Identity area
Reference code
Title
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
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Educational personnel » Teachers » Academic teaching personnel
- National cultures » Asian cultures
- National history » Asian history
- Government » Public administration » Central government
- Political systems » Colonial countries
- Political systems » Colonial countries » Decolonization
- Political systems » Democracy
- Educational personnel
- Internal politics » Electoral systems » Elections
- Internal politics » Electoral systems
- International relations » Foreign relations
- Government
- Government » Public administration » Central government » Government departments
- Social scientists » Historians
- History
- Internal politics
- International conflicts
- International relations
- Government » Public administration » Local government
- National cultures
- National history
- Political systems » Newly independent states
- Press » Newspaper press
- Internal politics » Parliament
- Political systems » Democracy » Parliamentary systems
- Visual materials » Photographs
- Political sociology » Political behaviour
- Political sociology » Political behaviour » Political participation
- Internal politics » Political parties
- Political sociology
- Political systems
- Press
- Press » Newspaper press » Press cuttings
- Government » Public administration
- Social scientists
- Statistics » Statistical data
- Statistics
- Educational personnel » Teachers
- Travel
- Travel » Travel abroad
- Visual materials
- International conflicts » War
- Personnel
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English