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Letterbook Jan 1837-Nov 1849

Department Archive
Collection George Finlay Papers
Reference No. FIN/GF/B/02
Level Item
Dimensions 21 X 25 cm
Dates 20 January 1837 - 28 November 1849
Donor/Creator Finlay, George
Scope and Content Blue mottle boards, brown calf spine, 'Correspondence' on spine, bound, pp. 1-70+4 loose items (9, 31, 40, 58), handwritten. Letter book 20 January 1837-28 November 1849.

(1) (pp. 9-10) George Finlay to J. Backhouse, Under-secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 29 January 1837.
Greek agricultural law and taxes imposed by Greek government on acorn crops in private ownership; George Finlay's apology for trouble caused to Palmerston on this subject.
(2) (p. 10) George Finlay to Sir Edmund Lyons. 29 January 1837. Expresses esteem for L.
(3) (pp. 10-11) George Finlay to E. [?C.] Lyall, Foreign Department of the Geological Society, Somerset House, London. 25 February 1837.
Sends duplicates of fossil bones found by George Finlay at Pikermi; the originals are in Museum of Natural History at Athens; topographical remarks on the place of discovery; hopes for complete excavation.
(4) (p. 12) George Finlay to Major General Schmaltz, Minister of War. 31 May 1837. George Finlay's petition to resign as Major 'à la suite' (in French).
(5) (pp. 12-13) George Finlay to Rudhart, Minister of King's Household and of Foreign Relations. 16 June 1837.
Thanks king for receipt of Gold Cross of the 'Chevalier de Son ordre royal du Sauveur' conferred in consideration of services to Greece (in French).
(6) (p. 13) George Finlay to David Dundas, Brookes's Club, London. 21 June 1837.
State of Greece; Austria's influence provokes Rudhart's fall; Greek loan remains unpaid; financial difficulties of Greek government.
(7 and 8) (pp. 13-14) George Finlay to Baron de Stengel, Secretary of the King's House. 10/22 June 1837. 2 July 1837.
Two letters re indemnity for damages caused by Councillor Frey, tenant of George Finlay's house (in French).
(9) (p. 15) George Finlay to Sir Edmund Lyons, H. M. Minister Plenipotentiary in Greece. 2 August 1837.
Re title deeds of George Finlay's houses in Athens deposited in archives of British Legation.
(10 and 11) (pp. 17-18) George Finlay to Director of Archaeological Institute at Rome, and to Emilio Braun, Secretary of the Institute. 19 May 1838.
Two letters of thanks for election as Corresponding Member of Institute. Promise to send notices of Attic topography and of Persian arrowheads.
(12) (p. 19) George Finlay to Messrs. Burdin and Co., Milan. 6 September 1838. Order for plants (in French).
(13) (p. 20) George Finlay to Mr. Roberts, Syra. 18 September 1838.
Account of archaeological activity in Greece since Revolution.
(14) (p. 20) George Finlay to Sir Edmund Lyons. 22 September 1838.
Requests assistance in obtaining indemnity for property occupied by Greek government.
(15) (pp. 20-2) George Finlay to Chevalier de Heidenstam. 29 September 1838.
Difficulty of obtaining indemnity for land on which Royal Printing Office has been built, in which George Finlay has a two-fifths share, H three-fifths; George Finlay is applying to British Legation for support (in French).
(16) (p. 23) George Finlay to General T. Gordon. 14 October 1839.
Regrets inability to keep agreement to rent G a room in house at Liossia; returns G's payment with interest and hopes that G will not take the legal action threatened.
(17) (p. 25) George Finlay to Chevalier de Heidenstam. 7 April 1840.
George Finlay agrees to concede rights over land at Stadion St. in return for 6,000 dr. (in French).
(18) (p. 25) George Finlay to Director of Archaeological Institute at Rome. 21 May 1840. Again expresses appreciation of nomination as Corresponding Member of the Institute (cf. nos. 10 and 11 , above) ; failure to dispatch regular communications due to lack of material.
(19) (p. 26) George Finlay to Emilio Braun, Secretary of Archaeological Institute at Rome. 21 May 1840.
