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Archival description
GB 891 RCT-RCT/7 · File · 1915
Part of Papers of Reginald Campbell Thompson

A phrase book for Arabic, specially the Basrah dialect, by Reginald Campbell Thompson in co-operation with Elias Georges and other Interpreters, printed By Government Central Branch Press, Simla, to be used by soldiers during the Mesopotamia campaign WW1. With parallel translations of terminologies and phrases in English. It has 21 pages.

Reginald Campbell Thompson
Notebook: 'Algeria 1901'
GB 891 RCT-RCT/2 · File · 1901
Part of Papers of Reginald Campbell Thompson

A journal documenting Reginald Campbell Thompson's encounters during his holiday to Algeria in 1901, when he was 25 years old, with multiple photographs, drawings, letters, newspaper clippings, etc pasted into the notebook throughout. The main text is in nine chapters, with a section at the end listing the expenses of the trip.

Additional papers include:

  1. Folded map of the area.
  2. Hunting license from the French Ministry of the Interior.
  3. Piece of blotting paper.
  4. A letter to R.C Thompson from Francois Thureau-Dangin to thank Thompson for his letter, handwritten in French, 30 August.
  5. Letter from T. P. Peet of the Institute of Archaeology, 11 Abercromby Square Liverpool, 19 April, 1933, requesting R.C Campbell raise funds in order for Campbell's book to be published.
  6. 'Caravan halting at El-Kantara. Haji Ali with my rifles in the foreground, 'Lochiel' on the left. The donkey is laden with dates' - a photograph of men Thompson hires in Algeria.
  7. A letter to R.C from F.C Drummond-Hay replying to R.C questions about wild life in Algeria, 12 Feb, 1901.
  8. A letter to R.C from R.N Hodgson, also answering R.C questions about wild life, 3 Sept, 1901.
  9. A letter to R.C from the British vice consulate Philippebille again answering R.C questions about wild life. The writer says he has contacted a French official to find more answers, dated 10 August 1901.
  10. A letter in French to the British vice consulate Philippebille, from Georges Bassey concerning the wild life.
  11. A letter from Georges Bassey to L. [Luus-Réflet] concerning wildlife for hunting, dated 26 August 1901.
  12. A letter to R.C from the British vice consulate Philippebille advising on the mouflon shooting and that Englishmen are at risk of being considered spies, dated 19 September 1901.
  13. A letter from A. de la Croix concerning the Barbary sheep and gazelles to be found, dated 11 March 1901.
  14. A letter from the British vice consulate, Philippebille, to provide details of the supplies which Thompson has kindly offered to bring, dated 4 October 1901.
  15. 'Camp at 'Ain-el-gheuzlan. Campagnolle, 'Lochiel' and 'Haji Ali'. The Campagnolles' farm lies among the trees' - a photograph.
  16. 'On the way to first Camp; the wady at El Kantara' - a photograph.
  17. 'Prickly pear and palms round the Campagnolles' farm'- a photograph.
  18. 'in the wady near El-Kantara' - a photograph.
  19. 'Arab houses, El-Kantara' - a photograph.
  20. 'Roman Bath' - a photograph.
  21. 'Jebel Melah on the Horizon' - a photograph of Jebel el Melah, a hill in Tunisia.
  22. 'The upper slopes of Jebel Melah' - a photograph.
  23. 'Hajj Ali spying over Jebel Melah with binoculars' - a photograph.
  24. 'Caravan of Camels, El Outaia' - a photograph.
  25. A photograph of a man.
  26. 'Group at El Outaia station' - a photograph of five men waiting at the train station.
  27. A business card from Mabrouck ben Messaoud, guide, Hotel Bertrand.
  28. 'Village of El Kantara' - a photograph.
  29. 'Jebel el Melah on the left of the horizon' - a photograph.
  30. 'Camp near the Roman Bath' - a photograph.
  31. 'Sunset from near the 'Ain el-gheuzlan' - a photograph.
  32. 'Where boots wear out Jetel Methili' - a photograph of a rocky area.
  33. 'Arab Hunter, El Kantara' - a photograph.
  34. 'Near the scene of slaughter, Jebel Methili' - a photograph.
  35. 'Water on the Methili' - a photograph.
  36. A photograph of a Man.
  37. A photograph of a teenager and child.
  38. 'Mouflon Hunting in the Aures Mountains' - a newspaper cutting, unknown publication.
  39. A scrap piece of paper with notes of names on it.
  40. A child's drawing of Professor Daddy, presumably by one of R. C Thompson’s children.
  41. Letter from R.C Thompson to his father, sent from the Hotel Bertrand, El Kantara, giving details of the trip to Algeria, dated 3 November 1901.
  42. Three Photos of Skiff sailing in England.
  43. The questions for a cross word.
  44. Fifteen rough notes on translating and poetry.
  45. Six business-cards.
Reginald Campbell Thompson
GB 891 RCT-RCT/1 · File · 1894
Part of Papers of Reginald Campbell Thompson

