1924 Oct 24
Letter to Thomson as Commandant of Red Sea Province Police from G. Bishara requesting promotion

[ca. 1920s]
Copy of a petition from an unnamed Sudanese man to the Government Geologist, G.W. Grabham, requesting employment. Second copy at SAD.404/6/8.

1927 May 2
Letter to Thomson as Resident Commissioner, Port Sudan from L.J. Denhirst Smith, congratulating him on the display of flowers in the public gardens

1936 Jul 28-Aug 20
Copy letters between J.L. Willoughby, Acting Port Manager, R.G. Jacobs, Assistant Traffic Manager and R.J. Darvall, Assistant Chief Accountant concerning the provision of bicycles for department staff

1933
Report on the Assyrian question by Reed (undated) with comments by Ronald Graham and covering letter, 16 June 1933 and extract from a “Report on the second phase of the Assyrian Nationalist Movement and the reorganisation of the Iraq levies”, No. S.10803/30 of 26 May 1933. All documents are marked Secret.

1934 Jul 17 - Sep 10
Correspondence between D.S.B. Thomson, Assyrian Settlement Officer and K. Cornwallis, Ministry of the Interior, Iraq, on the settlement of the Assyrians, in particular regarding compensation to the French Government for the settlement of Assyrian refugees, the closure of Mosul refugee camp and the repatriation of Assyrian families to Syria. Enclosures:

1935 May 5-Dec 31
Papers relating to Assyrian resettlement, mainly comprising correspondence and telegrams between W.C.F.A. Wlson, Acting President of the Emigration Committee, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Baghdad, J.C.S. Bennett at the Foreign Office, C.J. Edmonds, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Baghdad and D.S.B. Thomson regarding French views on Assyrian resettlement, the determination of most Assyrians to emigrate to Syria and consideration of the Ghab and Kabur areas as a final destination. Enclosures:

1936 Jan 2-Jun 18
Papers relating to Assyrian resettlent, mainly comprising correspondence between D.S.B. Thomson, C.J. Edmonds, Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and J.C.S. Bennett, Foreign Office concerning the failure of the League of Nations to contribute fully to the costs of the resettlement, liquidation of the property of the Assyrians, registration of Assyrian refugees, pumping stations on the Khabur, the unsuitabliity of land in the Ghab and destitution among Assyrians in certain villages and in Mosul; and the following enclosures:

1936 Mar 2-13
Rough notes by D.S.B. Thomson, some in the form of diary entries, on Assyrian resettlement

1936 Mar 18-Apr 17
Draft letters by Thomson and telegrams between him and the Trustee Board for the Settlement of Assyrians on arrangements for the transfer of Assyrians to Syria

1936 Dec 21-1937 Jan 19
Copies of League of Nations correspondence concerning Assyrian resettlement, with statistics and note on “The Assyrian settlement on the Khabur”

[ca. 1936]
“Etablissement des Assyriens sur le Khabour. Emplacements des villages, installations et statistiques”: sketch map of the River Khabur showing the proposed locations for Assyrian settlements, with statistics for inhabitants and their livestock.
scale:   No scale indicated
Size: 33 x 157 cm
Language: French

1936 Jul
Tables listing mortgagees and lands mortgaged in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, with covering letter to M. Lisicky suggesting Lebanon as an alternative site for Assyrian resettlement in place of the Ghab in Syria

1936 Jul 17-Aug 24
Letters (drafts) and telegrams between Thomson and J.C.S. Bennett at the Foreign Office concerning the possibility of settling some of the Assyrians in the Lebanon where suitable land had been identified in the north and in the Bekaa Valley

[ca. 1936]
Census returns for 24 Assyrian villages in Iraq, giving statistics for population and their livestock

1930 Jan 31-1932 Feb 3
Personal correspondence between Thomson and Professor G. Ryckmans, D. Newbold, F. Addison, Sidney Smith and Professor D.S. Margoliouth, concerning the identification and transcription of certain Himyaritic antiquities in Thomson's possession, some of which were believed to be forgeries. Enclosed with the letters are rubbings of a number of inscriptions.

