Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1815] - 1826 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 archival folder
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Thomas Pell Platt was born in London, attended school in Norfolk, before entering Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1815. He became a scholar there in 1818, graduating in 1820 and gaining his Masters in 1823. Whilst at Cambridge he became involved in with the British and Foreign Bible Society and for some years acted as its Librarian. In 1823 Platt published a catalogue of Ethiopian biblical manuscripts in the Royal Library of Paris and in the library of the British and Foreign Bible Society; and in succeeding years collated and edited for the Society, texts of the New Testament. In 1829 he prepared an edition of the Syriac Gospels, and in 1844 edited an Amharic version of the Bible.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1825 and served on the Committee of the Oriental Translation Fund. He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London. He died at Dulwich Hill, Surrey, in 1852
Repository
Archival history
These Papers were written by Thomas Pell Platt and donated to the Society.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
In the Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society it is recorded that T.P. Platt Esq., presented five items to the Society, including these, on 17 June 1826.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
These papers consist of two items presented to the Society by Thomas Pell Platt. They are:
- Fasti Sacri Ecclesiae AEthiopicae
- Computus Temporum Ecclesiae Aethiopicae
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The Papers were catalogued as two files.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open. Please contact the archivist using the email address given here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID
Conditions governing reproduction
Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.
Language of material
- Amharic
- English
- Latin
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Platt's donation consisted of five items. It appears that only these two remain within the Collections. The other items were:
- A Catalogue of Ethiopic Biblical MSS. London, 1823, 4to.
- The Ethiopic Originals of the Fasti and Computus temporum. MS.
- Translation of the Ethiopic Mode of ascertaining the Hour by the Length of a Person's Shadow. MS.
There are some of Platt's published works within our Library Collection . These are:
- Novum Testamentum Domini nostri et Servatoris Jesu Christi Aethiopice, published London, 1830
- Psalterium Davidis Amharice, published London, 1833.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Platt Thomas Pell 1798-1852 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
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Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
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Archivist's note
These Papers were catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2019.