Winifred Lamb Personal Papers, 1918–c.1952

Reference Code
LAM
Level
Sub-Fond
Title
Winifred Lamb Personal Papers, 1918–c.1952
Historical Sketch
Winifred Lamb was born on the 3rd November 1894 in London to Muriel and Edmund Lamb, who served at a Liberal MP from 1906-10. She was educated at home by her father before reading classics at Newnham Collage, Cambridge in 1913, where she gained a first class degree in 1917 (although not formally until 1925). During the First World War she worked at the Naval Intelligence department in Room 40 under Admiral Hall, breaking German codes alongside John Beazley. After the war she was appointed Honorary Keeper of the Greek and Roman Department at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, vastly enhancing the collection until her retirement in 1958, most significantly with the establishment of the Prehistoric Gallery. In 1920 Winifred was admitted as a member of the British School at Athens (BSA) and arrived at the school to study in October. She participated in the first excavation of Mycenae under the Director of the BSA Alan J.B. Wace, as well as excavations of Sparta with Arthur M. Woodward and Macedonia with W.A. Heurtley. In 1929 she began investigations on the island of Lesvos at the Early Bronze Age site of Thermi, which she discovered, with R.W. Hutchinson, Nina Six and James Brock. She completed three excavations at Thermi, which succeeded in establishing her reputation within British Archaeology. In 1935 she moved her focus to Turkey undertaking excavations at Kusura and provided valuable information concerning Anatolia during the Bronze Age. In 1940 she was awarded a Doctorate of Science and in 1942 she joined the BBC Turkish section until 1946. A few years later in 1950 she became the Honorary Secretary and Chairman of the Archaeological Policy Sub-Committee for the newly created British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, under Professor Garstang, until her retirement in 1957. Winifred was highly respected and contributed significantly to archaeological literature, creating a vast body work from 1917 until her retirement in 1957, including literature reviews as well as details of her excavations at Thermi (Excavations at Thermi in Lesbos in 1936) and Kusura (Excavations at Kusura near Afron Karahisar in 1936). This resulted in her death on the 16th September 1963 at Liphook in Hampshire, being described at the time, as a great loss to British archaeology.
Start Date
1928
End Date
c1952
Scope and Content
The collection contains letters, a travel diary, essays, offprints, photographs and photograph albums, created by Winifred Lamb during her academic career, between the years 1918 and c.1952. These relate to her travels and excavations at Greek sites, such as Thermi on the island of Lesvos, Sparta and Mycenae, and Turkish sites, such as Kusura. It also includes descriptions of her time at the BSA, Greek life and significant events during this period.
Intellectual Arrangement
Correspondence, miscellaneous papers and photographs to represent the different items and subject matter within the collection. It is also mainly catalogued chronologically where this is desirable and in keeping with the original order of the collection.
Custodial History
Collection first processed in January 2016 by Louise Woof and subsequently by Camilla Ortega in Jan-March 2020. Thomas Bull converted the finding aid for the EMu collection management system Jan-June 2022. Charlotte Townsend undertook edits and digital curation in August-Octpober 2023.