George Robert Graham Conway Explained

George Robert Graham Conway (1873–1951) was a civil engineer and a historian of Mexico. He is particularly known for his researches on Englishmen and the Mexican Inquisition (though the subjects were not all English).

Biography

G. R. G. Conway was born in Southampton, and educated at Taunton's School and Hartley University College, both in Southampton. After completing his engineering training he worked as assistant to James Mansergh and then became Resident Engineer to the City of Aberdeen in 1895. He worked in Monterrey, Mexico from 1907–1910, in British Columbia, Canada, from 1910–1916, and in Mexico City from 1916 until he retired in 1942. He died in Mexico City on 20 May 1951.[1]

Engineering Work

In Aberdeen, Conway worked on the Girdleness Outfall Scheme,[2] [3] and on the rebuilding of the Union Bridge.[1] In Monterrey he developed the Water-Works and Sewerage systems.[4] In Canada, he worked on the Coquitlam-Buntzen hydro-electric scheme.[5]

Mexican History

Conway spent much of his spare time, and much of his own money, in researching the early colonial history of Mexico. He transcribed and translated great quantities of material from the Mexican archives, much of it relating to the inquisition.[6] [7] He was particularly interested in the fate of the English seamen captured by the Spanish and turned over to the inquisition, though individuals of other nationalities also figure in the records.[8] He made gifts and bequests of his material to several libraries.[9] [10] [11] [12] James Williamson commented on the value of Conway's compilations of Hispanic material as complementing the English sources.[13]

Other interests

In 1923 Conway published a short book on the cartoonist Ernesto García Cabral "for the amusement of friends".[14]

Conway became acquainted with D.H. Lawrence in Mexico City in 1925, and there is correspondences concerning Lawrences's novel The Plumed Serpent and his illness in Oaxaca.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Papers of George Robert Graham Conway. Archives Hub. 2019-08-01 .
  2. G.R.G.. Conway. Aberdeen main drainage works: Girdleness outfall scheme. Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 177. 3. 1909. 238–263. 10.1680/imotp.1909.17709.
  3. Web site: Girdleness Sewer Outfall. The Doric Columns. 2019-08-01.
  4. G.R.G.. Conway. The Water-Works and Sewerage of Monterrey, N. L., Mexico. Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers. 1911. LXXII. Paper No. 1193. 475–585.
  5. Book: Conway, G.R.G.. Report on the Coquitlam-Buntzen hydro-electric development, British Columbia. 1915. Government Printing Bureau. Ottawa.
  6. G.R.G.. Conway. Hernando Alonso, a Jewish Conquistador with Cortes in Mexico. American Jewish History. 1928. 31. 9–31. .
  7. G.R.G.. Conway. Antonio de Espejo, as a Familiar of the Mexican Inquisition, 1572-1578. New Mexico Historical Review. 1931. 6. 1. 1–20.
  8. Book: Conway, G.R.G.. An Englishman and the Mexican Inquisition, 1556-1560; being an account of the voyage of Robert Tomson to New Spain, his trial for heresy in the city of Mexico and other contemporary historical documents. 1927. Mexico City. Private printing.
  9. Williams. Schafer. The G. R. G. Conway Collection in the Library of Congress: A Checklist. The Hispanic American Historical Review. 1955. 35. 3. 386–397. 2509529. 10.2307/2509529.
  10. Thornton. A.P.. The G. R. G. Conway MS. Collection in the Library of the University of Aberdeen. The Hispanic American Historical Review. 1956. 36. 3. 345–347. 10.1215/00182168-36.3.345. 2509221. free.
  11. Street. J.. The G. R. G. Conway Collection in Cambridge University Library: A Checklist. The Hispanic American Historical Review. 1957. 37. 1. 60–81. 10.1215/00182168-37.1.60. 2510179. free.
  12. Cadenhead. Ivie E.. The G. R. G. Conway Collection in the Gilcrease Institute: A Checklist. The Hispanic American Historical Review. 1958. 38. 3. 373–382 . 10.1215/00182168-38.3.373. 2509761. free.
  13. Book: Williamson, James A.. The Age of Drake. 1952. 3. London. Adam and Charles Black. 44.
  14. Book: Conway, G.R.G.. Ernesto Garcia Cabral : a Mexican cartoonist. 1923. Mexico City. Private printing.
  15. Book: D.H. Lawrence letter and photograph to George Conway, 10 June 1925. 880085925.

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