1933 Jul 7-1940 Apr 16
Personal letters to Thomson and his wife received after his retirement from the Sudan, including Andrew Ryan at the British Legation in Jiddah concerning Thomson's appointment as Assyrian Settlement Officer and the difficulties facing him in this new role, the appointment of former colleagues to positions in the Middle East, Armstrong's plan to write a biography of Ibn Sa'ud and Anglo-Saudi relations (SAD.122/12/5-6); Lord Lugard to Mrs Thomson regarding a new homeland for the Assyrians (SAD.122/12/7-9); E.O. Springfield, Commissioner Port Sudan to Thomson concerning developments in the public gardens which were established by Thomson and other changes in Port Sudan (SAD.122/12/10-12); and letters of sympathy to Mrs Thomson on the death of her husband (SAD.122/12/13-20)

1905 Nov 15-18
Diary of daily entries kept by Thomson during an inspection tour up the Blue Nile with the Governor-General (Sir F.R. Wingate), the Colonel Commanding British Troops, Slatin Pasha, L.O.F. Stack, E.G. Bonham-Carter, Vaughan (A.D.C.) and W. Scott-Hill, travelling by steamer from Khartoum. Includes descriptions of a visit to Kamlin where robes of honour were awarded (SAD.404/5/1v-2v); wood station at Abu Haraz (SAD.404/5/3); inspection at Wad Medani (SAD.404/5/3-4v); birds encountered en route (SAD.404/5/5); visit to a colony of retired soldiers and their wives (SAD.404/5/5-5v); inspection at Sennar (SAD.404/5/5v-6); inspection at Singa (SAD.404/5/6-6v); game restrictions (SAD.404/5/7-7v); and description of Roseires (SAD.404/5/8)

1908 Jan 20-Feb 8
Diary of Thomson's trek by camel from Wad Medani to Abu Deleiq and Kamlin in the company of E.A. Dickinson, Governor Blue Nile Province, stopping at Abu Haraz, Sharafa and Rufa'a. Visit to C.C. Scott Moncrieff's house at Rufa'a and inspection of town, including the schools (SAD.404/5/10-12); visit to nomad Arabs at the well at Abu Hereira (SAD.404/5/12-14); inspection of cultivation of crops by Shaykh Umara's people (SAD.404/5/14); climbing Jabal Geili (SAD.404/5/15); visit to Abu Deleiq (SAD.404/5/16-21); inspection of hafirs (SAD.404/5/22-23); well construction (SAD.404/5/24-25); visit to Kamlin (SAD.404/5/26-28); visits to Debeiba and Katfiya (SAD.404/5/29); hearing complaints at Umm Adam (SAD.404/5/30); several inspections during return trip to Wad Medani (SAD.404/5/30-32). The diary is written in the hand of Mrs E.M. Thomson and was obviously copied from the original.

1908 Mar 19-May 16
Trek diary covering a trip by Thomson and Mathew with their battalion from Singa to Roseires, attempting to recruit new troops, describing villages en route, the terrain and shooting game (SAD.404/5/33-45); followed by an account of a shooting trip near Roseires (SAD.404/5/46-55); trek from Roseires to Keila and Soda in the company of Beaumont and Whishaw (SAD.404/5/56-72); and the return trip from Roseires to Singa, mostly describing game shot, some medical cases treated and detailed account of the rising at Katfia on the Blue Nile and the murder of Scott-Moncrieff (SAD.404/5/73-93). Diary copied out by Mrs E.M. Thomson.

[ca. 1915-1920] Jan 14-30
Loose leaf diary entries by Thomson covering a trek from Akobo towards the Abyssinian border through country occupied by the Berta. The year is unspecified but may have been during his service with the Repression of Slave Trade Department and the entries describe visits to a number of villages, inspecting crops, difficulties encoutered en route, gold deposits in Khor Belansha, description of the Berta, hearing cases of slave raiding and general petitions, shooting game, etc.

