ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn, hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ mjuːzˈiəm æz ɐsˈɪstənt kˈiːpɚɹ ɪnðə dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt ʌv ˌoːɹɪˈɛntəl pɹˈɪntᵻd bˈʊks ænd mˈænjuːskɹˌɪpts.
In 1899, he joined the British Museum as Assistant Keeper in the Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts.