Record

LevelSub-series
Finding Number (Click this to view full catalogue structure)DA49/1/2
TitleNumerical series of files of general papers
Extent846 files
Date1874-1936
DescriptionThis series comprises largely press cuttings and printed material. It includes extracts from periodicals and parliamentary and other official publications (printed by the British and international governments and missionary organisations). Press cuttings are from local, national and international presses, including South Africa. Journals from which printed extracts have been taken include 'The African Monthly', 'The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society', 'The Geographical Journal', 'The London Quarterly Review', 'The International Review of Missions', and 'The Christian Express'.

Cuttings and printed material relate largely to the research of Willoughby into the history, politics and anthropology of African tribes (most especially the Bantu), though they include a substantial amount of material of a more topical and varied nature. The papers also contain a large quantity of typescript notes, largely compiled from publications for use in Willoughby's own research and teaching, though there are also drafts of conference papers, and drafts of chapters from monographs later published by Willoughby. In addition there is some correspondence between Willoughby and LMS personnel, academic colleagues and associates relating to his missionary activities in Africa, and his publications and research (for eg, files 363, 368, 391, 700-708: finding nos DA49/1/2/320, /323, /338, /593-601). Interspersed amongst his papers are also a small number of notebooks.

In addition to papers acquired/compiled for specific use in Willoughby's research, the series also contains papers relating to LMS affairs and mission work in Africa during the 1880s-1930s (for eg, files 100, 109, 135, 367, 394, 408, 435, 503: finding nos DA49/1/2/81, /90, /116, /322, /340, /350, /373, /432), and also the general political situation in the region (for eg, files 3, 7, 9, 40-42, 401, 432-33, 454, 743, and 755: finding nos DA49/1/2/1, /5, /7, /34-36, /345, /370-371, /386, /636, /648). The series also contains material relating to Willoughby's associations with Chief Khama III, Chief of the Bamangwato tribe (for eg, files 691-692, 804: finding nos DA49/1/2/584-585, /697), and his accompaniment of Khama and the Chiefs Sebele of the Bakwena and Bathoen I of the Bangwaketsi to London for meetings with Joseph Chamberlain (Secretary of State for the Colonies, 1895-1903) and Queen Victoria to discuss the establishment of the Bechuanaland Protectorate (file 54: finding no DA49/1/2/41).

This series also contains material relating to the operations of the Tiger Kloof Native Institution at Vryburg, Northern Cape, South Africa, founded by Willoughby in 1903 to provide a Christian based-education for members of tribes who might one day occupy positions of authority within their communities (for eg, file 383: finding no DA49/1/2/334). He served as Principal from 1904-1914. There is also material relating to his experiences as Professor of African Missions at the Kennedy School of Missions at Hartford, Connecticut, USA where he taught and undertook research from 1919-1931 (for eg, files 179, 275, and 285: finding nos DA49/1/2/156, /244 and /253). Papers relating to the latter include addresses and lectures of Willoughby, course outlines, assessment and attendance details of students, and examples of work submitted to Willoughby in the course of his teaching.

Personal material includes correspondence and ephemera relating to Willoughby's life in Birmingham, and miscellaneous domestic matters.

File titles have been abstracted from the numerical list of file titles compiled by Willoughby and/or his assistants and are reproduced in the file level records
ArrangementThe papers were arranged into a numerical series of files (1-1000), most probably by Willoughby himself. Items within files were assigned the file number, and indexed in the multi-subject index. A file title list was then compiled. As items within files were not assigned further sub-numbers, this has been undertaken as part of the cataloguing process. It should be noted however that this further numbering will not appear on the index cards.

The principle of file creation in this series is, however, unclear. In some instances the acquisition/compilation of new materials appears to have necessitated the creation of a new file, in other cases, material has been added to existing files. There is therefore significant overlap between file contents and a duplication of file titles. On occasion, a reorganisation of the contents of files has also been undertaken by Willoughby and/or his assistants. This has involved the transfer of items into new files, and the assignment of new file numbers to items. In addition, there is significant variation in the size of files - in some instances a single publication can comprise a file, whilst other files can contain in excess of 200 items
Access StatusOpen
Physical DescriptionThis series contains press cuttings and printed extracts which are in an extremely fragile state. Careful handling of these items is therefore required.

This series also contains a large number of very small items. For conservation purposes these items have been placed in envelopes.

Missing and empty files:
1-2, 32-34, 38, 43-48, 50, 61, 63-65, 74, 81, 88, 154, 157, 160, 178, 181, 191-192, 194, 198, 208, 273-274, 282, 291, 295-300, 303, 320, 352-353, 364, 366, 369-372, 386, 388-390, 392, 396, 399, 400, 402-403, 413-414, 425-426, 438-440, 446, 452-453, 467, 471, 481, 506, 511-520, 530, 533, 537, 544, 554-555, 557, 573, 575-577, 579, 584, 587, 596-597, 603, 608, 610, 630, 632-633, 639, 644, 646, 654, 823, 825-827, 829-831, 835, 839, 849, 859, 875, 878, 880-883, 892, 895-901, 904, 908, 917-919, 938-939, 941, 959-960, 974-975, 978-1000

In addition, 521A, 690A, 831A, 848A, 854A, 854B, 855A, 893A, 920A, 930A, 949A, 950A, 952A, 953A, 968A have been used