George Holmes (archivist) facts for kids
George Holmes (born 1662, died 1749) was an important English archivist. An archivist is someone who collects and organizes old records and documents. He is best known for editing a huge collection of historical papers called Fœdera, originally put together by Thomas Rymer.
A Life of Records
George Holmes was born in 1662 in a place called Skipton-in-Craven, Yorkshire. Around 1695, he started working as a clerk for Sir William Petyt. Sir William was the Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London. This meant he was in charge of all the important historical documents kept there.
For almost sixty years, George Holmes worked as a deputy. He helped Sir William and the people who took over his job, like Richard Topham and David Polhill. He also had other roles. He was a barrack-master at the Tower, which meant he managed the soldiers' living quarters. He was also a member of important groups like the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries of London. These groups were for people interested in science and history.
George Holmes worked closely with other historians. For example, he helped Thomas Madox with his book about the royal treasury. From 1707 until he died, Holmes was paid to organize the records stored at the Tower of London. He passed away on February 16, 1749. After his death, his collection of books, old prints, and coins was sold.
His Important Work
George Holmes played a big part in creating the second edition of Rymer's Fœdera. This was a massive collection of historical documents, published in 20 volumes between 1727 and 1735. Holmes worked on the first 17 volumes.
His main job was to compare the documents in the book with the original papers kept at the Tower of London. He also added any important parts that were missing from the first edition. The new additions made by Holmes are considered very good and accurate. The last three volumes of the second edition were the same as the first. Volume 17 also included a helpful index for all the previous volumes.
Holmes also worked on another project in the 1720s. This was with Peter Le Neve and James Hill. They wanted to create a complete catalog of old British coins. However, this big project was never fully finished.
His Family
George Holmes married the daughter of a man named Marshall, who was a sword-cutler in Fleet Street. His wife lived longer than he did. After his death, she received money from the government. She also got money for her husband's important notes and papers about public records. These papers were then stored with other official documents at the Tower of London.
Holmes and his wife had one son, also named George. Their son went to Eton College, a famous school. He worked as a clerk, helping his father. Sadly, he died at the young age of 25.
