Talk:Apocryphal biographies in the Dictionary of National Biography

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More recent mentions[edit]

The article could make it clear that Kirkman Finlay occurred in the Appendix 1 list in C. M. Woodhouse, The Philhellenes (1969), which is in the references of the ODNB article. Woodhouse's list is referenced to Douglas Dakin, British and American Philhellenes during the War of Greek Independence, 1821-1833 (1955) which mentions this Finlay on p. 175 (Google Books, snippet view). Basically Clough prefers the view of Ferriman from 1918 to that of Dakin from 1955. Which is fair enough, and may be supported by analysis of the primary sources. But I think this article could do a better job of NPOV here. Charles Matthews (talk) 15:58, 6 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The Fay book also has snippet view: [1] for p. 371 and the quote at issue. Omitted in the ODNB is the caveat "according to my informant". It would be good to know more about said informant. Charles Matthews (talk) 16:02, 6 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Here's one of the DNB references, memoir by Pietro Gamba: [2]. Charles Matthews (talk) 16:10, 6 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Here it is said that George Finlay was an only child: [3]. Charles Matthews (talk) 16:20, 6 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It would be good to find the Scots magazine LXIV p 616 obit of John Finlay. 1828 seems wrong for the battle of Scio anyway. Possibly the other anecdotes attributed to Kirkman neveu actually apply to George, who has the twin advantages of having been there and having existed. Rich Farmbrough, 00:19, 6 February 2012 (UTC).[reply]

(Also of interest, www.jstor.org/stable/40855968 though more for the other Kirkman.) Rich Farmbrough, 00:50, 6 February 2012 (UTC).[reply]

Confusion[edit]

I may have mis-cited the title of the Moore book. Murray, Byron and Moore were thick as thieves (with Byron writing poetry to Murray) and Murray and Moore seem to have rung the changes on the titles and contents of Byron omnibuses, presumably capitalising on the market for material on the recently dead celebrity, plus ça change. I'll check this when I get a moment. Rich Farmbrough, 00:24, 6 February 2012 (UTC).[reply]

I would hypothesise that the reference on p. 89 of Moore's book to Kirkman Finlay (the Mr Finlay is disambiguated to Kirkman by footnote) was taken to apply to the later Mr Finlay in the book, presumably George, by GG. The obit in Gentlemen's Magazine (which does not mention the fore-name Kirkman) is therefore a standard pre-mortem obit for George Finlay, accurate in all details except his death, which was "much exaggerated". Rich Farmbrough, 00:46, 6 February 2012 (UTC).[reply]

It may be of interest to the fly-paper mind that Kirkman Finlay Esq subscribed for twenty copies of a book of somewhat varied poems put together in the 1820s. Many of these poems were on the subject of the Greek War, including lines on the massacre of Scio, mentioning the mastic trees of that isle. Rich Farmbrough, 00:46, 6 February 2012 (UTC).[reply]

To top off the hilarity, the history by George is given top billing as a source in our own article on the Greek War. Rich Farmbrough, 00:53, 6 February 2012 (UTC).[reply]

Notability[edit]

While the DNB is undoubtedly notable, what evidence is there that this topic (apocryphal biographies) is notable? Are there any examples of significant coverage in reliable sources of the topic of apocryphal biographies in the DNB? Pburka (talk) 00:50, 17 August 2016 (UTC)[reply]