Identity area
Reference code
Title
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).
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- National cultures » Asian cultures
- Cultural research
- Cultural research » Cultural studies
- International relations » Foreign relations » Diplomacy
- Documents
- International relations » Foreign relations
- Information sources
- International relations
- Literary forms and genres
- Literature
- National cultures
- Visual materials » Photographs
- Documents » Primary documents
- Literary forms and genres » Prose
- Visual materials
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English