GB 0103 DE BEER - De Beer Papers

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0103 DE BEER

Title

De Beer Papers

Date(s)

  • 1916-1973 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

48 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

De Beer was born on 1 November 1899 at Malden, Surrey. His early life was spent abroad and he attended the Ecole Pascale in Paris. He came to England in 1912 and attended Harrow School, followed by Magdalen College Oxford. He joined the Grenadier Guards and was called up, but the First World War ended soon afterwards. He returned to Oxford and studied zoology, achieving a first class honours in 1921. He was elected to a Prize Fellowship of Merton College in 1923, and held this until 1938. From 1926 to 1938 De Beer was Jenkinson Lecturer in Embryology at Oxford. He served in the Second World War, being involved with psychological warfare. From 1946 to 1950 he was Professor of Embryology at University College London and from 1950 to 1960 Director of the British Museum (Natural History). He then joined the publishing company Thomas Nelson, initially as a Director and later as Editorial Consultant. He was President of the Linnean Society from 1946 to 1949. He was knighted in 1954. He won many medals during his lifetime and published a many of books on a range of subjects, from embryology and genetics to travelling in Switzerland. De Beer died on 21 June 1972.

Archival history

GB 0103 DE BEER 1916-1973 Collection (fonds) 48 boxes Beer , Sir , Gavin Rylands , De , 1899-1972 , Knight , embryologist

De Beer was born on 1 November 1899 at Malden, Surrey. His early life was spent abroad and he attended the Ecole Pascale in Paris. He came to England in 1912 and attended Harrow School, followed by Magdalen College Oxford. He joined the Grenadier Guards and was called up, but the First World War ended soon afterwards. He returned to Oxford and studied zoology, achieving a first class honours in 1921. He was elected to a Prize Fellowship of Merton College in 1923, and held this until 1938. From 1926 to 1938 De Beer was Jenkinson Lecturer in Embryology at Oxford. He served in the Second World War, being involved with psychological warfare. From 1946 to 1950 he was Professor of Embryology at University College London and from 1950 to 1960 Director of the British Museum (Natural History). He then joined the publishing company Thomas Nelson, initially as a Director and later as Editorial Consultant. He was President of the Linnean Society from 1946 to 1949. He was knighted in 1954. He won many medals during his lifetime and published a many of books on a range of subjects, from embryology and genetics to travelling in Switzerland. De Beer died on 21 June 1972.

Presented by the executors of Lady De Beer in December 1973.

Papers of Sir Gavin Rylands De Beer, the majority c1939-1972, consisting of: notes and drafts for publications and lectures on the history of science and literary topics; correspondence concerning literature and De Beer's scientific work; papers from De Beer's work during the First and Second World Wars; financial and legal papers; and some personal correspondence.

Restricted access. Some items in this collection are not available for general access due to data protection and confidentiality restrictions. Specific restrictions are explained in the description for each item.

Normal copyright restrictions apply.
English

Draft handlist.

  1999  Beer , Sir , Gavin Rylands , De , 1899-1972 , Knight , embryologist x De Beer , Sir , Gavin Rylands Biology Communication process Embryology Genetics History of science International conflicts Literature Persuasion Physiological development Physiology Propaganda Science of science War World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Zoology Wars (events)

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Presented by the executors of Lady De Beer in December 1973.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Sir Gavin Rylands De Beer, the majority c1939-1972, consisting of: notes and drafts for publications and lectures on the history of science and literary topics; correspondence concerning literature and De Beer's scientific work; papers from De Beer's work during the First and Second World Wars; financial and legal papers; and some personal correspondence.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Restricted access. Some items in this collection are not available for general access due to data protection and confidentiality restrictions. Specific restrictions are explained in the description for each item.

Conditions governing reproduction

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Draft handlist.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

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

University College London

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area