Graphical version

School of Oriental and African Studies

Noakes, Diane


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0102 PP MS 56

Held at: School of Oriental and African Studies

Title: Noakes, Diane

Date(s): Created 1911-1984

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 4 boxes

Name of creator(s): Noakes | Mary Elizabeth Diane | 1911-1983 | née Bixby | political activist

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Mary Elizabeth (Diane) Noakes (née Bixby) was born on 30 December 1911 in Mile End, East London. She had a number of secretarial jobs, including working for the Toynbee Hall Settlement. In 1941 she volunteered into the Women's Royal Air Force, where she carried out welfare, educational and administrative duties, and attained the position of Sergeant. After the War she trained as a teacher at Borthwick Teacher Training College, London, and worked from 1947-1949 at Peckham Secondary School for Girls teaching commercial subjects.

In 1951, Diane Noakes was invited by the Ugandan African Farmers' Union to help resolve disputes. She was already Secretary of the Working Party of the Congress of Peoples Against Imperialism (later amalgamated with other organisations to become the Movement for Colonial Freedom), and went to Uganda in this capacity. She reached agreement over cotton ginning and established the Abalini Co-operative for farmers; she established a school and clinic, and a weaving factory was also set up for women. Although the Abalini Cooperative folded, the Abesigwa Coffee Co. Ltd. was established. In 1965 Diane Noakes was appointed to the paid position of Executive Secretary of the Central Council of the Indian Associations in Uganda. She was also involved with the establishment of the Uganda Children's Welfare Society.

Following her return from Uganda in 1958, she gained employment at the Kellogg International Corporation in London, and advanced to the position of Assistant Metallurgist. Socially, she was a member of the Labour Party and Political Education Officer for Thornton Ward, and was involved with the running of the Kellogg Corporation photography club. She retired in 1971 and bought a house near Shap, in the Lake District, where amongst other things she campaigned for 'Cumbrians for Peace'. Diane Noakes died on 21 November 1983, following a period of illness.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Diaries, correspondence, photographs and papers, 1911-1984, of Diane Noakes. The majority of the papers relate to her life in England, but some relate to her work in Uganda (1951-1958).

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

The collection has been arranged into the following sections: diaries; correspondence; materials relating to Uganda; Labour Party papers; miscellaneous papers; and photographs.

Conditions governing access:

Unrestricted.

Conditions governing reproduction:

No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Unpublished handlist.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Donated in January 1995.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds records of the Movement for Colonial Freedom (now Liberation) (Ref: MCF).

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Date(s) of descriptions: 16 May 2000


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
African cultures | National cultures
Child welfare | Social welfare
Colonial countries | Political systems
Diaries | Nonfiction | Prose | Literary forms and genres | Literature
Photographs | Visual materials
Political participation | Political behaviour | Political sociology
Political parties | Internal politics
Travel abroad | Travel
Women in politics | Politicians | Political leadership | Internal politics
Women teachers | Teachers | Educational personnel | Personnel | People by occupation | People
Primary documents

Personal names
Noakes | Mary Elizabeth Diane | 1911-1983 | née Bixby | political activist x Noakes | Diane x Bixby | Diane x Bixby | Mary Elizabeth Diane

Corporate names
Abesigwa Coffee Company | Uganda
Kellogg International Corporation
Labour Party
Uganda Children's Welfare Society
WRAF | Women's Royal Air Force x Women's Royal Air Force

Places
Shap | Westmorland | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Uganda | East Africa
Wandsworth | London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe