Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Colonial official · Antiquities official

W. H. Bennett

fl. 1885–1886 · United Kingdom

Cyprus government Chief Clerk and Honorary Secretary of the Cyprus Museum Committee who handled Falkland Warren's excavation permit and Charles Watkins' rejected application in 1885.

Biography

In 1885 W. H. Bennett held two posts at once: Chief Clerk in the Cyprus government and Honorary Secretary of the Cyprus Museum Committee. Given records the two offices in his account of the dispute over Frangissa1. In August of that year Falkland Warren, the Chief Secretary, applied for a permit to dig at Paraskevi, Pera and Acanthou. Bennett received the application as Chief Clerk and, according to Given, approved it as Honorary Secretary of the Museum Committee1.

On 15 October 1885 Bennett went with Warren to the dig at Pera, where Max Ohnefalsch-Richter mentioned Frangissa; Warren took the site over1. Given calls Bennett Warren's "sidekick"1. When Charles Watkins applied for the same site, Bennett's handling of the application (minute paper SA1/4262/1885) was, in Given's account, a series of prevarications. The Museum, consulted through Bennett as Honorary Secretary, said it wished to excavate, and Warren rejected Watkins' application on 17 November1.

Bennett gave evidence in the Watkins v. Warren trial in January 1886, which Given describes as "clear evasion under oath"1. His forename, dates and later career are not recorded.

Life and work

  1. August 1885
    As Chief Clerk received Falkland Warren's application to excavate at Paraskevi, Pera and Acanthou; Warren, as Chief Secretary, had Bennett send it for comment to the Honorary Secretary of the Cyprus Museum Committee, i.e. Bennett himself, who approved it; permit granted (SA1/3380/1885) after Warren's own approval and the High Commissioner's countersignature

    NicosiaGiven 2001, p. 255

  2. 15 October 1885
    Accompanied Colonel Warren on his Sunday-style visit to the Pera excavations (Tamassos area) where Ohnefalsch-Richter let slip the Frangissa find; Given calls him Warren's 'official and antiquarian sidekick'

    PeraGiven 2001, p. 257

  3. October–November 1885
    Handled Charles Watkins' application to excavate Frangissa (minute paper SA1/4262/1885): five days after receipt of the letter he declared Warren already had permission; a week later he pinpointed the exact spot; two days after that concluded it was where Warren was digging. Given says Bennett had difficulty separating his roles as Chief Clerk, Honorary Secretary of the Museum Committee and Warren's 'lapdog'. The High Commissioner then said Watkins could dig unless the site was reserved for the Museum; Bennett, as Hon. Secretary, was asked and the Museum wished to excavate; on 17 November 1885 Warren as Chief Secretary told Watkins his application was rejected

    NicosiaGiven 2001, p. 257-258

  4. January 1886
    Testified in the Watkins v. Warren trial (Larnaca District Court, Judge Charles Walpole); Given describes his answers as 'clear evasion under oath', citing Cyprus Herald 9 January 1886, 2b

    LarnacaGiven 2001, p. 257

Connections

2 people

Disputes & the law

Colleagues & contacts

Sources

  1. 1.Michael Given (2001). “The fight for the past: Watkins vs. Warren (1885-6) and the control of excavation”. Cyprus in the 19th Century AD: Fact, Fancy and Fiction, 255-260. London, British Museum.