Fonds GB 0210 AARON - Prof. Richard Aaron papers

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0210 AARON

Title

Prof. Richard Aaron papers

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

Miscellaneous photographs are in National Library of Wales, Special Collections (PE 5236-9).

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Title based on contents of fonds.

Alternative identifier(s)

Virtua system control number

vtls003844505

Project identifier

ANW

Access points

Place 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

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.

Accession area