GB 1249 Director - Royal College of Music: Director

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1249 Director

Title

Royal College of Music: Director

Date(s)

  • 1884-1990 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

17 volumes, 104 files

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

George Grove became a member of the Council and Executive Committee of the proposed Royal College of Music (RCM) in July 1881, and became its first Director in 1882, rather through his abilities in organizing the many fund raising and administrative meetings required prior to the College's opening than by an official appointment. Through Grove, the Director's role gained wide-ranging powers of policy and administration subject to the College's Council. Grove retired in 1894. He was succeeded by Sir Hubert Parry (1895-1918), Sir Hugh Allen (1919-1937), Sir George Dyson (1938-1952), Sir Ernest Bullock (1953-1959), Sir Keith Falkner (1960-1974), Sir David Willcocks (1974-1984), Michael Gough Mathews (1985-1983) and Dr Janet Ritterman (1993-).
The Board of Professors was established from the outset of the College in 1883, in continuance of a similar system previously operating in the National Training School for Music, to assist in general educational matters and policy within the College. The first Board consisted of 10 professors, supported by a larger panel of 30 other teachers. In 1975 the Council decided that three additional members of staff appointed by the Board of Professors were to be eligible to be members of the Council.

Archival history

GB 1249 Director 1884-1990 Sub fonds of the archives of the RCM 17 volumes, 104 files Royal College of Music
George Grove became a member of the Council and Executive Committee of the proposed Royal College of Music (RCM) in July 1881, and became its first Director in 1882, rather through his abilities in organizing the many fund raising and administrative meetings required prior to the College's opening than by an official appointment. Through Grove, the Director's role gained wide-ranging powers of policy and administration subject to the College's Council. Grove retired in 1894. He was succeeded by Sir Hubert Parry (1895-1918), Sir Hugh Allen (1919-1937), Sir George Dyson (1938-1952), Sir Ernest Bullock (1953-1959), Sir Keith Falkner (1960-1974), Sir David Willcocks (1974-1984), Michael Gough Mathews (1985-1983) and Dr Janet Ritterman (1993-).
The Board of Professors was established from the outset of the College in 1883, in continuance of a similar system previously operating in the National Training School for Music, to assist in general educational matters and policy within the College. The first Board consisted of 10 professors, supported by a larger panel of 30 other teachers. In 1975 the Council decided that three additional members of staff appointed by the Board of Professors were to be eligible to be members of the Council.

Internal accumulation by the RCM during the course of business.

Records of the Director of the Royal College of Music RCM), 1884-1990, including minutes of the Board of Professors, 1894-1993; reports of annual examinations, 1884-1908; Certificate of Proficiency examinations minute book (recording exam regulations and marks awarded), 1886-1899; correspondence to Sir George Grove, Director of the RCM, from the Office of the Prince of Wales, 1884-1888, with material relating to the building of the RCM funded by Samson Fox and opened in 1894; correspondence from Sir Ernest Palmer in regard to aim of the Palmer Fund for Opera Study, 1924; RCM Emergency Concerts Society: correspondence, notices and programmes, 1939; curricula of the Graduate of the Royal Schools of Music (GRSM), 1961-1979.

Due for appraisal in late 2001; later material is likely to be weeded.

Arranged in series, mostly corresponding to information given in scope and content.

The release of any material will be at the College's sole discretion to bona fide researchers who supply a letter which states their credentials and their relationship (e.g. biographer, genealogist, family member) to the individual concerned and which defines clearly the purpose of their research. Access to non-confidential material will normally be available at the College's discretion and under the supervision of library staff. Direct access to confidential records containing personal or private information will not normally be automatically granted until the death of the correspondents can be reliably established, or 25 years after their creation, whichever is later. Permission of the use of records for aggregate research (e.g. statistical data) will normally be granted provided that such research does not identify individuals. Access to other college records, including minutes and correspondence will normally be granted at the College's discretion.

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.
English

Researchers should apply to the Archivist for further information on these records.

The RCM holds other material relating to the Patron's and Palmer Fund for Opera Study in the records of the Council (Ref: Council), Bursar (Ref: Bursar) and a notebook of the Palmer family on the Patron's Fund concerts (Ref: MS 1140).

Compiled by Robert Baxter as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Source: The Royal College of Music: a centenary record by H C Coles and John Cruft (Prince Consort Foundation, London, 1982). 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. Mar 2001 Academic buildings Cultural education Economics of education Educational administrative structure Educational buildings Educational evaluation Educational finance Educational foundations Educational governing boards Educational organizations Educational supervision Edward VII , 1841-1910 , King of Great Britain and Ireland England Europe Examination marks Grove , Sir , George , 1820-1900 , Knight , civil engineer writer on music Kensington London Music Musical performances Music education Palmer , Samuel Ernest , 1858-1948 , 1st Baron Palmer of Reading x Palmer of Reading , Baron Royal College of Music Student evaluation UK Western Europe Performing arts Kensington and Chelsea

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Internal accumulation by the RCM during the course of business.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Director of the Royal College of Music RCM), 1884-1990, including minutes of the Board of Professors, 1894-1993; reports of annual examinations, 1884-1908; Certificate of Proficiency examinations minute book (recording exam regulations and marks awarded), 1886-1899; correspondence to Sir George Grove, Director of the RCM, from the Office of the Prince of Wales, 1884-1888, with material relating to the building of the RCM funded by Samson Fox and opened in 1894; correspondence from Sir Ernest Palmer in regard to aim of the Palmer Fund for Opera Study, 1924; RCM Emergency Concerts Society: correspondence, notices and programmes, 1939; curricula of the Graduate of the Royal Schools of Music (GRSM), 1961-1979.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Due for appraisal in late 2001; later material is likely to be weeded.

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in series, mostly corresponding to information given in scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

The release of any material will be at the College's sole discretion to bona fide researchers who supply a letter which states their credentials and their relationship (e.g. biographer, genealogist, family member) to the individual concerned and which defines clearly the purpose of their research. Access to non-confidential material will normally be available at the College's discretion and under the supervision of library staff. Direct access to confidential records containing personal or private information will not normally be automatically granted until the death of the correspondents can be reliably established, or 25 years after their creation, whichever is later. Permission of the use of records for aggregate research (e.g. statistical data) will normally be granted provided that such research does not identify individuals. Access to other college records, including minutes and correspondence will normally be granted at the College's discretion.

Conditions governing reproduction

Photocopying is permitted at the discretion of the Archivist for research purposes only.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The RCM holds other material relating to the Patron's and Palmer Fund for Opera Study in the records of the Council (Ref: Council), Bursar (Ref: Bursar) and a notebook of the Palmer family on the Patron's Fund concerts (Ref: MS 1140).

Finding aids

Researchers should apply to the Archivist for further information on these records.

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

Royal College of Music

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