Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1904-1981 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.117 cubic metres (13 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Richard Ithamar Aaron (1901-1987), philosopher and academic, was born in Ynystawe, Swansea, Glamorgan, and educated at Ystalyfera Grammar School, Cardiff University College, and Oriel College, Oxford. He was Professor of Philosophy at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1932-1969. He was involved with many organisations: he was chairman of the Central Advisory Council for Education (Wales), 1946-1952, a member of the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire, 1956-1963, a member of the BBC General Advisory Council, 1962-1973, and chairman of the Library Advisory Council (Wales), 1965-1972. He contributed to several periodicals and wrote several books on philsophy, including The Nature of Knowing (London, 1930), Hanes Athroniaeth (Cardiff, 1932), The Theory of Universals (London, 1952) and Knowing and the Function of Reason (Oxford, 1971). He was married to Rhiannon Morgan, of Aberystwyth, and they had two sons and three daughters. He was awarded an Honorary DLitt by the University of Wales, 1973. He died 29 March 1987.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
1-37: Donated by his wife, Mrs Rhiannon Aaron, Aberystwyth, 1986.
38 (formerly Mân Adnau 1198B): Converted into a donation, April 2024.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Prof. Richard Aaron, 1904-1981, comprising drafts of Knowing and the Function of Reason (Oxford, 1971), and of 'Comte, Mill and Durkheim: the epistemological issues', [?1970s]; reviews of Aaron's published works and related material, 1936-1972; draft lectures, articles and teaching notes, 1956-1977; personal and family papers, 1904-1977; personal and academic correspondence, 1932-1976; correspondence relating to the resignation of Goronwy Rees as Principal of UCW, Aberystwyth, 1956; minutes, correspondence and papers relating to the Central Advisory Council for Education (Wales), 1946-1951, the Council for Wales and Monmouthshire, 1958-1963, and the BBC General Advisory Council, 1963-1971; discussion papers for meetings of the British Academy, 1980-1981; and papers relating to Welsh-medium higher education, 1955-1975. With the exception of Knowing and the Function of Reason, there appear to be no papers relating to his books.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged at NLW as follows: committee work; philosophy teaching and research; and miscellaneous.
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 laws apply.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available in Minor Lists and Summaries, 1987, pp. 1-2, at the National Library of Wales.
Generated finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
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
April 2003.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
The following sources were used to compile this description: NLW, Minor Lists and Summaries, 1987; Who Was Who (2001)
Archivist's note
Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project.