WILSON, Ronald Haig (1917-2005)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0366 WIL
Held at	: Institute of Education   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/sites/ioe ›
Full title	: WILSON, Ronald Haig (1917-2005)
Date(s)	: 1945-2005
Level of description	: collection
Extent	: 9 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: Wilson | Ronald Haig | 1917-2005 | educationalist
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Ronald (Ronnie) Haig Wilson (1917-2005) was a prominent educationalist who devoted his life to the advancement of international adult education in UK and Europe.

Born 1917; studied German and French at St Andrew's University, 1935-1938; part of an exchange scholarship to Germany from 1938-1939, where he had first-hand experience of the Third Reich regime and Nazi propaganda. Joined the army after completing his MA , 1940, Royal Artillery; volunteered for the intelligence corps and was based at Fort William, where he was responsible for military security and counter intelligence. In the last months of the War he was stationed in Germany; after the war he was in a unit which gathered intelligence necessary for the aims of the occupation to be carried out and was seconded to carry out work for Education Control; discharged, 1946; worked for the 'Education Branch of the Internal Affairs and Communication Division, Control Commission for Germany (British Element)'; posted to Rhineland/Westphalia, 1947; moved to the adult education section; worked for the Education Branch (Control Commission for Germany), later the Cultural Department of the British High Commission, 1947-1958, moving to Berlin in 1950, and Bonn in 1956; part of the Cultural Relations Group, Berlin; helped found the Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV), a German adult education association, 1953. In 1957 the British Government closed the Education branch and Wilson returned to the UK. Senior Adult Tutor at Ivanhoe Community College in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. 1958-1962; served on Leicestershire County Council (1958-1962); Educational Organiser (Further Education) for Huddersfield, 1962-1964; served on the Huddersfield Education Authority (1962-1964); head of Manchester's College of Adult Education, 1964-1980; retired, 1980; President of the Educational Centres Association, 1994-1996; died 2005.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Ronald (Ronnie) Wilson, mainly relating to his career in adult education in Germany and England, 1945-2005, including: biographical information on Wilson, 1992-2005; papers related to his work in post-war Germany, 1945-1963; papers regarding his career in adult education in the UK, 1950-[2003]; writings and papers by Wilson and others on various subjects regarding adult education in Germany and the UK, educational reconstruction in post war Germany, 1947-2002; conference papers collected by Wilson from Anglo-German conferences, German adult education conferences, and other conferences on adult education mainly after his return to the UK, 1952-2002; general correspondence, 1952-1996; papers regarding prominent adult educationalists, 1947-1999; and photographs, 1952-2003.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English and German

System of arrangement:

The collection was arranged to reflect Wilson's career. Documents have been largely arranged chronologically within series and sub-series. The documents are in English unless otherwise stated in descriptions.

Conditions governing access:

Open, subject to signature of Reader Application Form.

Conditions governing reproduction:

A reader wishing to publish any quotation of information, including pictorial, derived from any archive material must apply in writing for prior permission from the Archivist or other appropriate person(s) as indicated by the Archivist. A limited number of photocopies may be supplied at the discretion of the Archivist.

Finding aids:

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Given by Mrs Edith Wilson in April and Dec 2006.

Allied Materials

Related material:

The Institute of Education also hold the records of the German Educational Reconstruction (DC/GER). Wilson's papers related to his work at Manchester College of Adult Education were transferred to Manchester Central Library and papers on Wilson's work with the Educational Centres Association were transferred to the ECA.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
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.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Feb 2008