GB 0102 MS 346184 - Portuguese Colonies Collection

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0102 MS 346184

Title

Portuguese Colonies Collection

Date(s)

  • 1960-1972 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

5 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Basil Davidson was born on 9 November 1914. He was a member of the editorial staff of the Economist, 1938-1939. Following a brief spell as diplomatic correspondence for The Star in 1939, Davidson joined the army, serving throughout the European sphere of conflict, including a spell in Italy resulting in his receiving the Freedom of the City of Genoa in 1945. After the war he continued his work as a journalist, as Paris correspondent for The Times until 1949. He subsequently worked for the New Statesman, 1950-1954, for the Daily Herald, 1954-1957, and as leader-writer for the Daily Mirror, 1959-1962.

Since his 1952 Report on South Africa Davidson has written over twenty books on Africa and a number of novels. His publications on Portuguese Africa include In the Eye of the Storm: Angola's People (1972). He was also responsible for an eight-part television documentary on Africa in 1984. Since 1978 he has been an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Birmingham and has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Ibadan (1975), Dar es Salaam (1985), Open University (1980) and Edinburgh (1981).

Archival history

GB 0102 MS 346184 1960-1972 Collection (fonds) 5 boxes Davidson , Basil Risbridger , b 1914 , author and historian
Basil Davidson was born on 9 November 1914. He was a member of the editorial staff of the Economist, 1938-1939. Following a brief spell as diplomatic correspondence for The Star in 1939, Davidson joined the army, serving throughout the European sphere of conflict, including a spell in Italy resulting in his receiving the Freedom of the City of Genoa in 1945. After the war he continued his work as a journalist, as Paris correspondent for The Times until 1949. He subsequently worked for the New Statesman, 1950-1954, for the Daily Herald, 1954-1957, and as leader-writer for the Daily Mirror, 1959-1962.

Since his 1952 Report on South Africa Davidson has written over twenty books on Africa and a number of novels. His publications on Portuguese Africa include In the Eye of the Storm: Angola's People (1972). He was also responsible for an eight-part television documentary on Africa in 1984. Since 1978 he has been an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Birmingham and has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Ibadan (1975), Dar es Salaam (1985), Open University (1980) and Edinburgh (1981).

Presented in 1975 as part of the Southern African Materials Project 1973-1976 organised by the Centre for International and Area Studies.

Papers and publications, 1960-1972, including press releases, circulars, periodicals, press cuttings, and ephemera, collected by Basil Davidson, relating to the Portuguese colonies and independence, mainly in Africa, including Angola, Mozambique, and Congo, on subjects including the Angolan civil war and refugees.

Unrestricted.

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
English and French

Unpublished handlist and database. For an alphabetical listing of all SAMP materials (including material deposited at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies) refer to The South African Materials Project, compiled by Brian Willan, edited by Patricia M Larby (Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, London, 1980).

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds a UNITA document, 'Exposing the lies of Basil Davidson about Angola', 1971 (Ref: MS 380205 File 1).

The British Film Institute, London, holds Davidson's correspondence with Joseph Losey, 1967-1984 (Ref: Losey 257). Reading University Library holds correspondence and papers.

Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Source: National Register of Archives. 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. Apr 2002 Angola Angolan Civil War (1974-) Central Africa Civil war Colonial countries Congo Davidson , Basil Risbridger , b 1914 , author and historian Decolonization Europe Migrants Mozambique Newspaper press Political movements Political systems Portugal Press Press cuttings Refugees Southern Africa Western Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Presented in 1975 as part of the Southern African Materials Project 1973-1976 organised by the Centre for International and Area Studies.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers and publications, 1960-1972, including press releases, circulars, periodicals, press cuttings, and ephemera, collected by Basil Davidson, relating to the Portuguese colonies and independence, mainly in Africa, including Angola, Mozambique, and Congo, on subjects including the Angolan civil war and refugees.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Unrestricted.

Conditions governing reproduction

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English and French

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds a UNITA document, 'Exposing the lies of Basil Davidson about Angola', 1971 (Ref: MS 380205 File 1).

Finding aids

Unpublished handlist and database. For an alphabetical listing of all SAMP materials (including material deposited at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies) refer to The South African Materials Project, compiled by Brian Willan, edited by Patricia M Larby (Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, London, 1980).

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

The British Film Institute, London, holds Davidson's correspondence with Joseph Losey, 1967-1984 (Ref: Losey 257). Reading University Library holds correspondence and papers.

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

School of Oriental and African Studies

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