Papers of Professor Gerard Baldwin Brown (1849-1932)

The collection consists largely of notes and notebooks relating to Professor Brown's courses, and a great deal of correspondence both from and to the Professor including: assorted notes, photographs and sketches of Anglo-Saxon antiquities, churches, at Gen. 1922/177-195; notes for lecture courses, 1929-1931, at Gen. 1924/1-2; notes for lectures on Greek sculpture, at Gen. 1924/3; notes for lectures on Anglo-Saxon architecture, at Gen. 1924/4; notes for courses of lectures on Art, a general survey and The decorative arts for Edinburgh University Lecture-Extension Association, at Gen. 1924/5; notes for a course of lectures on Masterpieces of Art for the Scottish Lecture Society, Outlook Tower, Edinburgh, at Gen. 1924/6; notes for a lecture on Artists on their art, given at the College of Art, Edinburgh, at Gen. 1924/7; field notebooks on Anglo-Saxon antiquities, at Gen. 1924/8-74; notebooks containing lectures on the history of art, 1886-1927, at Gen. 2015/1-20; and, notes for lectures on the Temple at Jerusalem, and Greek and Egyptian art. There is also a holograph manuscript on The Ormside bowl at Gen. 1922/197, and printed literature on the The Waterglass process. At Dk.3.6 there are lectures on fine art, 1893-1894. The collection also includes correspondence from archaeologists and also from clergymen replying to a letter about Anglo-Saxon churches.

In addition, there are three box-files at E2007.23 containing card-mounted photographs of archaeological and historical sites and landmarks across the British Isles - England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. These show churches, stone crosses, decorated stone-work, and metal jewellery. In one of the boxes there is also a photographic copy of a portrait of Gerard Baldwin Brown.

Gerard Baldwin Brown was born in London on 31 October 1849. His father was the Reverend J. Baldwin Brown, Minister of Brixton Independent Church. Brown was educated at Uppingham and at Oriel College, Oxford. He was a Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford, 1874. Between 1880 and 1931 he was the Professor of Fine Art at Edinburgh University. His publications include From schola to cathedral, a study of early Christian architecture and its relation to the life of the church (1886), The fine arts (1891), William Hogarth (1905), The Glasgow school of painters (1908), The arts and crafts of our Teutonic forefathers (1910), and The art of the cave dweller, a study of the earliest artistic activities of man (1928). Professor Gerard Baldwin Brown died on 12 July 1932.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Notes for lectures on Temple at Jerusalem received from Fine Art Dept., Edinburgh University, October 1980, Accession no. E80.220. Notebooks containing lectures received from Fine Art Dept., March 1977, Accession no. E77.11. Letters and notebooks received from Fine Art Dept., July 1972, Accession no. E72.31. Box-files containing photographs received from Fine Art Dept., summer 2007, Accession no. E2007.23.

The biographical/administrative history was compiled using the following material: (1) Who was who 1929-1940. A companion to Who's who .... London: Adam and Charles Black, 1941.

Compiled by Graeme D Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

The local Indexes show some other references to Brown related material (check the Indexes for more details): material in the Sarolea Collection, at Sar.Coll.137 and Sar.Coll.225.