GB 0102 PP MS 25 - Addis, Sir John Mansfield

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0102 PP MS 25

Title

Addis, Sir John Mansfield

Date(s)

  • Created 1914-1983 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

35 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

John Mansfield Addis was born on 4 June 1914. He was the twelfth child and fifth son of Sir Charles and Lady Addis. He was educated at Rugby from 1928 to 1932 and then at Christchurch College, Oxford. He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1938 and served for a while as Assistant Private Secretary to the Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Alexander Cadogan. Between 1942 and 1944 he worked as Civilian Liaison Officer at the Allied Force Headquarters in the Mediterranean, London, Algiers and Caserta, and in 1944 as Second Secretary, HM Embassy Paris. Between 1945 and 1947 he served as Assistant Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Clement Attlee.

In 1947, he began his service in China, as First Secretary and Head of Chancery, HM Embassy Nanking and then in 1950, HM Embassy Peking. He remained in Peking for the next seven years and his postings included Assistant in the China and Korea Department, Foreign Office (1951-1954), Member of the UK Delegation to Geneva Conference on Korea (1954) and Counsellor and Consul General, HM Embassy Peking (1954-1957). He left China in 1957. Subsequent postings included Head of Southern Department, Foreign Office (1957-1959); HM Ambassador Vientiane, Laos (1960-1962); Fellow at the Harvard University Centre for International Affairs (1962-1963); HM Ambassador, Manila (1963-1969); and HM Ambassador, China (1970-1974). He retired in 1974.

In 1975 he was elected as Senior Research Fellow in Contemporary Chinese Studies at Wolfson College, Oxford, and held this position throughout his retirement. He was also a member of the Advisory Council of the V&A Museum, a Trustee of the British Museum, Board Member of the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, Adviser to the Barclays International Bank and Great Britain China Centre. He died on 31 July 1983. He never married.

Archival history

GB 0102 PP MS 25 Created 1914-1983 Collection (fonds) 35 boxes Addis , Sir , John Mansfield , 1914-1983 , Knight , diplomat
John Mansfield Addis was born on 4 June 1914. He was the twelfth child and fifth son of Sir Charles and Lady Addis. He was educated at Rugby from 1928 to 1932 and then at Christchurch College, Oxford. He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1938 and served for a while as Assistant Private Secretary to the Permanent Under-Secretary, Sir Alexander Cadogan. Between 1942 and 1944 he worked as Civilian Liaison Officer at the Allied Force Headquarters in the Mediterranean, London, Algiers and Caserta, and in 1944 as Second Secretary, HM Embassy Paris. Between 1945 and 1947 he served as Assistant Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Clement Attlee.

In 1947, he began his service in China, as First Secretary and Head of Chancery, HM Embassy Nanking and then in 1950, HM Embassy Peking. He remained in Peking for the next seven years and his postings included Assistant in the China and Korea Department, Foreign Office (1951-1954), Member of the UK Delegation to Geneva Conference on Korea (1954) and Counsellor and Consul General, HM Embassy Peking (1954-1957). He left China in 1957. Subsequent postings included Head of Southern Department, Foreign Office (1957-1959); HM Ambassador Vientiane, Laos (1960-1962); Fellow at the Harvard University Centre for International Affairs (1962-1963); HM Ambassador, Manila (1963-1969); and HM Ambassador, China (1970-1974). He retired in 1974.

In 1975 he was elected as Senior Research Fellow in Contemporary Chinese Studies at Wolfson College, Oxford, and held this position throughout his retirement. He was also a member of the Advisory Council of the V&A Museum, a Trustee of the British Museum, Board Member of the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, Adviser to the Barclays International Bank and Great Britain China Centre. He died on 31 July 1983. He never married.

Donated in 1984.

Papers, 1914-1983, of Sir John Mansfield Addis, comprising correspondence relating to Addis's education at Rugby and Oxford (1925-1936); correspondence, including that with his sister Robina Addis, diaries and research material relating to his diplomatic career (1933-1974); and material relating to his retirement years (1975-1982) including reports of South East Asian Tours, lecture notes, research and scholarly work. Also includes personal items (1914-1983) and photographs (1933-1974).

The material has been sorted into sections corresponding to the chronological periods in Addis's life: education at Rugby and Oxford, 1925-1936; establishing his diplomatic career, 1937-1959; JMA the Diplomat, 1960-1974; retirement, Asian tours, memberships and committees, lectures and scholarly work, 1975-1982; miscellaneous: personal and the JMA photograph collection, 1933-1974. Within each section, material is arranged in chronological order.

Unrestricted (with the exception of 4 files).

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
English

Unpublished handlist.

The School of Oriental and African Studies also holds the papers of Sir Charles Stewart Addis (Ref: PP MS 14).

Correspondence and papers (1932-1986) of Robina Scott Addis are held at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, Contemporary Medical Archives Centre (Ref: PP/ADD); Victoria and Albert Museum (artefact collections/documentation); British Museum (artefact collections/documentation).

15 May 2000 Addis , Robina Scott , 1900-1986 , psychiatric social worker Addis , Sir , John Mansfield , 1914-1983 , Knight , diplomat Asian cultures Beijing Beijing Shi China Cultural research Cultural studies Diaries Diplomacy Documents East Asia Europe Foreign relations France Information sources International relations Jiangsu Lao PDR Literary forms and genres Literature Manila Nanjing National cultures Nonfiction Paris Philippines Photographs Primary documents Prose Rugby School , Warwickshire South East Asia University of Oxford , Christ Church College x Oxford University , Christ Church College Visual materials Western Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated in 1984.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers, 1914-1983, of Sir John Mansfield Addis, comprising correspondence relating to Addis's education at Rugby and Oxford (1925-1936); correspondence, including that with his sister Robina Addis, diaries and research material relating to his diplomatic career (1933-1974); and material relating to his retirement years (1975-1982) including reports of South East Asian Tours, lecture notes, research and scholarly work. Also includes personal items (1914-1983) and photographs (1933-1974).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The material has been sorted into sections corresponding to the chronological periods in Addis's life: education at Rugby and Oxford, 1925-1936; establishing his diplomatic career, 1937-1959; JMA the Diplomat, 1960-1974; retirement, Asian tours, memberships and committees, lectures and scholarly work, 1975-1982; miscellaneous: personal and the JMA photograph collection, 1933-1974. Within each section, material is arranged in chronological order.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Unrestricted (with the exception of 4 files).

Conditions governing reproduction

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The School of Oriental and African Studies also holds the papers of Sir Charles Stewart Addis (Ref: PP MS 14).

Finding aids

Unpublished handlist.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Correspondence and papers (1932-1986) of Robina Scott Addis are held at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, Contemporary Medical Archives Centre (Ref: PP/ADD); Victoria and Albert Museum (artefact collections/documentation); British Museum (artefact collections/documentation).

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

School of Oriental and African Studies

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area