Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- c.1890-1944 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
29 boxes, 78 card index boxes, 43 bundles, and 113 notebooks
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
British Coptologist. Born, Capelrig, Renfrewshire 1865. Died, Bath 1944. Educated, Eton, 1879, then Balliol College, Oxford, BA 1888. Became interested in Egyptology whilst an undergraduate, and went to study hieroglyphs, ancient Egyptian and Coptic with W. N. Groff in Paris, then with A. Erman in Berlin. Hon. PhD. Berlin. Went on to specialise in Coptic, eventually becoming the most eminent scholar in his field. He is most renowned for his Coptic Dictionary which he started work on in 1892. He visited many museums and libraries compiling all available material. The Dictionary was published in six volumes between 1929-39. In recognition of his contribution to the subject, he was elected Fellow of the British Academy, 1931, awarded D. Litt., Oxford, 1937, Volume 25 (1939) of the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology was dedicated to him, and the Byzantine Institute of Boston published a volume in his honour. He published extensively in his chosen field.
Archival history
The Coptic dictionary slip index was bequeathed by Crum.
The remaining material, except for Thompson correspondence, was presented by Mrs Crum after Crum's death in 1944.
The Sir Herbert Thompson correspondence was presented in 1953 by Brigadier J. A. S. Crum.
Photocopies of Dr Abraham Arthur Schiller correspondence with Crum were presented in 1971 by Dr Schiller himself.
Postcard correspondence from Crum to C.R.C. Allberry (addition to Crum MSS 11.1) was presented by the latter's son, David Allberry, in April 2024.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The estate of W. E. Crum.
Additions to the correspondence group in 1953 (Sir Herbert Thompson correspondence presented by Brigadier J. A. S. Crum) and 1971 (Dr Abraham Arthur Shiller correspondence presented by himself).
Addition to Crum MSS 11.1 presented by David Allberry, C.R.C. Allberry's son, in April 2024.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Card indexes used in compilation of the Coptic Dictionary, photographs, photostats, notebooks, notes, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, negatives, and casts.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Mainly kept as received, arranged by type of material.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Property of the Griffith Institute. No restrictions.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright Griffith Institute, University of Oxford.
Language of material
English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
No problems.
Finding aids
Catalogue
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
These are originals.
Existence and location of copies
Not known.
Related units of description
- 30 letters to Hugo Schuchardt (1842-1927) within the Schuchardt papers at the University of Graz Library (Austria).
Notes area
Note
- Dr Jenni Cromwell revised the original typewritten catalogue in 2014.
Note
- Series Crum MSS 14-18 not assigned.
Note
- Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London (see https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw202923/Walter-Ewing-Crum).