About the Egyptian Collection
The museum holds a collection of approximately 400 objects from ancient Egypt. Most of the collection comes from private donations, including material from Petrie's excavations at Harageh. In addition, the museum received objects from Petrie's excavations at Ehnasya and Memphis, and from Naville's excavations at Deir el-Bahri.
The entire collection, with photographs, is now available to search on-line.
Notable people associated with the collection:
John Lee (1783-1866). Highly regarded amateur astronomer and major collector of antiquities, anthropological artefacts and natural science specimens. Accumulated a collection of nearly 600 ancient Egyptian objects, on display at his private residence, Hartwell House. The history and holdings of the entire were published by William Smyth as Aedes Hartwellianae in 1851. A catalogue of the ancient Egyptian collection was published by Joseph Bonomi in 1858. After his death, part of his collections were disposed of to Lord Amherst of Hackney, with other objects sold at Sotheby’s in 1888. A small number of objects were given to Buckinghamshire County Museum.
General Sir Henry Augustus Smyth (1826-1906) and his wife Lady Helen Constance Smyth (1845 – 1932). Sir Henry was the son of Admiral William Smyth who was also an amateur astronomer and a close friend of John Lee. The Smyth family was well known to Petrie, and Sir Henry’s brother was the astronomer Charles Piazzi Smyth, whose measurements of the Great Pyramid at Giza inspired Petrie’s first visit to Egypt. Sir Henry seems to have inherited objects from his father’s collection and a number were donated by Lady Smyth after the death of her husband.
Winifred (Freda) Hansard Firth (1871- 1937). Niece of Lady Smyth. She was an artist and copyist who drew tomb scenes for Petrie at Abydos and Giza and also for Margaret Murray at Saqqara. Many of her drawings were published in the Saqqara Mastabas publications in 1905 and 1937. She was married to the well-known Egyptologist Cecil Firth.
To learn more about the history of the museum and its collections, click here.To find out details about visiting the museum and facilities available, please visit the museum's website, www.buckscc.gov.uk/museum