Jeremiah Lynch of San Francisco's Bohemian Club: The Earl of Carnarvon's Inspiration to seek and search out the Royal Tombs of Egypt's past.
Lord Carnarvon and Tutankhamun: Jeremiah Lynch of San Francisco's Bohemian Club: The Earl's Inspiration to seek and search out the Royal Tombs of Egypt's past.
“The 5th Earl of Carnarvon knew Egypt well over the previous decades, starting from 1889. But it was a trip to the USA in 1903 and a chance meeting in San Francisco‘s famed Bohemian Club that should be counted as the beginning of Lord Carnarvon’s tomb quest. The suggestion came from an eccentric Egyptophile and author, a collector of mummies and a friend of Lord Kitchener (Egypt’s Consul General) named Jeremiah Lynch (Author of Egyptian Sketches and other books on Egypt and mummies).
Lynch excited the Earl filling his head with tales that provoked an interest and later an obsession for collecting Egyptian antiquities and digging in tombs. Lynch put the idea into Carnarvon’s head that there was the possibility of undiscovered Royal Tombs in the Valley of the Kings. According to Tony Leadbetter (Almina’s godson) ex-Senator Lynch was Almina’s recollection of the origin of the Earl’s hobby, she was at the Bohemian Club on the night in question. The two men agreed to meet in Egypt in the following season. They met in Egypt, this led to Carnarvon’s request for digging rights.
After returning from America, Lord Carnarvon consulted Ernest Wallis Budge in London; he was a leading figure in the British Museum. Budge concurred on Lynch’s idea of the existence of ‘lost’ Royal tombs. When Lynch met Carnarvon in Egypt – Carnarvon organised a grand reception for him. Jeremiah Lynch, who died in 1917, should be celebrated as the man who kindled Carnarvon’s urge to go to Egypt to excavate. William Flinders Petrie wrote a short obituary of Lynch for the archaeological community. Flinders Petrie edited the Journal on Ancient Egypt, 1914- 1917 ( and later) which contains a very comprehensive overview of people news.”
“The 5th Earl of Carnarvon knew Egypt well over the previous decades, starting from 1889. But it was a trip to the USA in 1903 and a chance meeting in San Francisco‘s famed Bohemian Club that should be counted as the beginning of Lord Carnarvon’s tomb quest. The suggestion came from an eccentric Egyptophile and author, a collector of mummies and a friend of Lord Kitchener (Egypt’s Consul General) named Jeremiah Lynch (Author of Egyptian Sketches and other books on Egypt and mummies).
Lynch excited the Earl filling his head with tales that provoked an interest and later an obsession for collecting Egyptian antiquities and digging in tombs. Lynch put the idea into Carnarvon’s head that there was the possibility of undiscovered Royal Tombs in the Valley of the Kings. According to Tony Leadbetter (Almina’s godson) ex-Senator Lynch was Almina’s recollection of the origin of the Earl’s hobby, she was at the Bohemian Club on the night in question. The two men agreed to meet in Egypt in the following season. They met in Egypt, this led to Carnarvon’s request for digging rights.
After returning from America, Lord Carnarvon consulted Ernest Wallis Budge in London; he was a leading figure in the British Museum. Budge concurred on Lynch’s idea of the existence of ‘lost’ Royal tombs. When Lynch met Carnarvon in Egypt – Carnarvon organised a grand reception for him. Jeremiah Lynch, who died in 1917, should be celebrated as the man who kindled Carnarvon’s urge to go to Egypt to excavate. William Flinders Petrie wrote a short obituary of Lynch for the archaeological community. Flinders Petrie edited the Journal on Ancient Egypt, 1914- 1917 ( and later) which contains a very comprehensive overview of people news.”
[ From Book “ Carnarvon, Carter and Tutankhamun Revisited: the Hidden Truths and Doomed Relationships” by William Cross. Published 20 October 2016]
Jeremiah Lynch of San Francisco's Bohemian Club: The Earl of Carnarvon's Inspiration to seek and search out the Royal Tombs of Egypt's past is pictured above in a log cabin in Northern Canada during the gold rush era.
The book, " Carnarvon, Carter and Tutankhamun Revisited : The Hidden Truths and Doomed Relationships" has been reprinted in 2019 - with new material on Howard Carter added to mark the anniversary of the death of Howard Carter 80 years in 1939