| Abstract: Diaries of Sir Michael Ernest Sadler (1861-1943), 1899-1902. |
Sir Michael Ernest Sadler (1861-1943) was educated at Rugby and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1885 he was appointed secretary of the extension lectures sub-committee of the Oxford University Examinations Delegacy. During his tenure the quantity and scope of lectures increased enormously. In 1895 he was appointed director of the office of special inquiries and reports at the Board of Education, where he produced reports on educational policy and practice at home and abroad, and advised the government on the development of educational policy. In 1903 he accepted the post of lecturer in education at the University of Manchester. During this period he produced reports on secondary education needs for nine local education authorities. In 1911 he became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds, remaining there until 1923 when he accepted the mastership of University College, Oxford. See Dictionary of National Biography.
These 'private' diaries of Sadler contain a mixture of intermittent journal entries on his daily activities, his family, politics, the Boer War, and longer passages on his reading, and his thoughts and doubts, on lectures given by him, and detailed accounts of meetings and discussions, mainly about educational policies, and on the Board of Education and his work there. The volume for 29 Jan.-2 Nov. 1900 is missing. In November 1901 he stopped writing the diary, being 'so much pressed' (MS. Eng. d. 3262, fol. 50), took it up again for two days (1-2 May 1902), and then left it until 1907, when he wrote a résumé covering 1902 to 1906.
Many papers loosely inserted in the volumes - including letters to Sadler, drafts of a few letters from him, newspaper cuttings, a few pieces of printed ephemera, and some substantial memoranda by him on education - have been removed to MSS. Eng. c. 7129-30.
The diaries may have been consulted by Lynda Grier, for her book on Sadler Achievement in education. The work of Michael Sadler 1885-1935 (London, 1952).
All except MS. Eng. d. 3628 and MS. Eng. c. 7205, found in the attic of Richard Sadler, grandson of Sir Michael.
Oxford, Bodleian Library [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. Eng. d. 3616, fols. 1-2].
Descriptions of fifty-one commonplace books of Sadler, and of Sadler's papers, including diaries of 1932 to 1942, can be found in M. Clapinson and T.D. Rogers, Summary Catalogue of Post-Medieval Western Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Acquisitions 1916-1975 (Oxford, 1991), vol. I, nos. 38722-73 (commonplace books), and nos. 44179-216 (papers). See also lecture notes and diary entries, 1910-40, MS. Eng. d. 3530 in miscellaneous papers acquired singly; the catalogue of papers relating mainly to education, MSS. Eng. hist. c. 1094, Eng. misc. c. 906; and the catalogue of copies of lectures and talks, correspondence and printed works, 1901-c.1961, MSS. Eng. c. 7116-18. Letters from Sadler are scattered through many other collections in the Bodleian.
| 'Private Diary', 1 Jan.-15 June 1899 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3616 Extent: 109 leaves Binding: black cloth boards, calf spine mostly missing |
| 'Private Diary', 16 June-18 July 1899 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3617 Extent: 139 leaves Binding: marbled boards, cloth spine partly detached |
| ['Private Diary' - label missing], 18 July (cont'd)-10 Nov.
1899 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3618 Extent: 139 leaves Binding: marbled boards, cloth spine mostly detached, lower board detached and lacking marbled cover |
| 'Private Diary', 11 Nov.1899-28 Jan. 1900 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3619 Extent: 138 leaves Binding: marbled boards, cloth spine |
| 'Private Diary', 29 Jan.-2 Nov. 1900 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3628 Extent: 140 leaves Binding: marbled boards, cloth spine |
| 'Private Diary', 3 Nov. 1900-9 Oct. 1901 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3620 Extent: 163 leaves Binding: marbled boards, cloth spine |
| 'Private Diary', 2 Aug.-13 Sept. 1901, mainly a
holiday diary, Keswick (Lake District), 6-30 Aug.
1901 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3621 Extent: 27 leaves Binding: marbled wrappers |
| 'Private Diary', 10 Oct.-26 Nov. 1901, 1-2
May 1902; and résumé for 1902-6 (compiled
1907) Shelfmark: MS. Eng. d. 3622 Extent: i + 68 leaves, 61-8 blank Binding: marbled boards, cloth spine, lower board almost detached Note: The holiday diary for 15-29 Oct. 1901 is in MS. Eng. c. 7130, fols. 136-47, below. |
| Loose papers removed from the diaries MSS. Eng. d. 3616-19,
1899-1900 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7129 Extent: iii + 268 leaves Scope and Content: Includes letters to Sadler from
with
|
| Loose papers removed from the diary MS. Eng. d. 3628, 29 Jan.-2
Nov. 1900 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7205 Extent: 98 leaves Scope and Content: Includes letters to Sadler from
with
|
| Loose papers removed from the diaries,
1901-2 Shelfmark: MS. Eng. c. 7130 Extent: iii + 223 leaves Scope and Content: Includes letters to Sadler from
with
|