1916 Jan 6-Jun 6
Diary of an expedition by Thomson to Lake Tsana in Abyssinia, travelling by motorcar, on horseback and on foot in the company of A. Burton Buckley (leader of the mission), H.D. Pearson and O.L. Prowde, stopping at Wad Medani, Rahad, Gedaref, Gallabat, Chilga and Achara Mariam. The purpose of the mission was to meet with Abyssinian representatives to study and agree how the lake might be regulated. Thomson acted as medical officer. Lengthy daily entries descibe the terrain, the state of the roads, game shooting en route, dispensing medical treatment and undertaking survey work, often halted after objections from the Abyssinians, with more specific references to payment of servants accompanying the expedition (SAD.122/11/4v); tensions among his travelling companions, particularly criticism of Buckley (SAD.122/11/5v,9v,23v,49v); decline in business in the suq at Gallabat due to the government order banning the use of Maria Theresa dollars (the currency of Abyssinia) (SAD.122/11/5v); telephone message from Ras Waldo Georgis warning of the difficulties they will face (SAD.122/11/6); joined for the next leg of the journey by A.D. Home, 3rd Inspector at Gallabat and an expert on Abyssinia (SAD.122/11/7v); loading up the donkeys and mules (SAD.122/11/8v-9); meeting with Fitarari Debeba (SAD.122/11/13); influence of the local clergy (SAD.122/11/14); arrival of Ph. Zaphiro, British Vice Consul at Addis Ababa and the Abyssinian members of the mission (SAD.112/11/18v); discussions with the Abyssinians on the purpose of the mission (SAD.112/11/19-20); attending a local church service (SAD.112/11/21); travelling along the western shore of Lake Tsana (SAD.112/11/25-27); punishment of local boatmen for assisting the mission (SAD.112/11/32); discussions with an Abyssinian member of the mission on trade (SAD.122/11/33v); long discussions with Likamakwas Abagaz about delays to the mission's work (SAD.112/11/35); accusation of an assault (SAD.112/11/36); attempts to prevent local people from supplying the mission with food (SAD.112/11/36v); lengthy discussions to settle the limit of permissions to take levels (SAD.122/11/39); work halted while Likamakwas Abagaz travelled to consult Lij Yasu (SAD.122/11/44); reply from the Prince giving permission for the work to continue (SAD.112/11/47,49); attending a local wedding (SAD.112/11/62-63); meeting with Ras Waldo Georgis at Dunkaz (SAD.112/11/63-66); at Gondar (SAD.112/11/67-69); at Chelga (SAD.112/11/71-74); return journey to Singa (SAD.112/11/75-83). For an official account of this mission, see A. Burton Buckley, Report on Lake Tsana 1916, Cairo 1917 (SAD.108/12).

[ca. 1905]
Tarikh muluk al-Sudan. English translation of a portion (to 1199 AH [1784]) of a variant of a chronicle in H.A. MacMichael's History of the Arabs in the Sudan ii, pp 354ff (Sections I-XCIV) called “Extracts from section of Sudan history”. The original, which is lacking, was lent to D.S.B. Thomson in Singa in about 1905 by a shaykh or `umdah of a village between Singa and Karkoj.

[ca. 1906]
Photograph of a replica of the Court of Artaxerxes at Susa, built in the house of the surgeon Sir John Bland-Sutton in Brook Street London, and later used as a dining-room. The original Court of Artaxerxes was excavated by M and Mme Dieulafoy who oversaw the production of the tiles for the replica room at a factory in Paris. The house was sold to Claridges who built on the site, so the room was destroyed. Photo taken by Mrs Thomson. Accompanied by typescript explanatory note.

1909-1914
Photographs mounted on loose album sleeves, with some loose prints interfiled, taken by Thomson while 2nd Inspector Sennar Province, mostly at Singa but including some on trek:

[ca. 1909-1916]
Photographs mounted on album sleeves, interfiled with some loose prints, taken by Thomson in Sennar Province while 2nd Inspector Singa and Inspector Repression of Slave Trade Department, Roseires:

[ca. 1909-1920]
Negatives of mostly unidentified photographs, probably taken during Thomson's service in Sennar, Upper Nile and Red Sea provinces. SAD.475/11/1 is identified as a group of Abyssinian slaves carrying honey en route from Abyssinia to the Sudan; SAD.475/11/24-25 show the construction of Sennar Dam and SAD.475/11/27-28 are views of the Gordon statue in Khartoum.

[ca. 1915-1923]
Photographs taken by Thomson on the road from Mecca to Jiddah. According to Mrs Thomson, H. St John Philby took them as far along the road as Christians were allowed to go.

[ca. 1912-1938]
Photographs, mostly taken by Thomson in Red Sea Province, but including some prints which were sent to Thomson after his retirement from the Sudan:

[ca. 1915-1925]
Photographs of Arabia, mainly Jiddah, taken during a visit by Thomson and his wife:

[ca.1916-1928]
Photographs taken during Thomson's service in Sennar and Red Sea provinces, mostly of Hadendowa men, at least some of which were taken during the filming of the 1929 version of ‘The Four Feathers’.

[1919-1932]
Photographs taken during Thomson's service in Port Sudan, mostly of the construction of Sennar dam but including two of R.A.F. flights.

