Record

LevelFonds
Finding Number (Click this to view full catalogue structure)US19
TitleUniversity of Birmingham Staff Papers: Papers of George Thomson
Extent2 boxes
Date[c 1930-1979]
Description14 volumes and 1 envelope of notes taken by Thomson relating to Ancient Greek Language and Literature. Subjects include: places and their significance in Ancient Greece; mythology; Homeric poems; Greek Tragedy; early Greek Philosophy; Argos and the Errynyes; Greek kinship; Dionysus.
[193-]-[197-]
ArrangementThe volumes were numbered by Thomson 1-11 with 4 volumes un-numbered.
Access ConditionsOpen. Access to all registered researchers.
LanguageEnglish
Finding AidsThis collection is uncatalogued. A temporary paper box list is available in the Special Collections Department.
Access StatusOpen
Administrative HistoryGeorge Thomson, 1903-1987, studied at King's College Cambridge graduating to teach Greek throught the medium of modern Irish. He retained an interest in Irish Studies throughout his life. He was Professor at Greek at University of Birmingham, 1937-1970. During this time his book of the Greek Language was published. One of his objectives was to make Greek available at University to whoever wished to acquire it. It took a number of years to develop a new approach with the active participation of students and to put it into book form. Thomson also translated a number of Greek plays for performance. Thomson was a colleague of Nikolai Bachtin who also taught Classics and Linguistics at Birmingham, 1938-1950.

Reference: Deposit information.

For further reading about the University of Birmingham see: Eric Ives, Diane Drummond, Leonard Schwarz The First Civic University: Birmingham 1880-1980 An Introductory History ( The University of University of Birmingham Press. 2000 ).
AcquisitionThis collection was deposited by Professor Thomson's widow.
Related MaterialUniversity of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department also holds the archives of the University of Birmingham and archives of other former staff, officials and students. These include the papers of Nikolai Bachtin (GB 0150 US05), a colleague of Thomson.