RAI. Predynastic Research Committee (A21)

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Papers and correspondence on the Fayum and Kharga Oasis Expeditions, 1927-76.

See also A10/4/2/2 for the application to the Egyptian Department of Antiquities for permission to excavate in the Fayum.

1/    Fayum Expedition 1927-8 (Third season)

  1    Receipts from all sources – list of names of personal contributors and public bodies and sums contributed. 6 leaves (holograph by G. Caton-Thompson [GCT])

  2    Expenditure. 1 leaf (ibid.)
The first two seasons, 1924-5 and 1925-6 were on behalf of the British School in Egypt. See ‘Recent excavations in the Fayum’ by G. Caton-Thompson, Man, No. 80, July 1928, pp. 109-13; and The Desert Fayum by G. Caton-Thompson and E.W. Gardner, 2 vols. RAI, 1934 [copy at A114/13/1/7]

 2/    Kharga Oasis 1930-2

  1    1930 subscription forms and letters, 1-105

Subscription forms generally not dated. Letters to either G.D. Hornblower, Hon. Treasurer, or Miss K.M. Martindell, Assistant Secretary, unless otherwise stated.

  1    The Dowager Lady Acland
  2    Dame Adelaide Anderson, 19 June
  3    E.W. Gardner [EWG] sends anonymous donation, 17 Apr.
  4    Gilbert Archey, Auckland Institute & Museum, 26 Aug.
  5    Receipt for A21/2/1/4, 20 Nov.
  6    C.M. Baker
  7    H.I. Bell, British Museum
  8    H.A. Lake Barnett
  9    Secretary, British Association for the Advancement of Science
 10    EWG sends donation from M.C. Burkitt, 10 Feb.
 11    EWG sends donation from E.M. Canning Eyre, 28 May
 12    Prof. V.G. Childe, 1 Aug. (holograph)
 13    Dr Stella Churchill, 15 Oct.
 14    E.M. Courthope, 3 Sep.
 15    O.G.S. Crawford
 16    A.B. Dale, 26 May
 17    O.W. Darch, 17 Mar.
 18    EWG sends donation or subscription from Lady Darwin, 10 Apr.
 19    Miss Ruth Darwin
 20    EWG sends donation or subscription from Miss I.M. Drummond
 21    Miss A.V. Duttine
 22    George Eumorfopoulos
 23    Exeter College, Oxford, 23 June
 24    Mrs G.A. Falk
 25    P.J. Fawcett
 26    Gerald M. Fitzgerald, 4 Mar.
 27    N.B. de Lancey Forth
 28    G. Robert Gair
 29    G.A. Garfitt, 16 Feb.
 30    Ibid.
 31    Miss D.A.E. Garrod
 32    EWG sends donation from Mrs Giles
 33    G.W. Grabham, Khartoum to EWG, 21 Oct.
 34    J.R. Wilson-Haffenden
 35    Mrs J. Macalister Hall
 36    Mrs E.M. Hannes
 37    M.C. Burkitt sends donation from W.H. Haslam
 38    Miss M. Haviland
 39    G.D. Hornblower
 40    Emslie J. Horniman, 14 Jan. (holograph)
 41    N.L.C. Hurle & Mrs J.C. Hurle
 42    K. Jex-Blake
 43    Alec Keiller
 44    L.C. Kempson
 45    Lt. Col. H.H.G. Knapp
 46    Casper J. Kraemer, New York City
 47    Denis P. Kyticas, Cairo
 48    The Hon. A. Hilda Kitson
 49    Helen E. Lacy
 50    Miss Winifred Lamb, 6 Oct.
 51    L.S.B. Leakey
 52    Mrs E.G. Lee
 53    Miss E.R. Lee
 54    Museums Committee, Liverpool
 55    Dorothy Jordan Lloyd
 56    Richard C.E. Long
 57    A. Thomas Loyd
 58    EWG sends donation from Charles Mackintosh
 59    Manchester Museum
 60    Ibid., 4 Feb.
 61    Miss M.L. Mathieson
 62    Robert Mond
 63    Ibid., 13 June
 64    Miss Guenevere F. Morton
 65    George I. Nathan
 66    Newnham College, Cambridge, 14 Oct.
 67    Miss W. Nettlefold
 68    W.H. Ostler for Museums Committee, Halifax
 69    Miss M.M. Partridge
 70    M[arietta] Pallis
 71    EWG sends subscription from Mr Pendlebury, British School at Athens
 72    Percy Sladen Memorial Fund, 27 Oct.
 73    Giles T. Pilcher
 74    Miss R. M. Pitt
 75    Mrs Victoria Prestage
 76    H. Preston
 77    J.P. Preston
 78    Oscar C. Raphael
 79    Juliet Reckitt, 17 Oct. (holograph)
 80    EWG on illegible signature (Samuel) 4 Mar.
 81    EWG sends subscriptions from Mrs Russell and Mr Logan Pearsall Smith, 17 June
 82    G.S. Hornblower sends donation from Dr R.N. Salaman
 83    Mrs Dorothy Samuel
 84    A.H. Sayce
 85    R.U. Sayce
 86    Prof. & Mrs C.G. Seligmann
 87    Miss Annette Smith
 88    Ibid.
 89    Society of Antiquaries of London, 17 Oct.
 90    EWG sends subscriptions/donations from Posun Yun, South African Association of University Women, and Lady Darwin
 91    South African Association of University Women
 92    EWG sends second cheque from South African Association of University Women
 93    Ivan S. Spain, 6 Oct.
 94    P. Sidney Spokes
 95    Dorothy M. Stewart
 96    Ernest S. Thomas, Pitt Rivers Museum
 97    M.L. Tildesley
 98    Vereeniging tot Bevordering der Kennis van de Antieke Beschaving, The Hague
 99    Ibid., 14 June
100    Cecil White, 17 Feb. (holograph)
101    Ibid., 1 Mar. (holograph)
102    Lt. Col. H.C.B. Wilson
103    J.M. Wordie
104    Posun Yun
105    E.F. Zuydhoek

