Thomas Okey (30 September 1852 – 4 May 1935) was an expert on

basket weaving Basket weaving (also basketry or basket making) is the process of weaving or sewing pliable materials into three-dimensional artifacts, such as baskets, mats, mesh bags or even furniture. Craftspeople and artists specialized in making baskets ...

, a translator of Italian, and a writer on art and the

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

of architecture and art works in Italy and France. Okey's first experience of the Italian language came when he attended the Extension Lectures at

Toynbee Hall Toynbee Hall is a charitable institution that works to address the causes and impacts of poverty in the East End of London and elsewhere. Established in 1884, it is based in Commercial Street, Spitalfields, and was the first university-affiliat ...

in the 1880s. In 1919, he became the first

Serena Professor of Italian The Serena Professorship of Italian is the senior professorship in the study of Italian language, literature and culture at the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Manchester and University of Birmingham. At Cambridge, it ...

at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. Okey was a hereditary basket maker from a poor East End of London family, and on his appointment at Cambridge he stated that: and He was made a Fellow of

Gonville and Caius College Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of th ...

in 1920. Okey was also a member of the

Art Workers' Guild The Art Workers' Guild is an organisation established in 1884 by a group of British painters, sculptors, architects, and designers associated with the ideas of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement. The guild promoted the 'unity of a ...

, and was elected Master in 1914.

Works

*''Venice and its Story'' (1904) *''Paris and its Story'' (1904) *Dante's

Purgatorio ''Purgatorio'' (; Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', following the ''Inferno'' and preceding the '' Paradiso''. The poem was written in the early 14th century. It is an allegory telling of the climb of Da ...

(translator). *''The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi'' *''The Story of Avignon'' (1926) *''The Little Flowers of St. Francis'' *''Selections From the ''Vita Nuova'' *''The Old Venetian Places and Old Venetian Folk'' *''A Basketful of Memories: An Autobiographical Sketch'' (1930)

References

External links

* * * British non-fiction writers 1852 births 1935 deaths British translators Translators of Dante Alighieri Professors of the University of Cambridge Fellows of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge British male writers Male non-fiction writers Masters of the Art Worker's Guild {{UK-writer-stub