The notebook contains Reginald Campbell Thompson's very early research on Assyrian inscriptions based on the tablets held by the British Museum. Thompson transcribed, transliterated, translated and wrote notes about the cuneiform inscriptions in around 15 letters, including the reference number for each which was probably used on the British Museum catalogue. The notebook opens with an introduction by Thompson on the inscriptions and the Assyrian language.

Written on the back of the flyleaf is a note in pencil – presumably by Thompson at a later date – describing why the manuscript was written and what came of it:

“This is the MS which I submitted to the 'Smee Prize' at St Paul’s School in 1894, together with a portfolio of the text enlarged (duplicated). The High Master, F.W. Walker, blessings on his head for all his encouragement (I dedicated my first book to him), recommended it – God help us! – for a special prize of £10. I have the books which I bought with this in my shelves.”

The manuscript is 69 pages, followed by a vocabulary section at the end which is 28 pages long. Inserted with an errata note on page 33 correcting errors in the text.

Reginald Campbell Thompson
GB 891 RCT-RCT/3 · File · 1902
Part of Papers of Reginald Campbell Thompson

A journal documenting Reginald Campbell Thompson’s trip to Sinai Peninsula, Egypt in 1902, in ten parts. Cover written ‘Kodak Sinaiticvs’.

Additional papers include:

  1. Equipment lists with some suppliers.
  2. An itinerary listing the places Thompson was in and how long he was there for.
  3. Some Arabic verses, story and vocabulary, some translated.
  4. A page of expenses, showing Thompson spending £78 on the trip.
  5. Several photographs, inserted into the text, mostly labelled but badly faded.
  6. A memorandum of agreement between R.C. Thompson and Brahim Abulgadayel to rent three camels and two camel drivers, 9 October 1902.
  7. A small note declaring that R.C Thompson paid three pounds for camels, 9 October 1902.
  8. A letter to R.C Thompson informing him that a man called Abu Gadaie will not lower his price on camels and that a boat is awaiting him. This paper is marked with “H.B.M. Vice-Consulate Suez”, 9 October 1902.
  9. A letter concerning camel hire and permits for the journey, dated 16 September 1902.
  10. A letter to R.C Thompson from Amir [Choucri] replying to Thompson's letter informing he had arrived back in London, 2 January 1903.
  11. A copy of the memorandum of agreement between R.C. Thompson and Brahim Abulgadayel to rent three camels and two camel drivers, 9 October 1902.
  12. Letter in Arabic with the caption “Letter of introduction to El Abdu Kharieme Bey Ohdeh el Bidrashen”.
  13. Four shipping invoices from the civil service supply association, showing many of the items R.C Thompson had with him on the trip.
  14. Business card for a Mr D. Ballingall of the old Suez hotel.
Reginald Campbell Thompson
GB 891 RCT-RCT/5 · File · 1900-1940
Part of Papers of Reginald Campbell Thompson

Notebook containing a series of newspaper cuttings, letters and translation notes from different years, the majority of which are connected to Reginald Campbell Thompson's published fiction books written under the pseudonym, John Guisborough.

