Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1901-1918 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
4 boxes, 16 files
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Singer Barclay was born in 1871; educated at Bedford School and on leaving school travelled to central Uruguay to join a relative who was contracted to build a railway. This contract was cancelled and led to Barclay travelling South and Central America for twenty years. Barclay contributed to the Society's journal from 1904; became editor of a monumental commercial map of South America, published by George Philip in 1922; worked as General Secretary of the Tower Hill Improvement Trust and in later life lectured at the Society's evening meetings; became an authority on South America working as Commercial Secretary to the British Mission to South America, under Sir Maurice de Bunsen during the latter part of World War One and General Secretary to the British Empire trade exhibition in Buenos Aires, 1929-1931. Barclay was a fellow of Royal Geographical Society, 1903-1947 and received the Back Award in 1913. He died in 1947.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0402 WSB 1901-1918 Collection level 4 boxes, 16 files Barclay , William Singer , 1871-1947 , explorer
William Singer Barclay was born in 1871; educated at Bedford School and on leaving school travelled to central Uruguay to join a relative who was contracted to build a railway. This contract was cancelled and led to Barclay travelling South and Central America for twenty years. Barclay contributed to the Society's journal from 1904; became editor of a monumental commercial map of South America, published by George Philip in 1922; worked as General Secretary of the Tower Hill Improvement Trust and in later life lectured at the Society's evening meetings; became an authority on South America working as Commercial Secretary to the British Mission to South America, under Sir Maurice de Bunsen during the latter part of World War One and General Secretary to the British Empire trade exhibition in Buenos Aires, 1929-1931. Barclay was a fellow of Royal Geographical Society, 1903-1947 and received the Back Award in 1913. He died in 1947.
Diaries were donated to the RGS in 1966.
Papers of William Singer Barclay, 1901-1918, comprise diaries, 1901-1918, of residence and travel in Uruguay, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina Ecuador and Colombia; reports on the Misiones region, 1904-1907 and miscellaneous notes and news cuttings from a variety of sources concerning South America.
Arranged in chronological order.
Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.
Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist, and subject to completion of an 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without the permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.
English
The RGS Archives: a handlist compiled by Christine Kelly (London: RGS, 1977); full catalogue available online at Access to Archives; hard copy catalogue and card list can be found in the Foyle Reading Room at the Royal Geographical Society.
Album D3 photograph collection, letter from Barclay to W E Goodenough, 1933.
Sources: The Geographical Journal 1947, Vol: 109 pp 286/7.
Prepared by Archives Vounteer using existing finding aids and edited by Samantha Velumyl, AIM25 cataloguer.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.
24 May 2001 modified in May 2008. Uruguay Barclay , William Singer , 1871-1947 , explorer Geography Geographical exploration Literature Literary forms and genres Prose Nonfiction Diaries Travel Travel abroad South America Ecuador Tierra del Fuego Argentina Primary documents Documents Information sources
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Diaries were donated to the RGS in 1966.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of William Singer Barclay, 1901-1918, comprise diaries, 1901-1918, of residence and travel in Uruguay, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina Ecuador and Colombia; reports on the Misiones region, 1904-1907 and miscellaneous notes and news cuttings from a variety of sources concerning South America.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged in chronological order.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.
Conditions governing reproduction
Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist, and subject to completion of an 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without the permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Album D3 photograph collection, letter from Barclay to W E Goodenough, 1933.
Finding aids
The RGS Archives: a handlist compiled by Christine Kelly (London: RGS, 1977); full catalogue available online at Access to Archives; hard copy catalogue and card list can be found in the Foyle Reading Room at the Royal Geographical Society.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English