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Nyasaland diaries of David Lawson

 Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0115/RCS/RCMS 228

Scope and Contents

Eleven diaries beginning in Cape Town, 1 January 1932, which Lawson was travelling through on route to take up his post, and continuing with occasional gaps up to 1943. The writing is mainly manuscript, but there are some inserted typescript entries. Although Lawson's will bequeathed 'the diaries written by me while a member of the Colonial Civil Service in Nyasaland from 1932 to 1944', there are no volumes for 1941 or 1944.

Dates

  • Creation: 1932 - 1981

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Biographical / Historical

David Geoffrey Malloch Lawson (1895-1981), B.Sc., A.M.I.E.E., A.R.C.S.I., was born on 14 December 1895. He joined the Colonial Service as Assistant Telegraph Engineer in the Gold Coast on 19 May 1926, and transferred to Nyasaland as Telegraph and Telephone Engineer on 11 December 1931. He went on leave pending retirement on 5 September 1945, and his latter years were spent in the West Country. Lawson was a Life Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society from 1928 until his death on 8 April 1981.

Extent

1 archive box(es) (1 box) : paper

Language of Materials

English

Former / Other Reference

MSS 51 V

Other Finding Aids

MSS Addenda, vol. III.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Bequeathed by D.M. Lawson through Messrs Nalder, Addleshaw and Rickards, April 1981.

Related Materials

Lawson's diaries for 1926-1931, covering his period in the Gold Coast, and a few letters relating to his service in Nysasland are deposited in Rhodes House Library, Mss. Afr. s. 761-766.

General

This collection level description was created by RAS using information from the original typescript catalogue.

Originator(s)

Lawson, David Geoffrey Malloch, 1895-1981

Includes index.
Date
2003-12-11 14:52:28+00:00
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom