Thornton, A 2014 The Nobody: Exploring Archaeological Identity with George Horsfield (1882–1956). Archaeology International, No. 17: pp. 137-156, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ai.1720 RESEARCH ARTICLE The Nobody: Exploring Archaeological Identity with George Horsfield (1882–1956) Amara Thornton* This article examines George Horsfield’s life and professional career in the Depart- ment of Antiquities in British Mandate Transjordan through his correspondence and images in the archives of UCL Institute of Archaeology. Through these documents, Horsfield’s multiple archaeological identities – architect, official and foreigner – are revealed. His experience, situated within the context of life in British Mandate Transjordan, is used to analyse the archaeologist within a wider history of antiqui- ties departments in British imperial possessions. Introduction I have explored early efforts and break- George Horsfield was the first Chief Curator/ throughs in my work on Horsfield in a short Inspector of the Transjordan Department description of Horsfield’s entrance into of Antiquities from 1924/6–1936. With archaeology (Thornton 2009). In my doctoral his future wife Agnes Conway and two thesis I examined his professional life and per- other scholars he conducted the first ‘scien- sonal network in the context of wider political tific’ excavations at Petra (e. g. Horsfield & developments in the British Mandate system Horsfield 1938a, 1938b, 1942; see also Parr (Thornton 2011b); and more recently I have 1990: 8). Finding George Horsfield in the chronicled his contributions to the archae- archives has been a fascinating challenge. ology and tourism of Transjordan (Thornton Colleagues and acquaintances alike recalled 2012). Horsfield contributed to shaping the his temperamental nature1, which shrouds archaeological heritage of Transjordan, and both the elucidation of his personality and consequently the impact of his work contin- his work in Transjordan with a whiff of ues to affect the tourists and the archaeologi- mystery. In letters to Conway he referred to cal teams that travel to Jordan today. himself as a ‘nobody’ (e. g. Horsfield 1931i), One of the most important factors in the but his work in Transjordan, then a British enduring appeal of archaeology is archae- Protectorate, now the Kingdom of Jordan, ologists themselves. In my current postdoc- leaves a significant legacy – not least here toral project, I will be exploring the British at the Institute where part of the Horsfields’ archaeological identity through the produc- archive is kept. tion of popular archaeological publications. This research has evolved from my doctoral research (Thornton 2011b), which used the archives of five British archaeologists - * UCL Institute of Archaeology, London WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom George Horsfield, Agnes Conway Horsfield, [email protected] John Garstang, John Crowfoot and Molly 138 Thornton: The Nobody Crowfoot - to analyse how their personal Works in Leeds produced a range of leather experiences reflected wider issues in the goods (Leeds Mercury 1893). He was admit- social history of archaeology. ted as a student to Leeds Grammar School So, what makes up a British archaeological in 1895, and in 1901 moved to London to identity? I started to address this question undertake a pupillage (an architect’s appren- in a recent article on archaeologists Gerald ticeship) in Gothic Revival architect George Lankester Harding and Margaret Murray Frederick Bodley’s firm (Thornton 2009; (Thornton 2014). Like other archaeologists 2011b). Horsfield felt himself an outsider – of the time, George Horsfield’s journey to the black sheep of a family of respectable archaeology did not follow a straight path. middle class trade, the only one with an He moved countries and continents multi- interest in art and ancient history, fostered ple times during his life, taking advantage under his mother’s care (Horsfield c. 1926– of opportunities for professional develop- 1936; Horsfield 1931i, k). His correspond- ment and change, and expanding his experi- ence at the Institute of Archaeology only ences. One of the key sources for examining reveals hints of his life in London – a brief Horsfield’s life and work within the political mention of his friendship with a nameless and social environment of British Mandate ‘starving artist’ (Horsfield 1931k) suggests his Transjordan is a collection of letters from acquaintance with the city’s bohemian ele- George Horsfield to Agnes Conway, whom he ments (see Brooker 2004; Nicholson 2003). married in January 1932 (Fig. 1). This corre- He developed a specialty in church interiors spondence is a small part of the Horsfields’ and interior decoration (see Conway 1932; archaeological archive, donated by George Kirkbride 1956: 58; Horsfield 1931l). This is Horsfield to the Institute of Archaeology in reflected in the fact that he later incorpo- 1951 (see Thornton 2006, Thornton & Perry rated a small chapel into the house he occu- 2011). Dating from autumn 1931 to summer pied in Jerash, Transjordan (Fig. 2). 