  1. Letter from G. R. Mills the managing director of Mills and Boon Ltd publishers, concerning the publishing of Thompson's book, 'A song of Araby', 29 November 1921.
  2. A letter from Claude Herman Walter Johns to R. C Thompson, thanking him for sending over a copy of his new [and first book], The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon, two vols, London, Luzac and Co., 1900, dated 9 April 1900.
  3. A newspaper cutting from the Daily Chronicle 11 July, 1900, reviewing R..C. Thompson's new book, The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon.
  4. Note from the Librarian, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge; thanking Luzac and Co. for the two volumes in the Semitic Text Series edited by T.C. Thompson
  5. Glasgow Herald, review of Thompson's first books “The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon” 26 April, 1900.
  6. Note from J. S. Reid, Librarian, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, to R.C. Thompson to thank him for the volumes of his publication, dated 9 April 1900.
  7. Review of The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon; from unknown publication.
  8. Another review of The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon, entitled 'Chaldean Astrologers and Soothsayers'; from unknown publication.
  9. Review of The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon; from Nature, 17 May, 1900.
  10. Review of The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon, entitled 'Babylonian Astronomy'; from unknown publication.
  11. Damaged newspaper cutting with a review of The reports of the magicians and astrologers of Nineveh and Babylon; from unknown publication.
  12. Newspaper cutting from Orientalische Literatur Zeitung, 1909.
  13. Newspaper cutting from The Children’s Newspaper about excavations in Nineveh, undated.
  14. A “Bibliographie” in French concerniing “The British Museum Excavations at Abu Shahrain in Mesopotamia in 1918” by R. Campbell Thompson, 1920.
  15. 'Primitive man in Mesopotamia: Captain Thompson's Discoveries' - newspaper cutting from The Times, 31 January, 1919. about excavations Campbell undertook “by War office orders on behalf of the British museum at Abu Shahrain in Mesopotamia, while serving with the Mesopotamian expeditionary force”. On same loose piece of paper is a newspaper cutting, 'St. Paul's School' giving details of the school's prizegiving, unknown publication.
  16. Handwritten notes on Sennacherib, undated, 3 pieces.
  17. Letter from Kenneth Mason to R.C. Thompson to thank Thompson for the copy of his book, 'Diggen's Fancy', dated 29 September, 1940.
  18. Newspaper cutting, London Opinion, 3 July, 1915, concerning Thompson's service in the war and his book “A Pilgrim’s Scrip”.
  19. Newspaper cuttings, The Graphic, 27 February, 1915 concerning Thompson's book “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” and "Glimpses of Turkish Soldiers".
  20. Two copies of a review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from the Times of India, 18 August [1915].
  21. Review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from the Near East, 26 March, 1915.
  22. Review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from the Bulletin of the American Geographical Society, Vol. 47.
  23. Review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from the Evening Standard and St James's Gazette; 23 Feb, 1915.
  24. Reviews of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from Truth, 3 March, 1915 and the Spectator, undated.
  25. Review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from the Daily Telegraph, 27, Feb, 1915.
  26. Review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from TP’s Weekly, 20 Feb, 1915.
  27. Review of “A Pilgrim’s Scrip” from The Outlook, 20 Feb, 1915.
  28. Review of “A Song of Araby” from The Manchester Guardian, Oct, 7, 1921. Written under the pseudonym John Guisborough.
  29. Review of “A Song of Araby” from The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 8 October 1921.
  30. Review of “A Song of Araby” from Saturday Review, 5 Nov, 1921.
  31. Review of “A Song of Araby” from The Times Literary Supplement, 6 Oct, 1921.
  32. Review of “A Song of Araby” from The Scotsman, 20 Oct, 1921.
  33. Review of “A Song of Araby” from The Glasgow Herald, October 1921.
  34. Review of “A Song of Araby” from The Oxford Chronicle, 28 October 1921.
  35. Recommendation of “A Song of Araby” from the Daily News, 5 Dec, 1921.
  36. Advertisement of “A Song of Araby” as a Mills and Boon New Book.
  37. Review of “A Song of Araby” from the Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury, 1 November 1921.
  38. Advertisement for “A Song of Araby”, a Mills and Boon publication.
  39. Review of “A Song of Araby” from Near East, 10 Nov. 1921.
  40. Letter written to R.C Thompson by his niece, Martha [Dovedale] informing him that he had finished reading his book, undated.
  41. Letter written to R.C Thompson by “Henry” congratulating him on his book, dated 6 November 1921.
  42. Review of “A Song of Araby” from the Liverpool Courier 19 Dec, 1921.