See ‘Royal Anthropological Institute’s Prehistoric Research Expedition to Kharga Oasis, Egypt: preliminary outline of the season’s work’ by G. Caton-Thompson, Man, No. 91, May 1931, pp. 77-84

  2    1931 letters including a few subscription forms, 1-67

  1    Adelaide Anderson, 18 June
  2    EWG sends subscription/donation from Auckland Museum, 29 Sept.
  3    C.M. Baker, 18 June
  4    Reid Trust
  5    H.I. Bell
  6    Staatlichen Museen Berlin, 4 June
  7    Bank of England, 6 June, referring to Staatlichen Museen Berlin
  8    Miles Burkitt ‘Tuesday’
  9    V.G. Childe
 10    Stella Churchill, 28 Sept.
 11    Louis Clarke, 3 Nov.
 12    EWG to O.G.S. Crawford, 13 June
 13    A.B. Dale, 29 July

 14    O.W. Darch, 28 Feb.
 15    EWG sends subscription/donation from Miss Margaret Deneke
 16    Miss M.E. Durham, 16 Apr.
 17    EWG to Miss A.V. Duttine
 18    EWG sends donation from Miss G.L. Elles, and cheque for article on Khanga, 14 Sept.
 19    […?], 30 June
 20    M.M. Falk, 23 July
 21    Gen. Robert Gair, 3 Oct.
 22    G.A. Garfitt, 12 June
 23    D.A.E. Garrod, 12 Aug.
 24    County Borough of Halifax, 20 Apr.
 25    Mrs Macalister Hall, 3 Oct.
 26    Mrs Hannes, 15 June
 27    Miles C. Burkitt sends 5s. from Mr Haslam, ‘Wed.’
 28    Miss M. Haviland, 19 July
 29    C.M. Heenley
 30    E.J. Horniman, 22 Oct.
 31    Alexander Keiller. 1 Oct.
 32    Miss L.C. Kempson, June 16
 33    EWG sends donations from Mrs A. Russell and Sir Frederick Kenyon, 25 Sept.
 34    The Hon. Hilda Kitson, 18 June
 35    […?], 9 Oct.
 36    Helen E. Lacy, 9 Aug.
 37    Louis Leakey, 1 July
 38    E. Rosalind Lee, 8 July
 39    Museums Committee, Liverpool, 9 July
 40    D. Jordan Lloyd, 16 June
 41    Richard C.E. Long, 11 July
 42    A. Thomas Loyd, 2 Mar.
 43    Ibid., 7 Mar.
 44    EWG to Manchester Museum
 45    M.L. Mathieson, 28 June
 46    Guenevere F. Morton, 30 June
 47    G.D. Nathan
 48    Miss W. Nettlefold, 10 July
 49    M.M Partridge, 16 June
 50    Miss R.M. Pitt, 28 June
 51    Victoria Prestage, 15 June
 52    H. Preston, 25 Aug.
 53    Oscar Raphael
 54    Arthur R. Hinks, 4 Aug.
 55    EWG sends subscriptions from Mrs Alys Russell and Mr Pearsall Smith, 27 May
 56    Mrs Dorothy Samuel, 2 Oct.
 57    R.U. Sayce, 24 June
 58    Prof. & Mrs Seligmann
 59    Miss Annette Smith, 1 Oct.
 60    Secretary, Society of Antiquaries of London, regrets that it cannot continue support, 25 June
 61    D.M. Stewart, 29 June
 62    M.L. Tildesley, 21 June
 63    Miss Margaret Tuke
 64    GCT sends subscription from Cairo branch of the University Women’s International Federation, 16 Oct.
 65    Treasurer of Vereeniging tot Bevordering der Kennis van de Antieke Beschaving, The Hague, regrets that it cannot continue support, 30 June
 66    Lt. Col. H.C.B. Wilson, 28 Sept.
 67    Edwin Ward

