Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1890-1973 / (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
0.135 cubic metres (15 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Watkin Davies (1895-1973) was a barrister, lecturer and author. He was the only son of the Rev. John Gwynoro Davies (1855-1935) and Jeannie Mary Watkin. Born in Cricieth, Caernarfonshire, he grew up in Barmouth, Merionethshire. He was educated at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and St John's College, Oxford, where he graduated in modern history. He married Cecily Dorothea Crosskey on 22 September 1925. Davies was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn and practised as a barrister on the North Wales Circuit. He served as the history master at Friends School, Saffron Walden, 1915-17, and at Barmouth County School, 1917-19. Subsequently he lectured at Bristol University, 1919-1921, and for the League of Nations Union. He spent much of his later career lecturing in International Politics at the University of Birmingham. Davies wrote the volume Wales (London, 1924) and the important study Lloyd George, 1863-1914 (London, 1939). A regular contributor of articles to journals, he served as the editor of The Welsh Outlook from 1925 until 1927. He died on 25 December 1973.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased from Mrs J. E. Darby of Harborne, Birmingham, 1974.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of W. Watkin Davies including diaries, 1904-1973; letters from family and friends, 1895-1926; letters relating to his work, [c. 1932]-1971; typescripts and manuscripts of unpublished works including Lloyd George, 1914-',
Woodrow Wilson' and 'Men and Movements in American History' and an autobiographical work, `Wales of my Youth', [1907x1973]; lectures, articles and notes, [1910]-1933; personal papers relating to his career and private life, [c. 1915]-1946; notebooks, 1922-1953; family papers, 1890-1935; and letters, pictures and other material relating to David Lloyd George, 1887-1971.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All records purchased by the National Library of Wales have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged into the following: papers relating to David Lloyd George; W. Watkin Davies's diaries; correspondence; W. Watkin Davies's writings; personalia and family papers; miscellanea.
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
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Project identifier
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Davies, William Watkin b. 1891 -- Archives (Subject)
- Davies, William Watkin b. 1891 -- Diaries (Subject)
- Lloyd George, David, 1863-1945. (Subject)
- Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924 (Subject)
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
February 2003
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used to compile this description: NLW, Schedule of W. Watkin Davies Papers; Dictionary of Welsh Biography, 1941-1970 (London, 2001).