets unable to visit George Finlay (in French).
Benthylos to George Finlay. n.d. Knows that George Finlay has refused ambassadors but desires to borrow 'the demes' for 2 days only (in French).
John Stuart Blackie to George Finlay. 43 Castle St., Edinburgh, 23 February n.y. To introduce William George Clark of Trinity College, Cambridge, who is visiting Athens.
Professor John Stuart Blackie to George Finlay. 43 Castle St., Edinburgh, 5 March n.y. To introduce Mr. Cunningham who comes to visit 'your holy places'.
Miss Blackler to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks George Finlay for sending Saturday Review with article on modern poetry. She values his 'delightful note' with his autograph more than anything she has seen in Athens.
C. Blouet to George Finlay. Athens, 27 November n.y. Thanks for loan of pamphlet (in French). With old paper enclosure.
Canon C. M. Church to George Finlay. n.d. Asks to borrow Wordsworth's Athens and Attica.
Canon C. M. Church to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks for George Finlay's pamphlet and Wordsworth. Regrets that George Finlay was out when he called; is visiting Aegina tomorrow. With old paper enclosure.
R. C. Church to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks George Finlay for loan of articles.
William George Clark to George Finlay. Trinity College, Cambridge, 28 February n.y. Discusses distribution of George Finlay's book in England. Possibility of publishing Sgoutas' inscriptions; qualifications of Koumanoudes. Personal news.
William George Clark to George Finlay. Athens, 3 July n.y. [1856] Accepts invitation to visit George Finlay. Hopes his lumbago abates.
William George Clark to George Finlay. Therapia, 3 August n.y. [1856] Expresses gratitude for many kindnesses. Account of his journey to Constantinople.
William George Clark to George Finlay. Constantinople, 7 August n.y. [1856] Hopes to visit Athens; his plans for travel in Aegean.
William George Clark to George Finlay. 10 April n.y. [?1861]. Introducing A. H. Clough who is to tour Greece. Regrets George Finlay's indisposition. Thanks him for kindness to H. A. J. Munro. 3 pp. [cf. 105].
Frances Power Cobbe to George Finlay. 12 November n.y. [? 1859]. Family news. Literary and historical taste in England.
Frances Power Cobbe to George Finlay. Genoa, 18 April n.y. [? 1859]. To introduce Baron Schmidt Hals appointed Prussian Chargé d'Affaires in Athens. Refers to George Finlay's kindness to her and her article 'A Day in Athens'. Family news.
Commandant en Chef, Station Navale de Levant et Corps expéditionnaire de Grèce to George Finlay. n.d. Invitation to be present at Piraeus embarkation regatta (in French).
Albert Dumont, Membre de l'Ecole Française d'Athènes, to George Finlay. Athens, n.d. Sends an antique weight and a little axe which Noel has given him for George Finlay (with two visiting cards) (in French).
David Dundas to George Finlay. n.d. Note arranging excursion to Pentelikon with George Finlay.
David Dundas to George Finlay. n.d. Thanks George Finlay for presents of coins and arrowheads.
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.