  3    1932 letters, 1-12

  1    Adelaide M. Anderson, 4 Oct.
  2    EWG sends subscription from Mr Burkitt, 15 Aug.
  3    A.B. Dale, 15 Dec.
  4    O.W. Darch, 1 Aug.
  5    Halifax Corporation, 3 June
  6    Hon. Hilda Kitson
  7    Rev. Rosalind Lee, 9 July
  8    Museums Committee, Liverpool, 6 May
  9    M. McKinnon Wood, 10 Sept.
 10    M.L. Mathieson, 26 June
 11    Mildred M. Partridge, 7 July
 12    EWG sends subscriptions from Mrs A. Russell, Mr Pearsall Smith, and Miss Elles, 14 Sept.

 3/    Later Correspondence

 1/    Letters from Sir John Myres to GCT

  1    21 Oct. 1936 on British Academy grant (holograph)

  2    26 Oct. 1936 on reconstituting the Committee (holograph); encloses the old circular (see /3 below)

  3    Circular appealing for funds to the 1931 expedition (mimeo.)

 2/    Letters and documents concerning publication of The Desert Fayum by G. Caton-Thompson and E.W. Gardner, 2 vols. RAI, 1934

  1    GCT to K.M. Martindell [KMM], 29 Nov. 1934 – on agreement between herself and RAI concerning publication and distribution; on proceeds; on advertising (autogr.)

  2    Ibid., 2 Dec. – encloses something [not present] for Executive Committee (autogr.)

  3    Ibid., 31 Dec. – first consignment of books should arrive from Bellows of Gloucester soon; on advertising (autogr.)

  4    Ibid., 5 Jan. 1935 – on sending of books by Bellows (autogr. pc)

  5    KMM to GCT, 17 Jan. – asks whether copies have been sent to Copyright Libraries; on agent’s discount (toc.)

  6    GCT to KMM, 22 Jan. – Bellows dealing with Copyright Libraries; KMM must decide about agent’s discount; Bellows will store spare copies (autogr. pc)

  7    Ibid., 1 Feb. – on prospectuses from EES (autogr. pc)

  8    Ibid., 21 Feb. – on sending out review copies (autogr.)

  9    Ibid., 28 Mar. – asks her to post letter to the Institut d’Egypte (autogr.

 10    American Geographical Society, New York, to RAI – orders copy of book (tp.)

 11    KMM to GCT, 19 Dec. – encloses cheque for sales of book; encloses account of sales from 8 Jan. to date (tpc.)

 12    Account of sales [as mentioned in A21/3/2/11] (tpc.)

 13    GCT to KMM, 20 Dec. – acknowledges cheque (autogr.)

 14    KMM to GCT, 3 Apr. 1936 – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 15    GCT to KMM, 8 Apr. – acknowledges cheque (autogr.)

 16    KMM to GCT, 25 June – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 17    GCT to KMM, 27 June – acknowledges cheque (autogr.)

 18    KMM to GCT, 16 Dec. – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 19    GCT to KMM, 17 Dec. – acknowledges cheque; thanks her for her help with distributing the book (autogr.)

