Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1925-1982 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
9 mss
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Bernard Deacon was born, 1903, in Nicolaiev, south Russia, where his father was the representative of a shipping firm; came to England, 1916; education: Nottingham high school, Trinity College, Cambridge, 1921-1925; conducted antropological fieldwork on the island of Malekula in the south Pacific archipelago of the New Hebrides (later Vanuatu) where he gained a working command of at least three Malekulan languages, 1926-1927; he also spent six weeks on the neighbouring island of Ambrym, 1927; died of malaria, 1927.
Archival history
GB 1446 MS 90-98 1925-1982 Collection (fonds) 9 mss Deacon , Arthur Bernard , 1903-1927 , social anthropologist
Wedgwood , Camilla Hildegarde , 1901-1955 , anthropologist
Bernard Deacon was born, 1903, in Nicolaiev, south Russia, where his father was the representative of a shipping firm; came to England, 1916; education: Nottingham high school, Trinity College, Cambridge, 1921-1925; conducted antropological fieldwork on the island of Malekula in the south Pacific archipelago of the New Hebrides (later Vanuatu) where he gained a working command of at least three Malekulan languages, 1926-1927; he also spent six weeks on the neighbouring island of Ambrym, 1927; died of malaria, 1927.
Presented by Camilla H. Wedgwood.
Papers of Bernard Deacon on Malekula including:
MS 90
16 notebooks made on Malekula including on Malekula vocabulary; notes in Malekula languages; sketches; genealogies and notes on the social organisation; exogamous groups; folk tales; cultural heroes; masks and music of the Malekula people, with an accompanying index by Camilla H. Wedgwood.
MS 91
Correspondence and letter extracts concerning Deacon's journey to and work in Malekula, 1925-1926, including letter to Armstrong from Deacon, 4 Nov 192[5], written aboard the SS Orimonds near Colombo, and photocopied extracts of letters to Margaret Gardiner from Deacon, written from South West Bay, Lambumbu and Bushmans Bay, Jun 1926 and a photocopy of a photograph of Deacon taken in Malekula, 1927. Also included in this collection is correspondence between Margaret Gardiner and Jonathan Benthall, director of the Royal Anthropological Institute relating to the archive, 1982.
MS92
Five notebooks containing glossaries of Malekula words and phrases, compiled from Deacon's notes by Camilla H. Wedgwood, [c1930].
MS 93
Genealogies of Lagalag villages, compiled from Deacon's notes by Camilla H. Wedgwood, [c1930]. 51 files.
MS 94
Draft of 'Geometrical Drawings from Malekula and Other Islands of the New Hebrides' by the late A. Bernard Deacon, edited by Camilla H. Wedgwood with notes by A C Haddon; The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 64, (Jan-Jun 1934), pp. 129-175.
MS 95
Figures, drawings and description from Malekula, by Deacon. 1926-1927 including 8 coloured drawings, 4 wax rubbings, and a genealogical table.
MS 96
Place name index of Malekula Island by Camilla H. Wedgwood with notes on clans, totems, map references, survivors and descent locality and bibliographical references to Pacific Island boats, [1930s].
MS 97
Notes on linguistics and folktales of the Malekula people by Deacon, 1926-1927.
MS 98
Notes, geometrical drawings, diagrams, plans and maps made by Deacon on Malekula, 1925-[1927]. Also, a few additional notes by A.C. Haddon and J. Layard and correspondence with W.E. Armstrong, Margaret Gardiner, A.C. Haddon and A. Radcliffe-Brown.
As outlined in scope and content.
Appointments are necessary for all visits; please contact the archivist by email to arrange; a fee of £10 is payable by all visitors except Fellows and Members; membership details can be found on the RAI web site; access to material referring to the most recent thirty years is restricted; some material is very fragile and may not be available for view; a few items are of restricted or forbidden access.
Photocopies and scans for personal research only may be arranged at the discretion of the archivist; charges apply; in all cases forms governing use of copies must be signed; use of digital cameras is not allowed.
English and Malekulan languages.
Detailed catalogue available in the RAI reading rooms.
'Geometrical Drawings from Malekula and Other Islands of the New Hebrides' by the late
A. Bernard Deacon and edited by Camilla H. Wedgwood, The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 64, (Jan-Jun., 1934), pp. 129-175.
Malekula: a vanising people in the New Hebrides edited by Camilla H. Wedgwood, (London, George Routledge & Sons Ltd., 1934).
Entry compiled by Sarah Drewery.
Sources: Oxford DNB
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.
Sep 2008 Genealogy Deacon , Arthur Bernard , 1903-1927 , social anthropologist Social anthropology Ethnology Folklore Cultural heritage Intangible cultural heritage Vocabularies Lexicography Wedgwood , Camilla Hildegarde , 1901-1955 , anthropologist Malekula Vanuatu Oceania
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Presented by Camilla H. Wedgwood.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Bernard Deacon on Malekula including:
MS 90
16 notebooks made on Malekula including on Malekula vocabulary; notes in Malekula languages; sketches; genealogies and notes on the social organisation; exogamous groups; folk tales; cultural heroes; masks and music of the Malekula people, with an accompanying index by Camilla H. Wedgwood.
MS 91
Correspondence and letter extracts concerning Deacon's journey to and work in Malekula, 1925-1926, including letter to Armstrong from Deacon, 4 Nov 192[5], written aboard the SS Orimonds near Colombo, and photocopied extracts of letters to Margaret Gardiner from Deacon, written from South West Bay, Lambumbu and Bushmans Bay, Jun 1926 and a photocopy of a photograph of Deacon taken in Malekula, 1927. Also included in this collection is correspondence between Margaret Gardiner and Jonathan Benthall, director of the Royal Anthropological Institute relating to the archive, 1982.
MS92
Five notebooks containing glossaries of Malekula words and phrases, compiled from Deacon's notes by Camilla H. Wedgwood, [c1930].
MS 93
Genealogies of Lagalag villages, compiled from Deacon's notes by Camilla H. Wedgwood, [c1930]. 51 files.
MS 94
Draft of 'Geometrical Drawings from Malekula and Other Islands of the New Hebrides' by the late A. Bernard Deacon, edited by Camilla H. Wedgwood with notes by A C Haddon; The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 64, (Jan-Jun 1934), pp. 129-175.
MS 95
Figures, drawings and description from Malekula, by Deacon. 1926-1927 including 8 coloured drawings, 4 wax rubbings, and a genealogical table.
MS 96
Place name index of Malekula Island by Camilla H. Wedgwood with notes on clans, totems, map references, survivors and descent locality and bibliographical references to Pacific Island boats, [1930s].
MS 97
Notes on linguistics and folktales of the Malekula people by Deacon, 1926-1927.
MS 98
Notes, geometrical drawings, diagrams, plans and maps made by Deacon on Malekula, 1925-[1927]. Also, a few additional notes by A.C. Haddon and J. Layard and correspondence with W.E. Armstrong, Margaret Gardiner, A.C. Haddon and A. Radcliffe-Brown.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
As outlined in scope and content.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Appointments are necessary for all visits; please contact the archivist by email to arrange; a fee of £10 is payable by all visitors except Fellows and Members; membership details can be found on the RAI web site; access to material referring to the most recent thirty years is restricted; some material is very fragile and may not be available for view; a few items are of restricted or forbidden access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Photocopies and scans for personal research only may be arranged at the discretion of the archivist; charges apply; in all cases forms governing use of copies must be signed; use of digital cameras is not allowed.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English and Malekulan languages.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue available in the RAI reading rooms.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject 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