A pioneering Egyptologist’s legacy. This is the Amelia Edwards Blue Plaque. It marks the London home where she blossomed into a writer. Amelia Edwards was more than just a writer though. She was a force of nature. An insatiable traveler. In 1873 she journeyed up the Nile. From Cairo all the way to Abu Simbel. Inspired by Egypt’s wonders she wrote A Thousand Miles Up the Nile. It became a bestseller. The book is still in print today.
The Amelia Edwards Blue Plaque stands on Wharton Street. It commemorates her early years as a writer. Here she wrote Hand and Glove. Critics consider it her best early novel. She also wrote a concise history of France. She penned short travelogues from her European trips. The plaque is at number 19. It’s a Grade II listed building. It has a distinctive Greek revival design. The house sits in the New River Conservation Area.
But Amelia’s impact transcended her writing. She witnessed the destruction of Egypt’s treasures. Tourism and development threatened ancient monuments. She became a tireless campaigner for their preservation. With R S Poole she founded the Egypt Exploration Fund. This later became The Egypt Exploration Society. The organization funded excavations across Egypt. It brought valuable artifacts back to Britain. Amelia served as its Honorary Secretary.
In 1892 she bequeathed her collection to University College London. It became the foundation of UCL’s Egyptology Department. She endowed its first chair in Egyptology in the UK. Her influence is undeniable. Flinders Petrie and Howard Carter were among her protégés. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology wouldn’t exist without her. She enabled a new generation of archaeologists. Many were influential women. Margaret Murray and Gertrude Caton-Thompson are examples.
Amelia Edwards was more than an Egyptologist and writer. She was a visionary. A tireless advocate. Her legacy continues to inspire. The Amelia Edwards Blue Plaque serves as a testament to her extraordinary life and achievements. It is a reminder of her lasting impact on Egyptology and the world.