Fonds GB 0210 PAURES - Paul Diverres Collection,

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0210 PAURES

Title

Paul Diverres Collection,

Date(s)

  • [1746x1946] (accumulated [1900x1946]) / (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

0.941 cubic metres (33 boxes, 8 drawers)

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Dr Paul Diverres (1880-1946) was a Celtic scholar and former Keeper of Manuscripts at the National Library of Wales. He was born at Lorient, Brittany, and educated at the University of Rennes. He took a course in medicine, but then changed to study Celtic Studies, at the Collège de France, the Sorbonne and the Ecole des hautes études, Paris. He visited Wales in 1911 and in 1914 took an MA degree in the University of Liverpool. He was appointed Keeper of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales in 1919. In 1923 he accepted a post in the French department of the University College of Swansea. He published a number of works, his most important being Le plus ançien texte de Meddygon Myddveu . . . (Paris, 1913), and Le Siège de Lorient par les Anglais en 1746 (Rennes, 1931).

Archival history

The papers were kept in the private library of Paul Diverres, University College Swansea.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Presented in 1947 by Mrs Paul Diverres, Swansea, and Mr Armel Diverres, Manchester

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of and acquired by Paul Diverres [1746x1946], comprising what are presumably the papers of his father (Henry Diverres), including transcripts, extracts, notes and printed materials, relating to Brittany, and to Finistère in particular, regarding historical and antiquarian mattters; manuscripts, printed matter, transcripts and lectures acquired by and by Paul Diverres, including material relating to a variety of historical and antiquarian subjects; religious subjects, including saints; aspects of Celtic history; glossaries, vocabularies and grammars of various languages including Cornish, Gaelic, French, Breton and Welsh; poetry and prose; various histories, including arthurian legend and Merlin, and Meddygon Myddfai; botany and botanical terms; Welsh manuscripts such as the Black Book of Carmarthen, the Red Book of Hergest, and Llyfr Taliesin; place and personal names; ancient monuments in Wales; and songs; together with some correspondence and miscellaneous papers.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Action: All records have been retained.

Accruals

Accruals are not expected.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Conditions governing reproduction

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Welsh, Breton, Cornish, English, French, German, Latin, Irish, Old Irish.

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can be accessed online.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Printed books, maps, charts and photographs from the library of Paul Diverres are also held at the National Library of Wales.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Title supplied from contents of fonds. Some of the records acquired by Paul Diverres pre-date the date of his birth.

Alternative identifier(s)

Virtua system control number

vtls003844110

Project identifier

ANW

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales

Rules and/or conventions used

Description follows ANW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

February 2003.

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of Paul Diverres Collection; The Dictionary of Welsh Biography 1941-1950 (London, 1970).

Archivist's note

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW Project.

Accession area