  43. Review of “A Song of Araby” from the Bystander, 30 November 1921.
  44. Letter written to “Bar” [most likely being Thompson's wife, Barbara Brodrick Robinson.] which congratulates Thompson on his new book, dated 9 October 1921.
  45. Letter written to R.C Thompson from “SVT” thanking him for sending a copy of his book, dated 28 September 1921.
  46. Review of “A Song of Araby” by Liverpool Post and Mercury, undated.
  47. Telegrams to Thompson from Kenneth Mackenzie of the Government Book Shop, Department of Education, Baghdad; responding to an enquiry from R.C about the amount of copies that will be sold in Baghdad. Mackenzie promises to “push the sale of the book” and states that he is sending an initial order for the book to Mills and Boon, dated 13 October 1921.
  48. A damaged cutting listing books with the label “Mudie’s List” Jan 1922.
  49. Letter written to R.C Thompson from his mother in law, congratulating him on his book, 20 October, 1921
  50. Two Letters written to R.C Thompson from Eleanor Rauckel congratulating him on his book “A Song of Araby”, dated 12 January 1922.
  51. Letter written to R.C Thompson from the managing director of Mills and Boon Ltd.,G.R Mills, enclosing a cheque for R.C. Thompson's book “A Song of Araby” and informing him of the large number of copies that have already sold, dated 22 September 1922.
  52. Letter written to R.C Thompson from Edith Thompson congratulating him on his book “A Song of Araby”, 6 Nov 1921.
  53. Letter written to R.C Thompson from a colleague at the Army Head Quarters, Simla, 31 Oct 1921.
  54. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Times Literary Supplement, 25 Jan, 1923, also written under the pseudonym John Guisborough.
  55. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Glasgow Herald, 25 Jan, 1923.
  56. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Aberdeen Journal, 25 Jan, 1923.
  57. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Scotsman, 8 Feb, 1923.
  58. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Spectator, 17 March, 1923.
  59. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Johannesburg Star (better known as The Star), undated.
  60. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 3 March, 1923.
  61. Letter to R. C. Thompson, from unknown author concerning Thompson's book, 10 October 1921.
  62. Letter to R. C. Thompson from G. P. Holmes concerning Thompson's book, dated 21 October 1921.
  63. 'Trouble at Mosul' - review of "A Mirage of Sheba" from [Concaw] Military Gazette, 16 February 1923.
  64. Section of a handwritten note with a review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Melbourne Australasian (better known as the Australasian Post), 17 March 1923.
  65. Letter to R. C. Thompson from G. R. Mills, Director of his publisher Mills and Boon Ltd., asking about reviews, 12 February 1923.
  66. A letter to R. C. Thompson from H. P. Thompson about his book, dated 4 February 1923.
  67. A letter to R. C. Thompson from his niece, Martha Victoria [Dovedale] about his new book “The Mirage of Sheba”, undated.
  68. Review of “The Mirage of Sheba” from the Star Johannesburg, 9 March, 1923.
  69. Note about “Babylonian Medicine”, 19 April, 1923
  70. Review of R.C. Thompson's academic work “The Epic of Gilgamish: a new translation from a collation of the cuneiform tablets in the British museum rendered literally into English hexameters, 1928” from the Journal of Theological Studies, April, 1933.
  71. Letter written to R.C Thompson from the managing director of Mills and Boon Ltd., G.R Mills, on the sales and performance of the book “The Mirage of Sheba”, 7 Feb, 1923.
  72. A newspaper article on R. C. Thompson's excavations at Abu Shahrein, from the Observer, Sunday, March, 1923.
  73. A review of “Records of the Dorset Yeomanry 1814-1919 by Major-Genl C. W. Thompson C.B D.S.O” from the Times Literary Supplement, Thursday, 6 Oct, 1921.
  74. A damaged newspaper cutting concerning achievements of alumni of St. Paul's School, undated.
Reginald Campbell Thompson
GB 891 RCT-RCT/8 · File · 1902
Part of Papers of Reginald Campbell Thompson

entitled 'On traces of an indefinite article in Assyrian', written by Reginald Campbell Thompson when he was an assistant in the Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities at the British Museum. Published in London by David Nutt. The pamphlet explores the presence of the indefinite article in the Assyrian language, with Thompson illustrating his point using passages in the cuneiform texts. It has 30 pages.

Reginald Campbell Thompson
GB 891 RCT · Fonds · 1894 - 1941

A set of five notebooks entitled:

  • “Assyrian Inscriptions R. C. Thompson, 1894”
  • “Algeria 1901”
  • “Kodak Sinaiticus or Grads and Ghouls, 1902”
  • “Tripoli 1903” and “A year in Nineveh, 1904–1905”
  • Newspaper cuttings and assortments of notes and letters

Two printed pamphlets entitled:

  • “A list of words and phrases in the Basrah Dialect of Arabic”
  • “On traces of an indefinite article in Assyrian”
Reginald Campbell Thompson