[1919-1932]
Photographs taken during Thomson's service in Port Sudan:

[ca. 1919-1932]
Negatives, probably taken by Thomson during his service in Red Sea Province:

[ca. 1919-1932]
Photographs taken by Thomson in Red Sea Province:

[ca. 1920-1932]
Postcards and photographs, mainly of Port Sudan and surrounding area, taken during Thomson's service in Red Sea Province:

[ca. 1923-1932]
Photographs of Suakin, some taken by the Royal Air Force:

[ca. 1926]
Photographs of the Governor's house and garden at Port Sudan during Thomson's tenure:

[ca. 1927-1937]
Photographs of Port Sudan public gardens, designed by F.S. Sillitoe, Superintendent of Gardens 1903-1932 and laid out during Thomson's service as Commissioner, with a number of views of the gardens taken in 1937 by E.M. Springfield to show Thomson how the gardens had developed after his retirement.

[ca. 1928]
Photographs of the filming of the 1929 version of ‘The Four Feathers’:

1929 Jan
Prints of pen and ink sketches by Frank Richards, autographed by the artist and sent as a gift to his friends the Thomsons in January 1929:

1930
Aerial photographs taken by R.A.F. Squadron 47B of game in southern Sudan:

1930 Dec
Large mounted photograph of a Governors' meeting at Khartoum. Back row, standing left to right: C.G. Dupuis, Governor Darfur; J.A. Gillan, Governor Kordofan; L.F. Nalder, Governor Funj; W.D.C.L. Purves, Governor Dongola; A.G. Pawson, Governor White Nile Province; R.V. Bardsley, Governor Blue Nile Province. Front row, seated left to right: F.C.C. Balfour, Governor Mongalla; D.S.B. Thomson, Commissioner Port Sudan-Suakin; E.G. Sarsfield-Hall, Governor Khartoum; Sir John Maffey, Governor-General; W. Nicholls, Governor Berber; H.C.Jackson, Governor Halfa; R.E.H. Baily, Governor Kassala.

1930 Dec
Almost identical photograph to SAD.508/2 above featuring the Governors' meeting at Khartoum

[ca. 1933-1937]
Photographs relating to Thomson's work on Assyrian resettlement from Iraq to Syria:

[ca. 1933-1936]
Photographs taken in Iraq and Syria during Thomson's work on Assyrian resettlement:

[ca. 1933-1936]
Photographs taken in Iraq during Thomson's work on Assyrian resettlement:

[ca. 1933-1936]
Photographs taken in Iraq during Thomson's work on Assyrian resettlement:

1933-1934
Photograph of Assyrian convoy passing frontier post on entry into Syria

[ca. 1933-1936]
Photographs taken by the Thomsons during their travels in Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, many of archaeological sites, but also including Assyrian settlement and farming in the Khabur, Iraq:

[ca. 1936]
Photographs of Palmyra in Syria:

[ca. 1936]
Photographs of Damascus street scenes

1936-1937
Photographs of the League of Nations buldings in Geneva:

1937 Jun 23
Large mounted photograph of guests at the ninth annual dinner of the Sudan Club, held in the Trocadero restaurant, London. Thomson is seated at the front of the photo. The names of a number of the guests attending are handwritten on the mount, including H.G.G. Pelham (Sudan Government Railways), S.A. Tippetts, D. Grylls and Captain E. Palmer (Harbour Master). Photo by Rawood Ltd, Baker Street, London.

1937 Jun 23
Large mounted photograph of guests at the ninth annual dinner of the Sudan Club, held in the Trocadero restaurant, London. Similar to SAD.508/1/1 above but none of the guests are identified. Photo by Rawood Ltd, Baker Street, London.

[ca. 1930s]
Set of silver made for the Thomson's dining table, the design taken from the Court of Artaxeres, King of Persia. The silver was made by D.J. Wellby Ltd of Garrick Street, London.

1899-1939
Copy of the poem “The absent-minded beggar”, by Rudyard Kipling, published in booklet form by the Daily Mail, all proceeds from the sale to go to the wives and children of Reservists. Enclosed is a letter of sympathy to Mrs. E.M. Thomson from Kiplng's wife Carrie

1905 Jun 6
Programme, signed by among others, by Marcel and Jane Dieulafoy, the French archaeologists famous for excavations at the ancient city of Susa in modern day Iran

1932 Feb 8
Verse entitled “To the Bishop in the bathroom”, written for Bishop Gwynne by Sir Andrew Ryan when they were staying with the Thomsons in Port Sudan

1950
Pen and ink cartoon entitled ‘Nomad Administration 1950’, by Toby Wood

Printed material deposited with collection; now integrated into the library's printed collections and catalogued on the Open Public Access Catalogue