William John Bankes MP (1786-1855)
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Introduction Welcome to the ‘A Journey through Egypt’ Learning Pack, created by Dorset History Centre for schools studying Ancient Egypt and the local area. This pack uses material from the Bankes Archive, housed at Dorset History Centre, alongside BKL/H/J/6/11/A/17 - material written in ‘Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Giovanni Finati’, edited by William Ref. D John Bankes. It focuses on the travels of William John (1786-1855), particularly on his two voyages along the Nile. He wrote to his father that he would be travelling “en grand seigneur… I have a noble barge with a cabin” and he engaged Finati as his guide. Finati greatly assisted William John during his time in Egypt, with Bankes later contributing heavily to the above book. For more information on William John, or the wider Bankes family, please see the information sheets later in the pack, or visit the Bankes Archive website. During his travels in Egypt, William John visited a variety of locations, often recording them in detailed descriptions, 2/A/1 drawings, and mentioning them in written correspondence. As such, we BKL/H/J/6/ decided to select a handful of the best - represented locations that the Bankes Ref. D Archive records him as visiting, and provide an insight into these ancient monuments as many of them were being newly discovered. These materials will give pupils the opportunity to experience these sites before they became popular tourist attractions, through the eyes of one of the first travellers to visit them for thousands of years. With the connection of the Bankes family to Dorset schools, it is a unique opportunity to embed Ancient Egypt in their locality, with Kingston Lacy House (the seat of the Bankes family) holding Egyptian artefacts to compliment the collection held at Dorset History Centre. There is also a Learning Pack available for the Bankes family as whole, containing information and activities on the English Civil War to World War Two. hWe do value any feedback (positive or negative) regarding the pack, so please do contact us. Dorset History Centre can help you by… Providing copies of original source material in paper, electronic or CD format to support your lessons. The material will be made accessible before being supplied to the school, and we can supply extracts of complete or incomplete documents within a variety of different types of sessions. These include (but are not limited to): o World War One o World War Two o Ancient Egypt o Local Art and Design o Development of local Towns, Schools and general local history o Source Analysis, Archive Skills, and Research Sessions Visiting your school and delivering workshop sessions based around copies of original source material, for a variety of ages and topics. Hosting a full class or group of pupils at Dorset History Centre, giving pupils the chance to work with original documents. This also comes with the optional extra of a ‘behind the scenes’ tour, a chance to see how we work and how archive documents are preserved. Supplementing your visits to any of the local Dorset museums with additional resources to help prepare for, or follow up on, your school trips. Working with small groups of students to study their own family history or other larger projects around local history (such as Extended Projects). Providing free learning resource packs on a variety of curriculum topics, all using primary source material from the Archives. Please visit our website for more information about the types of sessions that we run and for our searchable catalogue. Please note that there is a charge attached to centre activities, which may vary depending on what you require. For further details, please contact the centre. Elliott Bailey- Archive Learning Officer Dorset History Centre Bridport Road Dorchester Dorset DT1 1RP Website: www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/dorsethistorycentre Phone: 01305 250550 Use of Resources Whilst the Bankes Archive is primarily housed and cared for by Dorset History Centre, it is a collection ultimately owned by the National Trust, and unless stated otherwise, the copyright used is ‘© National Trust: Bankes of Kingston Lacy family and estate archive, deposited with Dorset History Centre’. In using this pack, you acknowledge that all resources are to be used for non-commercial educational purposes or private study and that you will not supply copies of it for any other use. Furthermore, if you do wish to use this material in anything other than an educational setting, or would like further clarification on copyright use, please contact the Dorset History Centre and we would be happy to advise you. Due to the digital size of some of the resources, the quality has unfortunately had to be reduced to keep the data to a manageable size. However, if you require use of any the original high resolution images available within the pack, please contact the Dorset History Centre and state that you are using the Bankes Learning Resource Pack, before quoting the Resource Number and reference number (D-BKL/etc.). We will endeavour to supply you with the high resolution image free of charge, where possible. However, due to the large size of some of the digital images, there may be a small cost attached if alternative formatting is required. Further Reading The Bankes Archive Website https://dcc.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/bankes- archive/ Regularly updated with interesting blogs, stories and other material about the Bankes Archive. The Exiled Collector, by Anne Sebba A biography on the life of William John Bankes. The Obelisk and the Englishman, by Dorothy U. Seyler- The story of William John Bankes, from Regency England, to Egyptology, to his later life. Adventures in Egypt and Nubia: The Travels of William John Bankes, By Patricia Usick Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Giovanni Finati (Two Volumes), dictated by Giovanni Finati and edited by William John Bankes- available for free online, extracts from Volume 2 are used throughout the resource pack. Bankes Archive: Contextual Information About the Bankes Archive The Bankes family have lived in Dorset since the 17th Century and owned 16,000 acres of east Dorset and Purbeck, including Studland. During this time the Bankes family were often considered one of the most powerful families in England, owning both the estates of Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy. In 1981, when Ralph Bankes died, he left the 16,000 acre estate to the National Trust. Corfe Castle The Bankes Estate Collection is housed and cared for at the Dorset History Centre. The archive is stored in 800 boxes and is made up of approximately 25,000 individual items, containing a rich collection of documents that date from the 13th Century right through to the present day. Opening up the Archive Until 2015, the Bankes Collection had only ever been partially opened up and catalogued. The boxes of documents needed examination, cataloguing and conserving. With the aid of grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other generous donors, the Dorset History Centre is now exploring this wonderful collection in partnership with National Trust and Priest’s House Museum, and making the contents of the collection more accessible to the public. Archives are full of stories of people, places and events. The Bankes Archive is no exception, containing manorial, legal and estate records alongside numerous personal documents (including letters, diaries, photographs and drawings). These allow us to gain a fascinating insight into the lives of the Bankes family and the people who worked for them and lived on their estates, particularly from the 17th Century onwards. The archive also contains records of the travels and Middle Eastern explorations of William John Bankes, one of the most prominent members of the family. How can I find out more? Take a look at the Bankes project website and follow the project blog and Twitter account to keep up-to-date with project news. If you would like to volunteer for the project then please take a look at any available positions on Dorset History Centre’s volunteer’s page. The Bankes Archive: Life on the Bankes Estate Castle Corfe Throughout the 500 year period documented within the Bankes Archive, the family owned 16,000 acres - of east Dorset and Purbeck (including NTPL/David Studland). During this time the Bankes family were often considered one of the most influential families in England, Levenson owning both the estates of Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy until they were bequeathed to the National Trust by Henry John Ralph Bankes (referred to as Ralph Bankes) in 1982. Being rich in both history and culture, each of these residences has many stories to share. Originally built by William the Conqueror between 1066 and 1087, Corfe Castle remained a Royal Fortress until it was sold in 1572 by Queen Elizabeth I to her Lord Chancellor, Sir Christopher Hatton. Plans of the castle were drafted by the steward of Hatton, Ralph Treswell, and are the oldest surviving surveys of the castle. It wasn’t until 1635 that the castle came into the possession of the Bankes family, with Sir John Bankes buying the Corfe Castle estate in 1635. During the English Civil War, the ©Kingston Lacy ©Kingston castle came under siege in both 1643 and 1645, with the Royalist Bankes family defending against Parliamentary forces until they were betrayed by one of their own soldiers. This was followed by the confiscation and demolition of the castle, - National Trust Images Trust National before the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 when the Bankes’ were given back their property. However, instead of rebuilding Corfe Castle, Sir Ralph Bankes (son of Sir John Bankes) opted to build Kingston Hall.