Charles Ambrose Storey

I am delighted to announce that the catalogue for the Papers of Charles Ambrose Storey is now available. These papers were donated to the Society as part of Storey’s bequest and have been waiting patiently to be catalogued. There were one of my priorities for this year, so I am pleased that I have managed to complete the catalogue before the year’s end.

Charles Ambrose Storey was born in Durham in 1888. He was educated at Rossall School (Lancashire) and then at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied Classics and Oriental languages, graduating in 1912. In 1914, he was appointed Professor of Arabic at the Anglo-Mohammedan Oriental College (now the Muslim University) of Aligarh, India. He returned to England in 1919 to become Assistant Librarian to the India Office. Eight years later he was appointed Librarian but in 1933 he was elected Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic at Cambridge University. He retired in 1947 and lived in Hove until his death in 1968.

Early in his career, he published a text edition of Mofażżal b. Salama’s al-Fāḵer, a 9th-century Arabic treatise on the popular proverbs and colloquial expressions of the Arabs. During his time at the India Office library, he published a continuation of the catalogue of Arabic manuscripts in this library (vol. II, pt. 1, “Qurʾānic Literature,”). He then turned his attention to Persian literature and the first volume of the Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey , fasc. 1, vol. 1, devoted to Qurʾanic literature, was published in 1927. This work continued to occupy his life. He intended to publish six volumes: Vol. I, pt 1. Qurʾānic Literature Vol. I, pt. 2. Biography. Additions and corrections. Vol. II, pt. 1. A. Mathematics. B. Weights and Measures. C. Astronomy and Astrology. D. Geography Vol. II, pt. 2. E. Medicine Vol. II, pt. 3. F. Encyclopaedias and Miscellanies; G. Arts and Crafts; H. Science; J. Occult Arts Vol. III, pt. 1. A. Lexicography. B. Grammar. C. Prosody and Poetics Vol. III, pt. 2. D. Rhetoric, Riddles and Chronograms. E. Ornate prose Vol. III, pt. 3. F. Proverbs. G. Tales Vol. IV, Law; Tradition; Religion, Sufism, Baha’ism, Prayers; Hinduism; Translations from Sanskrit, Hindi, and other Indian Languages, Ethics; Philosophy; Logic Vol. V (Poetry of the pre-Mongol period) Vol. VI was to be for Persian poetry from the time of Saʿdi and Rumi onward.

However, within Storey’s lifetime, only Volumes I and II, pt 1 were published. The rest of Volume II and those of III and IV have subsequently been published and a new version of Vol. V was created by Francois de Blois under the title: Persian Literature: A Bio-Bibliographical Survey. Begun by the Late C. A. Storey .

On his death, Storey left his estate to the Royal Asiatic Society, including his house and his library. With this donation were some papers including the unpublished portions of the Survey, research notes, drafts and boxes of index cards. This material is what makes up these personal papers. The papers have been divided into different series reflecting the variety of material within his archive:

• CAS/1 – Index Cards
• CAS/2 – Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey Volume I
• CAS/3 – Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey Volume II
• CAS/4 – Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey Volume III
• CAS/5 – Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey Volume IV
• CAS/6 – Persian Literature: A Bio-bibliographical Survey Volume V
• CAS/7 – Research Notes
• CAS/8 – Biographical Material
• CAS/9 – Other Storey Publications
• CAS/10 – Correspondence
• CAS/11 – Maps
• CAS/12 – Newspaper Cuttings
• CAS/13 – Seals
• CAS/14 – Others’ Publications
• CAS/15 – Items in Persian and Arabic Script

The full catalogue can be found here.

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In the previous blog post it was announced that the latest edition of the Journal  is a special issue entitled ‘Mobilising global knowledge: Institutionalising expertise in East Asia’s industrial transition’. We have recorded this podcast between the special issue editors Dr Weipin Tsai and Dr Hailian Chen, contributor Professor Janet Hunter and JRAS Editor in Chief, Professor Daud Ali through which issues raised by the articles are highlighted and discussed. This is available on our YouTube channel and by pressing the link below. We hope many of you will take the opportunity to learn more about East Asia and its transition to industrialisation.

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We have enjoyed a number of book launches and lectures in the last couple of weeks. On Friday 4th October, Dr Liz Driver gave an insightful account of the reasons for Colonel James Tod’s dismissal as a Political Agent in the Western Rajput States. She addressed Tod’s visit to Maharaja Man Singh in Jodhpur but focussed on the events in Kotah in 1820-21. She drew on Tod’s own account in the Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan and on the often vituperative correspondence between Tod and his immediate superior, Sir David Ochterlony, and with the government in Calcutta. For those of you who missed the lecture or would like to hear it again the recording of this talk is also available on our YouTube channel by using the link below.

On Thursday 10th October, Marcus Milwright lectured on ‘Writing Art History as Fiction: A Story of Islamic Art’, in celebration of the publication of his book, A Story of Islamic Art, at the end of 2023. The book uses case studies of art and architecture from a broad range of dynasties and regions to communicate art historical concepts  through the interactions of four protagonists (two of whom are drawn from the Maqamat of al-Hariri) with the objects, structures, and people who made or commissioned these items. The book, published by Routledge can be purchase from their website and his talk can be listened to on our YouTube channel.

On Wednesday 16th October we welcomed Professor Suranjan Das who revisited the Nehru years in India of 1947-1964. His lecture reviews, from the vantage point of historical hindsight, the Nehruvian legacy in constructing a post-independent India, his achievements and failures, and reasons behind both of these. Again a recording of this lecture can be found on our YouTube channel.

The following day, 17th October, we celebrated the launch of the publication of Islamic Bookbinding revealed through the lens of the Montefiascone Conservation Project. This book is a tribute and commemoration of the long-term investment of many specialists into the conserving of the library at Montefiascone and their teaching of many others interested to learn about books and conservation techniques. The project was initiated and maintained by conservator Cheryl Porter and it was fantastic to hear some of the many tales from the years in which she has been involved.

Professors Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom, participants in several summer workshops, did a lovely double act in which they showed their fondness for the project and the respect they have for Cheryl in enabling this conservation to take place. The book is available from Oak Knoll Press.

Featured images show some of the boxes of index cards in the Storey papers (CAS/1), Nancy Charley, 25 October 2024.