Three letters from Amelia Edwards to Lady Petrie. Plus covering letter from the Provost of UCL to John Wilkes (UCL Librarian), 11 Jun 1947.
Edwards Letters
This material is held atUniversity College London Archives
- Reference
- GB 103 MS ADD 184
- Dates of Creation
- 27 Aug 1884-27 Nov 1889
- Name of Creator
- Language of Material
- English
- Physical Description
- 3 letters
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Amelia Edwards was born in London on 7 Jun 1831 and educated at home, chiefly by her mother. As a child she was good at art, writing and music, and some of her poems and stories were published. As an adult she earned her living by writing. She wrote eight novels and many articles. She became interested in Egyptology and after a visit she paid to Egypt in 1873-1874 she abandoned all her literary interests. She formally founded the Egypt Exploration Fund in 1882, to carry out scientific excavation, and devoted herself to its work. She contributed many articles to journals on Egyptology. In 1889-1890 she went to the United States of America on a lecturing tour which was a great success. Edwards died in Weston-Super-Mare on 15 April 1892. She bequeathed her Egyptology library and collection of Egyptian antiquities to University College London. She also founded a Chair of Egyptology there and destined the first occupant to be Professor W M Flinders Petrie.
Access Information
Open
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Acquisition Information
Aquired from Lady Petrie, 1947.
Other Finding Aids
Collection level description
Custodial History
Given to Provost (D R Pye) by Lady Petrie, 1947.