Angus Graham

Description Angus Graham

Collection Angus Graham

Catalogue Number 551 476

Category All Other

Scope and Content The collection currently consists of 4 manuscript boxes, a photo box and Graham’s photograph album. It predominantly contains materials relating to articles written by Graham for the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and the Transactions of the Dumfries and Galloway Antiquarian Society in the 1960s and 1970s. There is a variety of material including drawings and photographs, as well as card indexes and OS maps from Graham’s time in the 4th Highland light Infantry. Much of Graham’s work is focussed on harbours, roads and Edinburgh street furniture, but there is also material relating to brochs, tombstones and shop fronts. Highlights of the collection include a draft manuscript entitled – ‘Reminiscences of a Royal Commission’ (found in 'Various' MS7402/4) in which Graham gives a brief history of his time as commissioner. Graham’s photographic album, which includes photographs taken between 1950-1960, is also a stand-out piece and contains some fine examples of photography from his travels around Scotland as well as France, England and Ireland.

Archive History Deposited by Mrs Joanna Gordon

Access Conditions No restrictions to access, except for some items restricted for conservation reasons

Administrative History Angus Graham was born at Skipness, Kintyre, on 3 April 1892. He was educated at Winchester and New College Oxford before completing five years active military service in France, Gallipoli and Palestine from 1914-1919. After returning from the First World War, Graham completed a Diploma in Forestry and from 1922-34 worked as a forester in Canada. In August 1935, after returning from Canada, Graham took up the post of Secretary of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Graham joined the commission at a critical stage in its history. With only three field officers, and no specialist photographers or draughtsmen, the executive staff were not equipped to meet the increasingly high standards demanded by the growing number of professional archaeologists and architectural historians to whom the inventory volumes were indispensible reference works. In the post-war period Graham introduced a number of important new ideas to the Commission that ensured the organisation could match the demands of its audience, including the employment of aerial photography, the introduction of official four-wheel-drive vehicles, and the creation of a dedicated photography department. Angus retired from the Secretaryship in 1957 only to return 3 years later as a commissioner, an appointment which he held until 1974. Angus Graham’s principal contributions to Scottish archaeological studies, however, are to be found less in the publications of the Royal Commission than in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, to which he was elected a Fellow in 1913 at the early age of 20. He held office as joint-Secretary from 1937 to 1966 and as Vice-President from 1966 to 1969. Angus contributed a remarkable variety of papers to the Proceedings during the 65 years of his Fellowship.

Finding Aids Handlist located in unit ID 21106

Accession Number 2014/51

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