GB 0102 PP MS 26 - Powell, Ifor Ball

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0102 PP MS 26

Title

Powell, Ifor Ball

Date(s)

  • Created 1926-1986 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

164 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Ifor Ball Powell was born on 12 September 1902, at Llanfihangel Talyllyn, Brecon. He was a student at Aberystwyth in the early 1920s, where he came under the influence of C. K. Webster and Sidney Herbert in the then newly founded department of International Politics. A Rockefeller fellowship took him to the University of Michigan to study American history. While there he became interested in the Far East. Powell became particularly interested in the Philippines, when he arrived there as a Rockefeller scholar in 1926. He spent three years visiting islands in the central and southern Philippines, collecting a vast amount of information and material on the government, economy and history of the islands. He was particularly interested in the history of the British in the Philippines and collected material on British firms and society. After his return to Britain, and for the rest of his life, Ifor Powell continued his interest in and links with the Philippines, writing to many Filipino friends and colleagues and maintaining an extensive collection of press cuttings.

During the 1930s, Ifor Powell taught history at Barry County Grammar School for Boys. In 1940 he took up wartime duties as a temporary civil servant in the Ministry of Labour. He also visited the United States as a representative of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. In 1945 he was appointed to the Department of History, University College, Cardiff, to teach modern European history. In this position he introduced courses on the expansion of Europe, Far Eastern and American history. From 1949 his teaching was entirely in these fields. Cardiff was thus among one of the first history departments in the UK to widen its syllabus to accommodate new areas of interest created by the Second World War.

He married Anne Nora Lewis (d. 9 March 1983) on 18 August 1931. There were no children. Ifor Ball Powell died on 11 December 1986, at Barry, Glamorgan.

Archival history

GB 0102 PP MS 26 Created 1926-1986 Collection (fonds) 164 boxes Powell , Ifor Ball , 1902-1986 , historian
Ifor Ball Powell was born on 12 September 1902, at Llanfihangel Talyllyn, Brecon. He was a student at Aberystwyth in the early 1920s, where he came under the influence of C. K. Webster and Sidney Herbert in the then newly founded department of International Politics. A Rockefeller fellowship took him to the University of Michigan to study American history. While there he became interested in the Far East. Powell became particularly interested in the Philippines, when he arrived there as a Rockefeller scholar in 1926. He spent three years visiting islands in the central and southern Philippines, collecting a vast amount of information and material on the government, economy and history of the islands. He was particularly interested in the history of the British in the Philippines and collected material on British firms and society. After his return to Britain, and for the rest of his life, Ifor Powell continued his interest in and links with the Philippines, writing to many Filipino friends and colleagues and maintaining an extensive collection of press cuttings.

During the 1930s, Ifor Powell taught history at Barry County Grammar School for Boys. In 1940 he took up wartime duties as a temporary civil servant in the Ministry of Labour. He also visited the United States as a representative of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. In 1945 he was appointed to the Department of History, University College, Cardiff, to teach modern European history. In this position he introduced courses on the expansion of Europe, Far Eastern and American history. From 1949 his teaching was entirely in these fields. Cardiff was thus among one of the first history departments in the UK to widen its syllabus to accommodate new areas of interest created by the Second World War.

He married Anne Nora Lewis (d. 9 March 1983) on 18 August 1931. There were no children. Ifor Ball Powell died on 11 December 1986, at Barry, Glamorgan.

Bequeathed to SOAS library on Ifor Ball Powell's death in 1986.

Papers, 1926-1986, of Ifor Ball Powell, largely comprising the Philippine reference material collected by him, together with his correspondence and personal papers. The reference material covers topics such as the Philippine legislature; Philippine administration; political parties, elections and election statistics; US Philippine agreements and relations; Philippine Islands during World War II; and the City of Manila. Also included are photographs taken during Powell's field trips in Southeast and East Asia, particularly in the Philippines, and an extensive collection of press cuttings.

The collection has been arranged into three sections: Ifor Ball Powell's personal papers; Philippine reference material; and miscellaneous materials.

Unrestricted.

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

Unpublished handlist.

15 May 2000 Academic teaching personnel Asian cultures Asian history Central government Colonial countries Decolonization Democracy Educational personnel Elections Electoral systems Europe Foreign relations Government Government departments Historians History Internal politics International conflicts International relations Local government Manila National cultures National history Newly independent states Newspaper press North America Parliament Parliamentary systems Philippines Photographs Political behaviour Political participation Political parties Political sociology Political systems Powell , Ifor Ball , 1902-1986 , historian Press Press cuttings Public administration Royal Institute of International Affairs x Chatham House Social scientists South East Asia Statistical data Statistics Teachers Travel Travel abroad UK University of Michigan USA Visual materials War Western Europe World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Wars (events) London England Personnel People by occupation People

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Bequeathed to SOAS library on Ifor Ball Powell's death in 1986.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers, 1926-1986, of Ifor Ball Powell, largely comprising the Philippine reference material collected by him, together with his correspondence and personal papers. The reference material covers topics such as the Philippine legislature; Philippine administration; political parties, elections and election statistics; US Philippine agreements and relations; Philippine Islands during World War II; and the City of Manila. Also included are photographs taken during Powell's field trips in Southeast and East Asia, particularly in the Philippines, and an extensive collection of press cuttings.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The collection has been arranged into three sections: Ifor Ball Powell's personal papers; Philippine reference material; and miscellaneous materials.

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

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Unpublished handlist.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

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

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area