Sir John Evans Centenary Project - image background is marbled paper from one of John Evans's books John Evans Numismatic Society Medal 1899

Sir John Evans and Maria Lathbury's Travels in Egypt

John Evans and his third wife, Maria Lathbury, spent many happy holidays, 'overwintering' in Egypt. Their daughter Joan, born when John was 70 and Maria 33, described this period as 'an Indian summer of warmth and affection for Evans'. These holidays became a regular part of their travels and Maria kept two diaries of their journeys, the first one dating from the beginning of their marriage in 1892 until August 1894, the other from January 1901 to August 1902. Maria gives an account of one of the visits to Egypt in the second journal, from 15 January to 20 February 1901. John Evans also had an official interest in the trip as President of the Egypt Exploration Fund. The trips combined official business, holidaying and of course collecting objects. The visit the museum in Cairo to see a newly acquired flint knife with gold handle, Evans queries the gold handle. Maria also keeps a list of the social events and a 'who's who' of others wintering in Egypt. There is even a link to the family business of John Dickinson & Co Ltd - there is a representative in Cairo; and Maria records that a pro-British newspaper was printed on Dickinson's paper.

gold necklaces from Egypt
Three gold necklaces from Egypt (AN1927.1323-25)

According to the documentation, these three gold necklaces were collected in Luxor and Thebes between 1904 and 1907. They are all dated to the XXII Dynasty, 1000-1300 B.C.

link to Maria's diaries (awaiting scanning by the Bodleian) and Helen's article (JE/Current Website/originals of documents/document images/Maria.doc)


Further References / Links:

Joan Evans, Time and Chance: The Story of Arthur Evans and His Forebears (1943)

Joan Evans, Prelude and Fugue (1964)