Will send archaeological communications from Greece when possible, though at present little activity in history, archaeology, or fine arts and Archaeological Society is not very flourishing. Regrets that Ross is not at present a member of it.
(20) (pp. 26-7) George Finlay to Rejoice Newton, Secretary of the American Antiquarian Society. 22 May 1840.
Expresses gratitude for diploma and election as member of the A.A. Society.
(21) (p. 27) George Finlay to Governor of Attica. 30 May 1840.
Re illegal usage of pasture ground at Maounais belonging to George Finlay as part of the tchiflik at Liossia (in French).
(22) (pp. 28-9) George Finlay to E. Braun. 9 August 1840.
Re two scarabs with inscriptions, found at Egina. Regret at the sudden death at Delphi of Chevalier C. O. Muller of Göttingen.
(23) (p. 30) George Finlay to John Green. 12 September 1840.
English church in Athens intended for divine service according to Church of England but property should be vested in representatives of British government.
(24) (pp.30--3) George Finlay to Robert Pashley (c/o J. Murray, Albemarle St., London). 5 April 1841. Requests interest in Cretan cause; examination of Cretan problem; need to assist Cretan population.
(25) (p. 33) George Finlay to Secretary of Natural History Society of Greece. 7/25 March 1841. George Finlay's resignation from Society (in Greek).
(26) (p. 33) George Finlay to Chief Royal Forester of Attica. Athens, 3/15 May 1841. Agreement for felling timber on George Finlay's property at Liossia.
(27) (pp. 34-5) George Finlay to Sir Edmund Lyons. 30 August 1841. Disputes re boundaries of George Finlay's property at Liossia.
(28) (p. 36) George Finlay to Mimis, Secretary to Ministry of Finance. 24 January 1842. Requests ratification of agreement signed before a notary concerning George Finlay's land at Piraeus.
(29) (pp. 36-7) George Finlay to Sir Edmund Lyons. 25 January 1842.
Requests L's intervention Greek government to obtain indemnity for Finlay's land taken to form part of the Royal Palace ground.
(30) (p. 38) George Finlay to Minister of War. 21 March/2 April 1842.
Asks whether dispatch of diploma and medal conferred by King Otho can be expedited owing to his imminent department (in French).
(31) (16-page notebook, loose at pp. 38-9).
List of letters sent 29 July 1842-23 August 1843.
(32) (p. 39) George Finlay to Sir Edmund Lyons. 16 April 1844. Claim for indemnity. See no. 29.
(33) (pp. 40-1) George Finlay to the Revd. J. H. Hill. 21 July 1844.
Re administration and upkeep of Protestant cemetery in Athens and adequate remuneration of custodian.
(34) (p. 42) George Finlay to Philip Green, London. 27 August 1844.
Mistake in books dispatched to George Finlay; request to exchange these for others on list enclosed.
(35) (p. 43) George Finlay to John Green, Manager of the Commercial Bank of Piraeus at Patras. 14 September 1844.
George Finlay offers no observations as Inspector of Accounts on G's arrangements with Gordon.
(36) (pp. 42-3) George Finlay to Gen. Sir Richard Church. 18 September 1844.
Announcement of Hane's death; caustic criticism of Mavrocordatos's treatment of him; Greek government should assist family.
(37) (pp. 43-5) George Finlay to C. H. Bracebridge, Atherston, Warwickshire. 25 September 1844.
Hope that Chadwick's proposal for water supply of Athens will be accepted by municipality or government. Criticism of Greek politicians; political state of Greece; reasons for Mavrocordatos's unpopularity; his unjust behaviour to Hane. Lyons's failure to assist Hane.
(38) (p. 46) George Finlay to Edward Masson, Judge of the Supreme Court of Greece. 24 January 1845.
George Finlay condemns apparent accusation against M in Morning Post.
(39) (p. 47) George Finlay to James MacGregor, Banker, Liverpool. 18 September 1845.
Sends first part of his work on Greece for publication; he hopes to make his next on Syria, Palestine, and Egypt.
(40) (loose between p. 48 and p. 49) Aristides [George Finlay] to the editor of the Liverpool Courier.
