Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 20th century (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
8 boxes, 2 bundles
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Michael Arthur Lewis was a prominent naval historian, educator, and writer. In 1913, he joined the staff of the Royal Naval School at Osborne, and transferred to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1922. From 1934 to his retirement in 1955, he was Professor of Naval History and English at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He died in 1970. He was, as some items of correspondence he received shows, an active member of the Society for Nautical Research. He was also heavily involved in the Navy Records Society, for whom he edited a manuscript written by Admiral William Henry Dillon which is listed here as LES/6/7. He had close professional ties to many other naval historians, including Sir Geoffrey Callender (1875-1946), the first chair of Naval History at Greenwich and the founding director of the National Maritime Museum; Sir Julian Corbett (1854-1922), lecturer at the Royal Naval War College, Greenwich; Lieutenant Commander George Prideaux Brabant Naish (1909-1977), Keeper and Historical Consultant to the Director at the National Maritime Museum; Roger Charles Anderson (1883-1976), Trustee of the National Maritime Museum and Chairman of Trustees 1959-1962; Leonard Carr-Laughton, Admiralty Librarian; and David Bonner-Smith, one of Carr-Laughton's successors as Admiralty Librarian.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0064 LES 20th century Collection 8 boxes, 2 bundles Lewis , Michael Arthur , 1890-1970 , naval historian
Michael Arthur Lewis was a prominent naval historian, educator, and writer. In 1913, he joined the staff of the Royal Naval School at Osborne, and transferred to the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1922. From 1934 to his retirement in 1955, he was Professor of Naval History and English at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He died in 1970. He was, as some items of correspondence he received shows, an active member of the Society for Nautical Research. He was also heavily involved in the Navy Records Society, for whom he edited a manuscript written by Admiral William Henry Dillon which is listed here as LES/6/7. He had close professional ties to many other naval historians, including Sir Geoffrey Callender (1875-1946), the first chair of Naval History at Greenwich and the founding director of the National Maritime Museum; Sir Julian Corbett (1854-1922), lecturer at the Royal Naval War College, Greenwich; Lieutenant Commander George Prideaux Brabant Naish (1909-1977), Keeper and Historical Consultant to the Director at the National Maritime Museum; Roger Charles Anderson (1883-1976), Trustee of the National Maritime Museum and Chairman of Trustees 1959-1962; Leonard Carr-Laughton, Admiralty Librarian; and David Bonner-Smith, one of Carr-Laughton's successors as Admiralty Librarian.
Professor Lewis's son, Dr. Jonathan LEWIS, presented his father's papers to the Museum on his death in 1970.
Papers of Michael Arthur Lewis. The collection reflects the records made and collected by a working historian. It includes: a small amount of material related to his personal life; files of notes, research material, photographs, plans, sketches, and correspondence probably used to produce his books; correspondence with other naval historians and enthusiasts; manuscripts and typescripts of monographs and essays; and a collection of transcripts and manuscripts of historical source material.
Close ties to his colleagues allowed Professor Lewis to accumulate research materials, notes, and typescripts they created; item descriptions note the actual or likely creator of these collected materials. Bundles of notes or correspondence often contain other material, including photographs, plans, and sketches; letters; articles; and manuscript or typescript drafts. Descriptions list the type, but not content, of this additional material. Items in LES/2 (research materials) may complement items in LES/3 (correspondence).
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
English
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
An overview of the collection appears in Volume 2 of the GUIDE TO THE MANUSCRIPTS IN THE NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM, edited by R.J.B. Knight.
Interested researchers may also wish to consult the following records held at the National Maritime Museum: Navy Records Society (NRS) (with permission of its Honorary Secretary); Society for Nautical Research (SNR); Naish, Lieutenant Commander George Prideaux Brabant (NAI); Corbett, Sir Julian (COR); Anderson, Roger Charles (AND).
Edited by Sarah Drewery, Sep 2011.
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.
2011-05-16 History Naval history Lewis , Michael Arthur , 1890-1970 , professor
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Professor Lewis's son, Dr. Jonathan LEWIS, presented his father's papers to the Museum on his death in 1970.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Michael Arthur Lewis. The collection reflects the records made and collected by a working historian. It includes: a small amount of material related to his personal life; files of notes, research material, photographs, plans, sketches, and correspondence probably used to produce his books; correspondence with other naval historians and enthusiasts; manuscripts and typescripts of monographs and essays; and a collection of transcripts and manuscripts of historical source material.
Close ties to his colleagues allowed Professor Lewis to accumulate research materials, notes, and typescripts they created; item descriptions note the actual or likely creator of these collected materials. Bundles of notes or correspondence often contain other material, including photographs, plans, and sketches; letters; articles; and manuscript or typescript drafts. Descriptions list the type, but not content, of this additional material. Items in LES/2 (research materials) may complement items in LES/3 (correspondence).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Interested researchers may also wish to consult the following records held at the National Maritime Museum: Navy Records Society (NRS) (with permission of its Honorary Secretary); Society for Nautical Research (SNR); Naish, Lieutenant Commander George Prideaux Brabant (NAI); Corbett, Sir Julian (COR); Anderson, Roger Charles (AND).
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
An overview of the collection appears in Volume 2 of the GUIDE TO THE MANUSCRIPTS IN THE NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM, edited by R.J.B. Knight.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
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