1932, the correspondence began as Horsfield Horsfield expanded his professional expe- undertook the ten-day voyage back to the rience with a move to America, becom- Middle East after proposing marriage to ing head designer and draughtsman in the Conway. The letters continued in the months architectural practice of Bertram Grosvenor leading up to, and after, their marriage. Goodhue, a noted Gothic Revival architect Horsfield’s pre-wedding letters are those of and partner in the firm Cram, Goodhue and an impatient, passion-filled lover. At 49, he Ferguson (Horsfield c. 1926–1936; Thornton considered himself an old man, but his let- 2009, 2011b). Goodhue was known for his ters have the longing desperation of a ‘boy of bohemian, romantic, thoroughly artistic twenty!’ as he put it (Horsfield n. d. 1931a). approach to Gothic architecture, and fos- Although they are not of much archaeologi- tered this sensibility in his New York City cal significance, revealing only glimpses of office – illustrated in colourful splendour the day to day work that Horsfield undertook every year at his annual Twelfth Night party as Chief Curator/Inspector, taken together (see Anderson n. d.: Ch. 3; Pencil Points 1922; with other sources the correspondence yields Schuyler 1911: 8–11; Thornton 2009, 2011b; illuminating insights into the social history Wyllie 2007). Horsfield later stated that his of British archaeology abroad, official life in time in New York offered him more oppor- Mandate Transjordan, and George Horsfield’s tunities for ‘self-expression’ than any previ- personal and professional history. ous experiences (Horsfield c. 1926–1936). It is clear that he became part of the New The Architect York architectural scene in both a practi- George Wilberforce Horsfield was the son cal and intellectual sense. Signing himself of a leather manufacturer, Richard Marshall ‘Wilberforce Horsfield’ he contributed two Horsfield, whose Meanwood Road Leather front cover illustrations and an article to Thornton: The Nobody 139 Fig. 1: The first page of a letter from Horsfield to Conway, written on Transjordan Department of Antiquities stationery. (Copyright UCL Institute of Archaeology). 140 Thornton: The Nobody method facing and solving an ancient problem’ (Horsfield 1912: 42). Considering Horsfield’s later career included clearing and beginning renovations on ancient Roman remains in Transjordan, these words seem to provide something of a prece- dent for his later interests. He helped to bring ancient remains into modern use for tourism. In 1912 Horsfield and a friend established their own office in New York City. It was a brief foray into solo-practice – Horsfield’s friend died suddenly only weeks before Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914. Horsfield returned to England in Fig. 2: The chapel inside Horsfield’s house. September 1914 and enlisted (Horsfield c. (Copyright UCL Institute of Archaeology). 1926–1936; Thornton 2009, 2011b). The war years were transformative for Horsfield. Aged Architectural Record, a monthly architecture 32, he became a private in the Royal Naval journal published in New York City with a Brigade, seeing action in the first campaign national circulation that is still issued today. at Gallipoli, after which he was commis- In its early 20th centrury form Architectural sioned as an officer in the 7th West Yorkshire Record combined pieces on the culture and regiment and sent to the Western Front. He history of architecture with descriptions and wrote a few letters to his former employer analyses of projected, on-going or recently Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue during this completed building projects (Lichtenstein period. These give a flavour of his war from 1990: 17–35; Thornton 2011b). Horsfield’s which one can surmise the horrors of the covers and article focus on Liverpool’s trenches. He was on the Somme in late sum- Anglican Cathedral, then being constructed mer 1916 and then elsewhere on the Western to Giles Gilbert Scott’s design. Front, enduring monotony, mud and death; His final words on Gilbert Scott’s crea- by 1917 this traumatic experience had taken tion seem to sum up his philosophy on a toll on his health. Hospitalised with trench architecture: fever, he was sent back to England. His next post was to India where eventually he ‘As to the style, it is difficult to speak – resumed practising architecture once more Gothic in the large sense of the word, (Horsfield 1917; Horsfield c. 1926–1936; but not one to be confounded with Thornton 2009, 2011b). any particular one of the tabulated His own account of his movements for styles. It shows familiarity with and the immediate post-war period is vague; study of ancient forms, but it is no dia- after being demobilised from army service tessaron of undigested parts collected in India he spent over a year travelling in at haphazard fancy and flung together Europe (Horsfield c. 1926–1936; Thornton in the mode of the Gothic Revival […]. 2009, 2011b). By early 1923 he had been It is modern of the twentieth century, admitted as a student at the British School of today, thoroughly digested, and has of Archaeology in Jerusalem.