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Papers of Sir Howard Montagu Colvin, architectural historian, Oxford, England
551 399
Description Papers of Sir Howard Montagu Colvin, architectural historian, Oxford, England
Date 1789 to 1940
Collection Papers of Sir Howard Montagu Colvin, architectural historian, Oxford, England
Catalogue Number 551 399
Category All Other
Scope and Content The collection comprises: Photographs by Valentine of Dundee and George Washington Wilson, of Crieff, Foulis Wester and Dunbar. Postcards and negatives of Ederline House. A collection of miscellaneous glass lantern slides. Research notes for Architects and Architecture, A-Z; Notes on Scottish archives; index cards, Scottish Churches, Scottish Country Houses, Wales, Churches and Houses.
Archive History The collection was deposited with RCAHMS in successive accessions by Sir Howard: the collection of photographs by Valentine and Washington Wilson, and views of Ederline (Acc No 1981/13), and the collection of glass lantern slides (Acc No 1990/58). The research notes were presented to RCAHMS by Sir Howard Colvin's estate per the Royal Institute of British Architects and accessioned as Acc No 2008/178.
System of Arrangement The collection has not yet been fully catalogued, and is arranged by accession.
Related Material Research papers and correspondence relating to the Dictionary of British Architects is held in the Paul Mellon Centre, London. http://www.calmview2.eu/PaulMellonCentre/CalmView/record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=HMC
Access Conditions Open, but note that access may be subject to provisions outlined in the Data Protection Act and conservation requirements. Please contact the archive to confirm access in advance of a visit.
Administrative History Sir Howard Montagu Colvin, architectural historian (1919-2007). Born in Sidcup, Howard Colvin was educated at Trent College (from 1933), and the University College London (from 1937). Initially intending to study archaeology, Colvin was encouraged to take history in preparation, and this in turn led to research into architectural biography. After war service with the RAF, during which he worked as an aerial photographic interpreter, he returned to academia, and in 1948 was awarded a fellowship in St John’s College, Oxford. His historical interests were strongly medieval, resulting in his ‘The White Canons in England’, published in 1951, but thereafter he was increasingly drawn into his biographical work. In 1954 he published the first edition of the work for which he is best known, ‘A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840’. This was repeatedly revised and expanded over the years: Colvin had just completed work on the fourth edition at the time of his death in 2007. Between 1963 and 1982 he produced ‘The History of the King’s Works’, ‘Unbuilt Oxford’ in 1983, and ‘Architecture and the Afterlife’ in 1991. He served on the Royal Fine Art Commission 1962-72, as a commissioner of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments of England between 1963 and 1976, on the Historic Buildings Council, 1970-84, and as President of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain, 1979-81. He was knighted in 1995.
Accruals No accruals are anticipated.
Accession Number 2008/178; 1990/58
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1236597
