Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1906-1926 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
13 mss
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born, 1881; educated, Exeter College, Oxford, 1900; travelled in the Sahara, 1903; expedition to Kasai region of the Congo with Emil Torday; expedition to North Africa to study the Shawia Arabs, 1912; Royal Army Service Corps, 1914-1918; died, 1938.
Archival history
GB 1446 MS 65-76 1906-1926 Collection (fonds) 13 mss Simpson , Melville William , Hilton- , 1881-1938 , anthropologist
Born, 1881; educated, Exeter College, Oxford, 1900; travelled in the Sahara, 1903; expedition to Kasai region of the Congo with Emil Torday; expedition to North Africa to study the Shawia Arabs, 1912; Royal Army Service Corps, 1914-1918; died, 1938.
Various, see the detailed catalogue.
Papers of Melville William Hilton-Simpson including:
MS 65
Journals of the Congo expedition: containing narrative of the journey, [1907-1909]. 7 volumes.
MS 66
Manuscript and typescript drafts of Among the hill-folk of Algeria: Journeys among the Shawia of the Aurcs Mountains, by Hilton-Simpson. (London: T. Fisher Unwin. 192I), including 17 photographs and a map.
MS 66A
Annotated proofs of Algiers and beyond: by Hilton-Simpson (London, Hutchinson, 1906).
MS67
Notes by Hilton-Simpson taken in Algeria including on magic, arts and crafts, medical magic, villages, geography, buildings and textiles, 1913-1925.
MS 68
Ethnographical and bibliographical notes by Hilton-Simpson in Algeria, arranged by subject, c 1914-1926.
MS 69
Typescript and manuscript notes used for an article by Hilton-Simpson, 'Some Arab and Shawia Remedies and Notes on the Trepanning of the Skull in Algeria'
The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 43, (Jul. - Dec., 1913), pp. 706-721.
MS 70
Manuscript and typescript drafts of a paper on Berber and Arab surgery for the Royal Society of Medicine, Oct. 1919.
MS 71
Manuscript and typescript drafts for a book entitled 'The wandering Arabs of the Sahara: a sketch of life among the Nomads of the great African desert', by Hilton-Simpson. c 1921.
MS 72
Manuscript and typescript papers on material culture in Algeria including on the modern use of the 'water-clock' in Algerian irrigation, oil mills and the pole-lathe in Algeria and England.
MS 73
Manuscript, typescript and printed papers on the Congo by Hilton-Simpson, [c1910], including 'At the court of an African King', 'Sport at a Congo mission station', 'Two years among strange tribes', 'Buffalo shooting in the Belgian Congo', 'Loango to Kasai' and corrected proofs of introduction and index to Land and Peoples of the Kasai, (London, Constable, 1911-17) with copy of agreement with Constable.
MS 74
Manuscript and typescript papers and notes on North Africa, [1906-1920s] on topics including the cave dwellers of Southern Tunisia; a sandstorm in the Sahara; Algerian children's games and toys; some Algerian superstitions noted among the Shawia Berbers of the Aures Mts and their nomad neighbours; magical medicine; medicine among the Berbers of the Aures; purges and laxatives; charms and superstitions; Shawia festivals; folklore of the Algerian hills and deserts; big game and Tuareg warfare.
MS 75
Notebook containing sketches and notes on Shawia and Arabs.
MS 76
Manuscript and typescript notes on the material culture of the Shawia, [1920s], including on villages, habitations and dwellings; textiles; pottery; woodwork; basketry; leather work; agriculture; irrigation and time measurement; corn milling; olive oil; war and weapons.
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
Detailed catalogue available in the RAI reading room.
Entry compiled by Sarah Drewery.
Sources: Obit: Man, Vol. 38, (Jun., 1938), pp. 93-93.
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 Handicrafts Arts Agriculture Mysticism Magic Culture Medicine, traditional Medicine, arabic Travel Expeditions Hunting Medical sciences Cultural heritage Surgery Customs and traditions Superstitions Textiles Simpson , Melville William , Hilton- , 1881-1938 , anthropologist Sahara North Africa Algeria Tunisia Congo Central Africa
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Various, see the detailed catalogue.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Melville William Hilton-Simpson including:
MS 65
Journals of the Congo expedition: containing narrative of the journey, [1907-1909]. 7 volumes.
MS 66
Manuscript and typescript drafts of Among the hill-folk of Algeria: Journeys among the Shawia of the Aurcs Mountains, by Hilton-Simpson. (London: T. Fisher Unwin. 192I), including 17 photographs and a map.
MS 66A
Annotated proofs of Algiers and beyond: by Hilton-Simpson (London, Hutchinson, 1906).
MS67
Notes by Hilton-Simpson taken in Algeria including on magic, arts and crafts, medical magic, villages, geography, buildings and textiles, 1913-1925.
MS 68
Ethnographical and bibliographical notes by Hilton-Simpson in Algeria, arranged by subject, c 1914-1926.
MS 69
Typescript and manuscript notes used for an article by Hilton-Simpson, 'Some Arab and Shawia Remedies and Notes on the Trepanning of the Skull in Algeria'
The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 43, (Jul. - Dec., 1913), pp. 706-721.
MS 70
Manuscript and typescript drafts of a paper on Berber and Arab surgery for the Royal Society of Medicine, Oct. 1919.
MS 71
Manuscript and typescript drafts for a book entitled 'The wandering Arabs of the Sahara: a sketch of life among the Nomads of the great African desert', by Hilton-Simpson. c 1921.
MS 72
Manuscript and typescript papers on material culture in Algeria including on the modern use of the 'water-clock' in Algerian irrigation, oil mills and the pole-lathe in Algeria and England.
MS 73
Manuscript, typescript and printed papers on the Congo by Hilton-Simpson, [c1910], including 'At the court of an African King', 'Sport at a Congo mission station', 'Two years among strange tribes', 'Buffalo shooting in the Belgian Congo', 'Loango to Kasai' and corrected proofs of introduction and index to Land and Peoples of the Kasai, (London, Constable, 1911-17) with copy of agreement with Constable.
MS 74
Manuscript and typescript papers and notes on North Africa, [1906-1920s] on topics including the cave dwellers of Southern Tunisia; a sandstorm in the Sahara; Algerian children's games and toys; some Algerian superstitions noted among the Shawia Berbers of the Aures Mts and their nomad neighbours; magical medicine; medicine among the Berbers of the Aures; purges and laxatives; charms and superstitions; Shawia festivals; folklore of the Algerian hills and deserts; big game and Tuareg warfare.
MS 75
Notebook containing sketches and notes on Shawia and Arabs.
MS 76
Manuscript and typescript notes on the material culture of the Shawia, [1920s], including on villages, habitations and dwellings; textiles; pottery; woodwork; basketry; leather work; agriculture; irrigation and time measurement; corn milling; olive oil; war and weapons.
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
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue available in the RAI reading room.
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
Place access points
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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