John Griffiths (Bombay) papers

Papers, 1864-[1910], of John Griffiths, relating mainly to his career as an artist and Principal of the Bombay School of Art in India, comprising thirty-eight letters, 1864-1905, mainly from colonial administrators and officials in India and London, including several Governors of Bombay, and from noted artists (items 1-38); together with miscellaneous papers, 1870-[1910] (items 39-47).
The correspondents are Evelyn Baring, Government House, Calcutta, 2 January 1874 (item 1), [Thomas George Baring, 1st Earl of] Northbrook, June-October 1876 (items 2-3), [Sir] George Birdwood, India Office, 19 October 1888 (item 4), [Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl] Brassey, [n.d.] (item 5), [Sir] Ja[mes] Clark, Bagshot Park, 1864-1865 (items 6-8), John Collier, 11-15 June 1905 (items 9-10, with a draft reply by Griffiths on item 9), Arthur Ellis, [Equerry to the Prince of Wales], January-March 1876 (items 11-13), [Sir] B. H. Ellis, Calcutta, 1874, and India Office, 1885 (items 14-15), [Sir] James Fergusson, Governor of Bombay, 8-12 October 1882 (items 16-17), H. B[artle] E. Frere, 1870-1972 (items 18-19), William Gill, 15 July [?1880] (item 20), [Sir] A[rthur] E[dward] Hardinge, Commander in Chief, Bombay [Army], 2 March [1881x1886] (item 21), [G. R. C. Harris, Baron] Harris, [Governor of Bombay], 16 April 1893 (item 22), [George James Howard, Earl of] Carlisle, 20 September 1892 (item 23), [Donald James Mackay, Baron] Reay, [Governor of Bombay], 6 April 1890 (item 24), F. G. J. [Mackay, Baroness] Reay, 16 October 1890 (item 25), Daniel Maclise, 1 September 1865 (item 26), [Sir] M[axwell] Melvill, 24 March [?] (item 27), George [Porter], Archbishop of Bombay, 21 August 1889 (item 28), Samaldas Parmanand[d]as, [Divan of Bhavnagar], 24 October 1883 (item 29), Val Prinsep, 21 April 1882 (item 30), [Sir] J[ohn] Scott, [?1890s] (items 31-32), Takhtsinhji, [Maharaja of Bhavnagar], 3 March 1893 (item 33), [Sir] R. Temple, [?Governor of Bombay], Matheran, [1877x1880] (item 34), T. H. Thornton, Delhi, 2 January 1877 (item 35), G. F. Watts, 23 July 1865 (item 36), W[illiam] Wordsworth, 24 December 1890 (item 37), and J. Young, Freemasons' Hall, Byculla, 30 October 1888 (item 38). Other papers include an account of a tiger shoot, 16-18 May 1883 (item 39); a table plan for a Farewell Dinner to [G. R. C. Harris, Baron] Harris, 14 February 1895 (item 42); an illustrated brochure concerning the 'Sir J. J.' School of Art, [1910] (item 43); and six newspaper cuttings, 1894-1898, concerning Sir Charles Hutton Gregory and his wife Mrs Fanny Stirling (item 47).

John Griffiths (1837-1918), artist and Principal of the Bombay School of Art, was born in Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomeryshire, 29 November 1837. He trained at what is now the Royal College of Art. In 1865 he became Professor of Art, and later Principal, of the Bombay School of Art. He was called on by the Colonial Service to design the decoration of many of Bombay's new public buildings and used his students to record frescoes in the Buddhist cave-temples at Ajuntâ, published in 1896-1897. He retired in 1895 and returned to live in Montgomeryshire, later moving to Sherborne, Dorset. He was married with two daughters, and died at Sherborne, 1 December 1918.

Arranged at NLW as follows: letters to John Griffiths (arranged alphabetically); papers.

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Mrs H. M. Groves, daughter of John Griffiths; Yetminster; Donation; 1950.

John Griffiths (1837-1918), artist and Principal of the Bombay School of Art, was born in Llanfair Caereinion, Montgomeryshire, 29 November 1837. He trained at what is now the Royal College of Art. In 1865 he became Professor of Art, and later Principal, of the Bombay School of Art. He was called on by the Colonial Service to design the decoration of many of Bombay's new public buildings and used his students to record frescoes in the Buddhist cave-temples at Ajuntâ, published in 1896-1897. He retired in 1895 and returned to live in Montgomeryshire, later moving to Sherborne, Dorset. He was married with two daughters, and died at Sherborne, 1 December 1918.

Title based on contents.

A detailed list of the manuscript's contents may be found in 'A list of letters, papers and medals relating to John Griffiths (Bombay), received from his daughter Mrs H. M. Groves' (April 1950), hard copies of which are available at NLW, including one copy kept with the manuscript. The list includes six medals and awards which are no longer held with the manuscript but omits three further items (now items 45-47).

Items 8 and 34 repaired at NLW, 2019.

November 2003 and September 2019.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project, and revised by Rhys Jones.

Usual copyright laws apply.

Six medals donated to NLW with the papers are now part of the Graphic/Ephemera Collection (D.46/1, 3, 8).

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales