The Papers of Sir Charles Walston

The collection contains papers relating to Walston's Slade Professorship of Art 1904-5 and his other University lectures in Greek History; extensive notes written on all aspects of Classical Civilisation and in particular Greek art; notes on archaeological digs, 1878; photographs and correspondence including letters from M. R. James.

The papers were given to King's College by Lord Henry Walston, son of Sir Charles Walston, in 1970.

Sir Charles Walston (formerly Waldstein, 1856-1927) studied at Columbia College, the University of Heidelberg, at Leipzig and in Munich before his appointment as a University Lecturer in Classical Archaeology at Cambridge University in 1880. He was admitted to King's College in 1882, and was elected a Fellow in 1894. He was a Reader in Classical Archaeology (1883-1907), Slade Professor of Fine Art (1883-9, 1904-11) and Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum (1883-9). He published numerous papers on classical archaeology and helped in the establishment of the University's Greek plays. He was Director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens between 1889 and 1893, and during this period directed the excavation of the Argive Heraeum. On his return to England he concentrated on other studies and wrote several books. He married in 1909 and moved to Newnham, but continued his connection with the University and the College. In 1918 he changed his surname from Waldstein to Walston. He died in Naples on 21 Mar. 1927.

For further biographical information see King's College, Cambridge, 'Annual Report', 1927, pp. 1-2.