Collection GB 0366 PE - PETERS, Richard Stanley (b 1919)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0366 PE

Title

PETERS, Richard Stanley (b 1919)

Date(s)

  • 1940s-1990s (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

14 boxes; loose unsorted material

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Richard Stanley Peters was born in India in 1919. As a child he was sent to live with his grandmother in England where he attended boarding school. From 1933-1938 Peters attended Clifton College, Bristol, and then proceeded to study for an Arts Degree at Queen's College, Oxford University from 1938-1940 (he was awarded a war degree in 1942). In 1940 he joined the Friends Ambulance Service and was drafted to London during the Blitz. From 1944 to 1946 he was Classics Master at Sidcot Grammar School, Somerset.

In 1946 he was granted a Studentship (to study Philosophy and Psychology) at Birkbeck College, where he also worked as a part-time Lecturer. Peters graduated with a BA in 1946 and a PhD in 1949. He was then subsequently a Lecturer (1949-1958) and Reader (1958-1962) in Philosophy at Birkbeck. In 1962 he was appointed Professor of Philosophy of Education, Institute of Education, a post that he held until his retirement in 1982.

Among other roles, Peters was Visiting Professor of Education, Harvard University, 1961; Visiting Professor, Australian National University, 1962; Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of London, 1971-1974; Member of the American National Academy of Education, 1966; Chair, Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain.

Archival history

A large amount of material was probably collected from Peters' office when he retired in the 1980s. Several large boxes were transferred from the Philosophy of Education Department in 2003-1005. Most of these were catalogued as IE/POE, but some form part of the Peters Archive. The third tranche of material was deposited by Peters in April 2004.

GB 0366 PE 1940s-1990s collection 14 boxes; loose unsorted material Peters , Richard Stanley , b 1919 , Professor of Philosophy of Education

Richard Stanley Peters was born in India in 1919. As a child he was sent to live with his grandmother in England where he attended boarding school. From 1933-1938 Peters attended Clifton College, Bristol, and then proceeded to study for an Arts Degree at Queen's College, Oxford University from 1938-1940 (he was awarded a war degree in 1942). In 1940 he joined the Friends Ambulance Service and was drafted to London during the Blitz. From 1944 to 1946 he was Classics Master at Sidcot Grammar School, Somerset.

In 1946 he was granted a Studentship (to study Philosophy and Psychology) at Birkbeck College, where he also worked as a part-time Lecturer. Peters graduated with a BA in 1946 and a PhD in 1949. He was then subsequently a Lecturer (1949-1958) and Reader (1958-1962) in Philosophy at Birkbeck. In 1962 he was appointed Professor of Philosophy of Education, Institute of Education, a post that he held until his retirement in 1982.

Among other roles, Peters was Visiting Professor of Education, Harvard University, 1961; Visiting Professor, Australian National University, 1962; Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of London, 1971-1974; Member of the American National Academy of Education, 1966; Chair, Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain.

A large amount of material was probably collected from Peters' office when he retired in the 1980s. Several large boxes were transferred from the Philosophy of Education Department in 2003-1005. Most of these were catalogued as IE/POE, but some form part of the Peters Archive. The third tranche of material was deposited by Peters in April 2004.

