Agnes Conway
Encyclopedia
Agnes Ethel Conway was a British historian and archaeologist who worked in the Middle East from 1929-1936. She was noted for her work with her husband George Horsfield
at Petra
and Kilwa, and produced detailed studies of the history of her father's castle, Allington
, in Kent
which had been owned by the Wyatt family in the 16th century.
She attended Baker Street High School and Kings College before becoming a student at Newnham College, Cambridge
in 1903. She studied for a History Tripos while also having tutorials in Greek from Jane Ellen Harrison
, then Lecturer in Classical Archaeology at Newnham. Her father bought Allington Castle
in Kent in 1905, and began a lengthy restoration of the castle in the following years.
Agnes passed both parts of her History Tripos by 1907 and continued her tutorials in Greek with Harrison with a view to studying archaeology. She added to and catalogued her father's growing collection of photographs, working with Eugenie Sellers Strong
at the British School at Rome
in 1912 on this project. Admitted as a student of the British School at Athens
for the 1913/1914 session, she travelled widely in Greece and the Balkans in 1914 with a friend, Evelyn Radford, who had also attended Newnham. Conway published an account of the journey, entitled A Ride Through the Balkans, on Classic Ground with a Camera in 1917.
From 1917-1929, Conway worked on gathering materials representing women's work in the First World War as a member of the Women at Work Committee of the newly established Imperial War Museum
. Her father, Martin Conway, had been made Director-General. She also attended classes at the Institute of Historical Research
, where she studied the relationship of Henry VII
with Scotland and Ireland, for which she was awarded an M. A. degree from the University of London
. For this project she spent much time at the British Museum
Reading Room and the Public Records Office.
Conway visited Petra
for the first time in 1928, accompanying family friends on an extensive trip through Egypt
, Palestine
, Transjordan
and Iraq
. Struck by its beauty, she went back to Allington determined to do further research and write up her journey for publication. She contacted George Horsfield
, Chief Inspector of Antiquities for the Transjordan Government, in order to find out more about the site; eventually becoming part of a team of archaeologists, including Horsfield, Tawfiq Canaan
, a Palestinian physician, and Dr Detlief Nielsen, from Copenhagen, to explore Petra in detail in March 1929. Conway lectured on Petra at the Royal Geographical Society
in 1930. She kept in touch with Horsfield over the results of the excavation, and the two developed a close relationship, resulting in their marriage in St George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, on 29 January 1932.
George Horsfield
George Horsfield was a British architect and archaeologist. He was Chief Inspector of Antiquities in Transjordan from 1928-1936. Horsfield began the initial clearance and conservation of Jerash in 1925, and excavated at Petra with his future wife, Agnes Conway in 1929.- Personal life :George...
at Petra
Petra
Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...
and Kilwa, and produced detailed studies of the history of her father's castle, Allington
Allington Castle
Allington Castle is a stone-built moated castle in Allington, just north of Maidstone, Kent in England.-History:Allington Castle is a Grade I listed building. Much of the stonework was laid in an intricate herringbone pattern which is still visible today...
, in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
which had been owned by the Wyatt family in the 16th century.
Personal life
Agnes Conway was born on 2 May 1885 to William Martin Conway and Katrina Conway (née Lombard).She attended Baker Street High School and Kings College before becoming a student at Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
in 1903. She studied for a History Tripos while also having tutorials in Greek from Jane Ellen Harrison
Jane Ellen Harrison
Jane Ellen Harrison was a British classical scholar, linguist and feminist. Harrison is one of the founders, with Karl Kerenyi and Walter Burkert, of modern studies in Greek mythology. She applied 19th century archaeological discoveries to the interpretation of Greek religion in ways that have...
, then Lecturer in Classical Archaeology at Newnham. Her father bought Allington Castle
Allington Castle
Allington Castle is a stone-built moated castle in Allington, just north of Maidstone, Kent in England.-History:Allington Castle is a Grade I listed building. Much of the stonework was laid in an intricate herringbone pattern which is still visible today...
in Kent in 1905, and began a lengthy restoration of the castle in the following years.
Agnes passed both parts of her History Tripos by 1907 and continued her tutorials in Greek with Harrison with a view to studying archaeology. She added to and catalogued her father's growing collection of photographs, working with Eugenie Sellers Strong
Eugenie Sellers Strong
Eugenie Strong was a British art historian, and Assistant Director of the British School at Rome from 1905-1925. Educated at Girton College, Cambridge, she became the first female student admitted to the British School at Athens in 1890, and continued art historical studies in Germany under...
at the British School at Rome
British School at Rome
The British School at Rome was established in 1901 and granted a Royal Charter in 1912 as an educational institute in the fields of archaeology, literature, music, and history of Rome and Italy of every period, and for the study of the fine arts and architecture...
in 1912 on this project. Admitted as a student of the British School at Athens
British School at Athens
The British School at Athens is one of the 17 Foreign Archaeological Institutes in Athens, Greece.-General information:The School was founded in 1886 as the fourth such institution in Greece...
for the 1913/1914 session, she travelled widely in Greece and the Balkans in 1914 with a friend, Evelyn Radford, who had also attended Newnham. Conway published an account of the journey, entitled A Ride Through the Balkans, on Classic Ground with a Camera in 1917.
From 1917-1929, Conway worked on gathering materials representing women's work in the First World War as a member of the Women at Work Committee of the newly established Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
. Her father, Martin Conway, had been made Director-General. She also attended classes at the Institute of Historical Research
Institute of Historical Research
The Institute of Historical Research is a British educational organisation providing resources and training for historical researchers. It is part of the School of Advanced Study in the University of London and is located at Senate House. The Institute was founded in 1921 by A. F...
, where she studied the relationship of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
with Scotland and Ireland, for which she was awarded an M. A. degree from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. For this project she spent much time at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
Reading Room and the Public Records Office.
Conway visited Petra
Petra
Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...
for the first time in 1928, accompanying family friends on an extensive trip through Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, Transjordan
Transjordan
The Emirate of Transjordan was a former Ottoman territory in the Southern Levant that was part of the British Mandate of Palestine...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Struck by its beauty, she went back to Allington determined to do further research and write up her journey for publication. She contacted George Horsfield
George Horsfield
George Horsfield was a British architect and archaeologist. He was Chief Inspector of Antiquities in Transjordan from 1928-1936. Horsfield began the initial clearance and conservation of Jerash in 1925, and excavated at Petra with his future wife, Agnes Conway in 1929.- Personal life :George...
, Chief Inspector of Antiquities for the Transjordan Government, in order to find out more about the site; eventually becoming part of a team of archaeologists, including Horsfield, Tawfiq Canaan
Tawfiq Canaan
Tawfiq Canaan was a pioneering physician, medical researcher, ethnographer and Palestinian nationalist. Born in Beit Jala during the rule of the Ottoman Empire, he served as a medical officer in the Ottoman army during World War I...
, a Palestinian physician, and Dr Detlief Nielsen, from Copenhagen, to explore Petra in detail in March 1929. Conway lectured on Petra at the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
in 1930. She kept in touch with Horsfield over the results of the excavation, and the two developed a close relationship, resulting in their marriage in St George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, on 29 January 1932.
Further reading
- Conway, W. M. 1914. The Sport of Collecting. London: T. Fisher Unwin.
- Conway, A. E. 1917. A ride through the Balkans: on classic ground with a camera. London: R. Scott.
- Horsfield, G. and Conway, A. 1930. Historical and Topographical Notes on Edom: with an account of the first excavations at Petra. The Geographical Journal 76 (5), pp. 369–390.