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University College London

Beesly Papers


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0103 BEESLY

Held at: University College London

Title: Beesly Papers

Date(s): 1852-1915

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 5 boxes

Name of creator(s): Beesly | Edward Spencer | 1831-1915 | positivist and historian
Beesly family

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Edward Spencer Beesly went to Wadham College Oxford, graduating in 1854. In 1859 he was appointed Principal of University Hall, London. He was Professor of History at University College London, 1860-1893, and also Professor of Latin at Bedford College London, 1860-1889. In 1869 he married Henry Crompton's sister Emily. In 1882 he was a radical candidate for Marylebone and in 1885 a radical candidate for Westminster. In 1893 he became editor of the Positivist Review. Beesly died in 1915.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

The collection contains correspondence; lecture notes on history; newspaper cuttings; papers of other members of the family, including an undated letter of Danton which belonged to A H Beesly; printed reports; pamphlets containing articles by or about Beesly; other pamphlets and reviews; other printed works; and an autographed photograph of Karl Marx. The correspondence is rather slight and only isolated letters from individual correspondents are preserved. There are sets of Beesly's own letters to Henry Crompton and to Frederic Harrison which were probably returned to the family after his death. There are also a few letters to Beesly's brother A H Beesly and to Alfred Beesly, E S Beesly's son.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Handlist and name index.

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Presented by Beesly's grandchildren in 1960.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

University College London Special Collections also holds letters of Edward Spencer Beesly relating to University College London business, 1860, 1870, 1887-1888 (Ref: COLLEGE CORRESPONDENCE).

Correspondence of Beesly is also held at the British Library, Manuscript Collections; British Library of Political and Economic Science; Bishopsgate Institute, London; Maison D'Auguste Comte, Paris. For further details see the National Register of Archives.

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Date(s) of descriptions: 1999, revised Oct 2001


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Ancient history | Historical periods
Historians | Social scientists
Medieval history | Historical periods
Modern history | Historical periods
Photographs | Visual materials
Positivism | Philosophical schools | Philosophy
Press cuttings | Newspaper press | Press
History

Personal names
Beesly | Alfred Beesly | fl 1889-1937 | son of E S Beesly
Beesly | Augustus Henry | born after 1831 | younger brother of E S Beesly
Beesly | Edward Spencer | 1831-1915 | positivist and historian
Beesly | family
Crompton | Henry | 1836-1904 | positivist and advocate of trade unions
Danton | George | 1759-1794 | French revolutionary leader
Harrison | Frederic | 1831-1923 | author and positivist
Marx | Karl Heinrich | 1818-1883 | revolutionary and thinker x Marx | Karl

Corporate names
University Hall | London

Places