Papers of Richard Stanley Peters, 1940s-1990s, including notebooks, chiefly containing drafts of essays and notes about books read; press cuttings; project proposals; lecture notes for public lectures by Peters, 1957-1976; papers on the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course, 1966-1967; papers concerning examinations and assessment; papers concerning programmes for the BBC, 1960s-1970s; papers relating to conferences; letters to politicians, including Shirley Williams, Keith Joseph, Harold Wilson and Jack Straw; printed syllabi for courses given by Peters on philosophy, mainly for the Council of Extra-Mural Studies, University of London, 1946-1959; loose material, including papers on South Place Ethical Society, Philosophical Psychology seminars; copies of articles and notes; BA philosophy notes, Sidcot School; biographical material relating to Peters and correspondence with the Institute of Education regarding Peters' employment. Papers relating to the Institute of Education (IOE) including correspondence with Sir William Taylor on IOE business, 1972-1977; papers relating to IOE courses; correspondence with IOE staff while on sabbatical at the Australian National University, 1969; IOE course handouts, containing seminar topics and reading lists, 1977-1981; papers relating to the Initial Courses Sub-Committee of the Central Academic Board, 1965-1968 and minutes of the Sub-Committee for Funded Research, 1974-1978. Correspondence with societies including the Royal Institute of Philosophy, 1972-1979, the American National Academy of Education, 1975-1981 and the Philosophy of Education Society, 1964-1980 and correspondence on topics including PhD supervision, conferences, publications and Peters' trips to Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

Awaiting Arrangement.

Open, subject to signature of Reader Application Form. Notice will be needed for access.

A reader wishing to publish any quotation of information, including pictorial, derived from any archive material must apply in writing for prior permission from the Archivist or other appropriate person(s) as indicated by the Archivist. A limited number of photocopies may be supplied at the discretion of the Archivist.

English

Collection level description available on-line at the Institute of Education website

IE/POE; Institute annual reports.

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.

Feb 2008 BBC , British Broadcasting Corporation Educational administration Educational levels Higher education Higher education institutions Institute of Education Joseph , Keith Sinjohn , 1918-1994 , Baron Joseph of Portsoken , politician x Joseph of Portsoken , Baron Peters , Richard Stanley , b 1919 , Professor of the Philosophy of Education Philosophy South Place Ethical Society Straw , John Whitaker , b 1946 , politician Teacher qualifications Teaching profession University of London x London University Williams , Shirley , b 1930 , Baroness Williams of Crosby , politician and academic Wilson , James Harold , 1916-1995 , Baron Wilson of Rievaulx , statesman x Wilson , Harold x Wilson of Rievaulx , Baron Educational institutions

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Richard Stanley Peters, 1940s-1990s, including notebooks, chiefly containing drafts of essays and notes about books read; press cuttings; project proposals; lecture notes for public lectures by Peters, 1957-1976; papers on the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course, 1966-1967; papers concerning examinations and assessment; papers concerning programmes for the BBC, 1960s-1970s; papers relating to conferences; letters to politicians, including Shirley Williams, Keith Joseph, Harold Wilson and Jack Straw; printed syllabi for courses given by Peters on philosophy, mainly for the Council of Extra-Mural Studies, University of London, 1946-1959; loose material, including papers on South Place Ethical Society, Philosophical Psychology seminars; copies of articles and notes; BA philosophy notes, Sidcot School; biographical material relating to Peters and correspondence with the Institute of Education regarding Peters' employment. Papers relating to the Institute of Education (IOE) including correspondence with Sir William Taylor on IOE business, 1972-1977; papers relating to IOE courses; correspondence with IOE staff while on sabbatical at the Australian National University, 1969; IOE course handouts, containing seminar topics and reading lists, 1977-1981; papers relating to the Initial Courses Sub-Committee of the Central Academic Board, 1965-1968 and minutes of the Sub-Committee for Funded Research, 1974-1978. Correspondence with societies including the Royal Institute of Philosophy, 1972-1979, the American National Academy of Education, 1975-1981 and the Philosophy of Education Society, 1964-1980 and correspondence on topics including PhD supervision, conferences, publications and Peters' trips to Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Awaiting Arrangement.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open, subject to signature of Reader Application Form. Notice will be needed for access.

Conditions governing reproduction

A reader wishing to publish any quotation of information, including pictorial, derived from any archive material must apply in writing for prior permission from the Archivist or other appropriate person(s) as indicated by the Archivist. A limited number of photocopies may be supplied at the discretion of the Archivist.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

IE/POE; Institute annual reports.

Finding aids

Collection level description available on-line at the Institute of Education website

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Institute of Education

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area