15 Facts About Percy Newberry

Percy Edward Newberry was a British Egyptologist.

Percy Newberry was born in Islington, London on 23 April 1869.

Percy Newberry's parents were Caroline and Henry James Newberry, a woollen warehouseman.

Percy Newberry studied at King's College School and King's College London, and studied botany at Kew Gardens.

In 1884, on the invitation of Reginald Stuart Poole, Percy Newberry began administrative work at the Egypt Exploration Fund, founded just two years previously.

Percy Newberry continued in this role until 1886, when he began his own research in Egyptology, presenting a paper on botany in excavations to the British Association in 1888, with Petrie making use of Newberry's botanical expertise to identify botanical remains found during past excavations.

In 1890 Percy Newberry travelled to Egypt with Howard Carter, whom Percy Newberry had appointed as a trainee tracer, after recognising his talent as an artist.

Percy Newberry supported the Tutankhamun excavation team for several seasons, and was present on 12 February 1924 when the king's sarcophagus was opened.

Percy Newberry's speciality was the botanical specimens from the tomb, on which he would briefly report in the second volume of Carter's The Tomb of Tut.

Percy Newberry continued to work with the Egypt Exploration Society, helping to organise the Society's work at the pharaoh Akhenaten's capital at Amarna in the 1930s.

Percy Newberry was elected the Society's vice-president shortly before his death.

Percy Newberry received further honours, including President of the anthropology section of the British Association and vice-president of the Royal Anthropological Institute.

On 12 February 1907 Percy Newberry married Essie Winifred Johnston.

Percy Newberry died on 7 August 1949 at his home in Godalming in Surrey aged 80.

Percy Newberry wrote extensively on Egyptology, including reports on archaeological findings and numerous contributions to English, French, and German scientific journals.