Athens, 6 February 1845.
Denounces H. W. Dewhurst for publishing Professor Young's 'Analytical lecture on Gray's Elegy' as his own.
(41) (p. 49) George Finlay to John Green. Athens, 14 May 1846.
Re G's tenancy of George Finlay's house.
(42) (pp. 50-2) George Finlay to John Blaikie, Advocate, Aberdeen. Athens, 9 June 1846.
George Finlay has found books of the Commercial Bank of Athens under the management of John Green to be in order. Detailed inspection of Patras branch would necessitate personal visit. Ionian Bank has established agency at Athens and may compete with Commercial Bank. Insecurity of property in Greece and deterioration of Law Courts.
(43 and 43a) (p. 53) George Finlay to C. H. Bracebridge, Athenaeum Club, London. 9 June 1846, 30 June 1846.
Two letters re George Finlay's essay on the various races in ancient and modern Greece.
(44) (p. 53) George Finlay to Mr. Moussouri, Corfu. 1/13 September 1846.
Re payment of George Finlay's debt to Miss Theonitza.
(45) (pp. 53-6) George Finlay to John Blaikie, Advocate, Aberdeen. Athens, 18 September 1846. After careful inspection of account of Commercial Bank George Finlay considers that Mr. Green should separate management of Commercial Bank from agency of Ionian Bank; details reasons for this recommendation.
(46) (p. 57) George Finlay to C. Moussouri, Corfu. Athens, 18 September 1846. George Finlay's difficulties as trustee re transfer of sum owed to M's wife.
(47) (p. 58) George Finlay to J. Green, Manager of the Commercial Bank. 23 October 1846. Asking for copies of balance sheet of Commercial Bank and list of overdue bills.
(48) (p. 58) George Finlay to James Robertson, Smyrna. 30 October 1846.
Re unsuitability of either George Finlay or Green to be managers of Commercial Bank since they are both small shareholders.
(49) (p. 58) George Finlay to John Green, Manager of Commercial Bank. 28 October 1846.
As shareholder of Commercial Bank Finlay protests at G's failure to supply documents requested; G's duty to call a meeting of shareholders.
(50) (pp. 59-60) George Finlay to John Blaikie, Advocate, Aberdeen. Athens, 31 October 1846. George Finlay sends copy of his correspondence with Green, manager of Commercial Bank. G's hostility due to George Finlay's opposition to proposed union of Ionian and Commercial Banks. George Finlay hopes Directors will wish him to retain his Inspectorship of the Accounts of the Bank; if not he wishes to sell his shares.
(51) (pp. 60-1) George Finlay to John Green, Manager of the Commercial Bank of Piraeus. Athens, 31 October 1846.
George Finlay again requests permission to inspect books and accounts of Commercial Bank as Inspector of Accounts and a shareholder.
(52) (p. 63) George Finlay to W. Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh. 30 March 1847.
Has already sent a paper on Belisarius and now encloses 'Crossing the desert'.
(53) (p. 65) George Finlay to Soutsos, Nomarch of Attica and Boeotia. Athens, 23 July/4 August 1847.
Sends his resignation from District Council for reasons of health (in Greek).
(54) (pp. 65-6) George Finlay to Andrikos Raphiou Politis. Athens, 20 September 1847. George Finlay repudiates legal claims of his neighbour (in Greek).
(55) (p. 66) George Finlay to Philip J. Green, London. 19 November 1842.
Re dispatch of magazines and books.
(56) (p. 67) George Finlay to John Green, English Consul, Athens. Athens, 14/26 February 1848.
Re parcel sent from London which has not yet reached him.
(57) (p. 68) George Finlay to A. R. Rangabes, Secretary of Archaeological Society of Athens. November 1848.
Expresses gratitude for diploma and nomination as Corresponding Member of Archaeological Society; George Finlay's financial contribution to the Society (in Greek).
(58) (loose at pp. 68-9)
Copy of no. 56 with letter in English to George Finlay.
(59) (pp. 69-70) George Finlay to Nast, Bookseller, Athens. 28 August 1848.
Re failure to send books and defects in those already received.
Notes 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.