Becoming Keeper of Anglo-Saxon Antiquities: 1923–47 Thomas Charles Lethbridge

museum of archaeology , ethnology

in february 1924, lethbridge married sylvia robertson in ceremony held @ salisbury cathedral. moved house known lodge in waterbeach. there, first 2 sons born: christopher john in march 1925 , hugh periam in july 1926. in 1927, moved mount blow, house in shelford designed architect edwin lutyens. there sylvia gave birth daughter, belinda mary, in april 1930. sylvia suffered mental illness however, resulting in repeated hospitalisation. lethbridge meanwhile devoted of time yachting around british isles, taking family members him. on course of 1930s self-published series of books featuring own sketches , engravings of maritime scenes. deepened interest in paranormal during period, coming believe acquaintance of genuine psychic , observing unidentified flying object in bracknell.

in 1937, wordie organised expedition north west greenland investigate cosmic radiation @ high latitudes , great altitudes. assembled team of ten men, 9 of whom cambridge university, among them lethbridge , 2 other archaeologists. setting sail in june 1937, lethbridge undertook excavations of eskimo sites @ rhyder island, cary island, north west island, , isbjörn island. on returning home in october 1937, decided various geographical features encountered named after team members, , 2 lakes on baffin island named lethbridge lakes. during trip, lethbridge became particularly interested in design of eskimo boats, resulting in self-publication of 11-page booklet, umiak – european ancestry of women s boat , in 1937. followed second book, fishermen of durness (1938), in argued study of contemporary traditional fishing communities inform archaeologists more ancient boat-making , fishing.

as second world war loomed, british admiralty commissioned lethbridge undertake reconnaissance mission iceland analyse german naval activity around country, carried out in summer 1939. lethbridge treated mission contempt, spending of time visiting sites interested him, such locations mentioned in icelandic sagas. in britain, self-published short volume discussing icelandic journey, news tili. war broke out, lethbridge organised transfer of of museum s collections balsham caves safe keeping, while becoming warden of air raid precautions. led rescue excavation of ten prehistoric tumuli being destroyed enable construction of snailwell airfield royal air force.

meanwhile, lethbridge s wife sylvia had been having affairs various men, , himself had begun affair sylvia s younger cousin mina, secretary @ museum. couple divorced in june 1943, , in november lethbridge sold mount blow pay settlement sylvia. married mina in july 1944 @ oban, , moved cambridge farm on scottish island of kerrera, lethbridge excavated local caves. couple found life on kerrera isolated , returned cambridge, despite lethbridge s dislike of place , of university staff whom worked alongside. nevertheless continued archaeological investigations, excavating anglo-saxon cemetery @ lackford on cavenham heath, , involving himself in investigation of newly unearthed mildenhall treasure, being individual responsible locating probable discovery spot. among first take interest in cemeteries of mid anglo-saxon period, believing lack of pagan objects such weapons reflected fact buried in 2 seventh-century cemeteries among earliest anglo-saxon christians. in january 1948, lethbridge received word son hugh had committed suicide after suffering post-traumatic stress disorder during time in armed forces.