Skip to main content

Papers relating to the transfer of power in Nyasaland

 Collection

  • How to
    request

Reports, memoranda, reminiscences, photographs and associated material of administrators, on political and economic conditions in Nyasaland, principally from post World War II to Independence, 1946-1964.

Dates

  • Creation: 1926-1985

Extent

0.9 Linear metres (6 boxes)

Language of Materials

  • English

Conditions Governing Access

MSS. Afr. s. 1742 (24) is closed.

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. Afr. s. 1742 (1)].

Please see our help page for further guidance on citing archives and manuscripts.

Full range of shelfmarks:

MSS. Afr. s. 1742 (1-40)

Collection ID (for staff)

CMD ID 3512

Abstract

Reports, memoranda, reminiscences, photographs and associated material of administrators, on political and economic conditions in Nyasaland, principally from post World War II to Independence, 1946-1964.

Biographical / Historical

This collection of papers had its origin in a programme set up by the Oxford Development Records Project (ODRP) (successor to the Oxford Colonial Records Project) early in 1980 with the aim of preserving the recollections of Colonial Service officers and others concerning the critical period post World War II up to Independence - and even slightly beyond - in Nyasaland (Malawi).

Unlike other projects organised by ODRP, such as those relating to British Forces in Colonial Africa, Education, the Swynnerton Plan and so on, for which a standard aide-memoir was devised, outlining the particular areas of interest in each case, and sent out to all contributors, a different procedure was adopted here. This programme was launched by means of a personal letter addressed to each potential contributor, designed to elicit memories and records in the field in which the contributor had special interest, experience and responsibility. A list of those approached is deposited in Box I. In addition to the memoranda resulting from these letters, two colloquia were held by ODRP, relating to two important topics in the study of Nyasaland: Land and Finance. The transcripts of these colloquia can be found in Box VI.

Contributors are listed alphabetically, each being given an individual number which also identifies their papers.

Arrangement

  1. (Box I) Armitage--Harris
  2. (Box II) Harvey--Jones-Walters
  3. (Box III) Keppel-Compton--Phillips
  4. (Box IV) Reeve--Sharpe
  5. (Box V) Thatcher--Youens
  6. (Box VI) Colloquia

Other Finding Aids

Listed as no. 855 in Manuscript Collections in Rhodes House Library Oxford, Accessions 1978-1994 (Oxford: 1996).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers were donated to the library through the Oxford Development Records Project.

Title
Catalogue of papers relating to the transfer of power in Nyasaland
Subtitle
MSS. Afr. s. 1742
Status
Published
Date
c.1984; edited, converted to EAD and published online 2016
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom