Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1884-1949 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 box.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Cecil Henry Desch was born the son of Henry Thomas Desch in 1874. He attended the Birkbeck School in Kingsland as a child, and later went to the Finsbury Technical College. He studied at Würzburg University and also at the University College London. In 1902-1907, he worked at the Metallurgical Department of Kings College, London. In 1909 he married Elison Ann Macadam and they had two children. He was a lecturer in Metallurgical Chemistry at the University of Glasgow from 1909 to 1918. He then became Professor of Metallurgy at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow from 1918 to 1920. He was Professor of Metallurgy at the University of Sheffield from 1920 to 1931 and Superintendent of the Metallurgy Department at the National Physical Laboratory from 1932 to 1939. He was President of the Faraday Society from 1926 to 1928. From 1931 to 1932, he was the George Fisher Baker Lecturer at Cornell University. In 1936 to 1938, 1942 to 1944, 1946 to 1948 and 1949 to 1950, he was a Manager at the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI). He was also Vice-President at the RI in 1937 to 1938, 1942 to 1944, 1946 to 1948 and 1949 to 1950. He was President of the Institute of Metals from 1938 to 1940 and President of the Iron and Steel Institute from 1946 to 1948. He died in 1958.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0116 Cecil Henry Desch Collection 1884-1949 Collection (fonds) 1 box. Desch, Cecil Henry, 1874-1958. Metallurgist
Cecil Henry Desch was born the son of Henry Thomas Desch in 1874. He attended the Birkbeck School in Kingsland as a child, and later went to the Finsbury Technical College. He studied at Würzburg University and also at the University College London. In 1902-1907, he worked at the Metallurgical Department of Kings College, London. In 1909 he married Elison Ann Macadam and they had two children. He was a lecturer in Metallurgical Chemistry at the University of Glasgow from 1909 to 1918. He then became Professor of Metallurgy at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow from 1918 to 1920. He was Professor of Metallurgy at the University of Sheffield from 1920 to 1931 and Superintendent of the Metallurgy Department at the National Physical Laboratory from 1932 to 1939. He was President of the Faraday Society from 1926 to 1928. From 1931 to 1932, he was the George Fisher Baker Lecturer at Cornell University. In 1936 to 1938, 1942 to 1944, 1946 to 1948 and 1949 to 1950, he was a Manager at the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI). He was also Vice-President at the RI in 1937 to 1938, 1942 to 1944, 1946 to 1948 and 1949 to 1950. He was President of the Institute of Metals from 1938 to 1940 and President of the Iron and Steel Institute from 1946 to 1948. He died in 1958.
Papers of Cecil Henry Desch consist of correspondence (CHD/1) to and from various recipients, including Henry Edward Armstrong, John Oliver Arnold, Henry Balfour, Herbert John Fleure, Henri Frankfort, John Vernon Harrison, Sir John Linton Myers and Harold John Edward Peake; mainly relating to geology, archaeology, metallurgy and honours.
The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by author and subsequently chronologically under CHD1/A; CHD1/B; CHD1/C; CHD1/D; CHD1/E; CHD1/F; CHD1/G; CHD1/H; CHD1/I; CHD1/J; CHD1/L; CHD1/M; CHD1/O; CHD1/P; CHD1/R; CHD1/S; CHD1/T; CHD1/V; CHD1/W and CHD1/OTHER for unknown authors, arranged chronologically.
Access to bona fide researchers by appointment with the Keeper of the Collections or the Assistant Archivist, Royal Institution.
Reproduction of material is permitted at the discretion of the Keeper of the Collections.
English. Some French and German.
The collection is catalogued on the CALM database catalogue at the Royal Institution.
There are also references to Desch in the Managers Minutes (RI MS MM) for the period of his position as Manager and Vice-President (1937 to 1950) at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
Other correspondence and papers of Cecil Henry Desch are located at: Sheffield University Library and the Science Museum Library (reference: MSS B.156-230; MSS E.100-926 Passim).
Compiled by Mrs Ivone Turnbull, Assistant Archivist, Royal Institution of Great Britain. 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. March 2002 Anglo-Persian Oil Company Limited Anthropology Archaeology Armstrong , Henry Edward , 1848-1937 , chemist and educationist Arnold , John Oliver , 1858-1939 , metallurgist Balfour , Henry , 1863-1939 , anthropologist BP , British Petroleum x British Petroleum Cambridge Cambridgeshire Desch , Cecil Henry , 1874-1958 , metallurgist England Europe Fleure , Herbert John , 1877-1969 , zoologist and geographer France Frankfort , Henri , 1897-1954 , archaeologist Geology Germany Harrison , John Vernon , 1892-1972 , geologist London Metallurgy Myers , Sir , John Linton , 1869-1954 , Knight , historian and archaeologist North America Peake , Harold John Edward , 1867-1946 , antiquary anthropologist UK USA Western Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Cecil Henry Desch consist of correspondence (CHD/1) to and from various recipients, including Henry Edward Armstrong, John Oliver Arnold, Henry Balfour, Herbert John Fleure, Henri Frankfort, John Vernon Harrison, Sir John Linton Myers and Harold John Edward Peake; mainly relating to geology, archaeology, metallurgy and honours.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by author and subsequently chronologically under CHD1/A; CHD1/B; CHD1/C; CHD1/D; CHD1/E; CHD1/F; CHD1/G; CHD1/H; CHD1/I; CHD1/J; CHD1/L; CHD1/M; CHD1/O; CHD1/P; CHD1/R; CHD1/S; CHD1/T; CHD1/V; CHD1/W and CHD1/OTHER for unknown authors, arranged chronologically.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access to bona fide researchers by appointment with the Keeper of the Collections or the Assistant Archivist, Royal Institution.
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction of material is permitted at the discretion of the Keeper of the Collections.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English. Some French and German.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
There are also references to Desch in the Managers Minutes (RI MS MM) for the period of his position as Manager and Vice-President (1937 to 1950) at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.
Finding aids
The collection is catalogued on the CALM database catalogue at the Royal Institution.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Other correspondence and papers of Cecil Henry Desch are located at: Sheffield University Library and the Science Museum Library (reference: MSS B.156-230; MSS E.100-926 Passim).
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