 20    Ibid., 12 Feb. 1937 – asks her to send a copy of the book (autogr.)

 21    Ibid., 27 Mar. – asks her to send another copy of the book (autogr. pc)

 22    Ibid., asks her to send a copy of book to Miss Gardner (autogr. pc)

 23    Ibid., 11 Sept. – asks her to send a copy of book to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, if this has not been done (autogr.)

 24    Ibid., 17 Sept. – thanks her for sending book to Oxford; encloses money for postage (autogr.)

 25    Orientalistische Literaturzeitung 1937, no. 5. pp. 288-92. 3 leaves (printed)

 26    KMM to GCT, 23 June 1938 – encloses cheque for sales; acknowledges cheque for dinner (tpc.)

 27    Ibid., 29 Nov. – Upper Bedford Place to be let; asks what she would like to do about the blocks which are stored there (tpc.)

 28    Ibid., 14 Dec. – encloses cheque for sales; blocks will be removed soon (autogr.)

 29    GCT to KMM, 2 Mar. 1939 – refers to ‘queer thing’ happening (autogr. pc)

 30    KMM to GCT, 26 June – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 31    Ibid., 15 Dec. – ibid.

 32    GCT to KMM, 18 Dec. – thanks her for cheque; glad that sales continue so long after publication (autogr.)

 33    KMM to GCT, 18 June 1940 – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 34    Ibid., 30 Apr. 1941 – ibid.; GCT’s name suggested for Council (tp.)

 35    GCT to KMM, 2 June – on serving on Council; asks how many copies of the book held at RAI; Bellows wants spare copies moved from his office (autogr. pc)

 36    KMM to GCT, 16 Dec. – encloses cheque for sales (tp.)

 37    GCT to Felicia Stallman, RAI Assistant Secretary [FS], 28 May 1943 – asks whether any copies sold in 1942; on KMM’s system of reporting sales (autogr.)

 38    FS to GCT, 1 June – on copies sold and money owing; suggests rendering an account each Jan. 2 leaves (tpc.)

 39    GCT to FS, 5 June – thanks her for attention to sales of the book; on sales in previous years (autogr.)

 40    FS to GCT, 7 June – on sales and payments (tpc.)

 41    Ibid., 17 June – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 42    Ibid., 16 Feb. 1945 – ibid.

 43    GCT to FS, 12 July – asks her to send copy to Mrs Crowfoot (autogr. pc)

 44    John D. Barrett, Associate Editor, Bollingen Series, Pantheon Books, Inc., New York – follows up letter of 30 July 1945 {not held]; seeks permission to use plates from The Desert Fayum in a forthcoming publication (tp.)

 45    F. Debono, Cairo, to [FS], 17 Jan. 1946 – asks for copy of book (tp.)

 46    Dr A.A. Kampman, Chief Keeper and Librarian, Nederlandsch Archaeologisch-philologisch Insituut voor het Nabije Oosten, Leiden, to [FS], 1 Feb. – is trying to rebuild library after the war; asks for copy of book at no cost or in exchange (tp. with autogr. notes by FS and GCT)

 47    GCT to FS, 15 Feb. – on the Huxley [lecture]; returns letter from Leiden [A21/3/2/26]; approves of meeting their request; on her health (autogr.)

 48    FS to GCT, 1 Mar. – encloses cheque for sales (tpc.)

 49    GCT to FS, 7 Mar. – thanks her for cheque (autogr.)

 50    FS to F. Debono, 25 Mar. – on receipt of remittance will dispatch the volumes (tpc.)

 51    Ibid. to Dr A.A. Kampman, 25 Mar. – GCT has agreed that copy should be sent; RAI library already has the book mentioned in possible exchange (tpc.)

 52    GCT to FS, 5 Apr. – on reproducing plates from the book (autogr.)

 53    FS to Dr A.A. Kampman, 21 May – is sending volume under separate cover; GCT wishes to make this presentation to assist in the rehabilitation of the library (tpc.)

 54    [FS] to John D. Barrett, 21 June – no objection to reproduction of plates; only question is whether the reproduction would be satisfactory (tpc.)

 4/
  1    Letter from GCT, Broadway, 1 Jan. 1976 to B.J. Kirkpatrick, RAI Librarian, enclosing Items 3/1/1-3 above and commenting on her expeditions

  2    Reply by BJK, 6 Jan. 1976

 5/    Petty cash receipts from members, 1927-32

See Kharga Oasis in prehistory by G. Caton-Thompson with a physiographic introduction by E.W. Gardner. University of London, The Athlone Press, 1952