Writings, including drafts and versions of his autobiography
Scope and Contents
Three sections have been published: "Malaya, 1941" (being an account of the fall of Singapore and Malaya [later part of Malaysia] and the events leading up to 1941 from his perspective in the Bangkok Embassy); "Bangkok Top Secret" (being an account of his work with the Special Operations Force 136, 1945-6); "Cod Wars and How to Lose them" (being an account of his service as Ambassador to Iceland 1956-59).
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Sir Andrew wrote and rewrote his autobiography over a number of years. The working title for the earlier sections is A Diplomatic Apprentice. The file titles are AG's own.
1/ A "First and longest draft" (i) loose working notes; (ii) List of contents and preface; (iii - vii) Books 1-5 and Postscript.
1/B "Autobiography Copy 3 ch 15-18 missing." This actually begins with Ch 6. The chapter and book titles are not always the same but the content corresponds with Books 2-5.
1/C Cut copy "A Diplomatic Apprentice" - Flimsy typed and stapled version. Corresponds with 1 A but incomplete - various sections torn out; pages 109-117, 128-14 7, 15 8-173 & 3 5 7 to end missing.
1/D Further version of above - glued; heavier paper. Appears complete.
1/E Notes and alterations to lD, including "early chapters discarded from publishable version" .
1/F "2nd & 3rd copies of the draft prepared for Cooper - early chapters missing." This appears to correspond with the later part of lD.
1/G "As prepared for Leo Cooper" as above but with the earlier chapters included.
1/H "Auto biog Mark 1 > 1942" typed version in chapters as 1 A/iii.
1/J "Auto - Old Chapters - ?useful". This includes post 1942 material and covers the period 1947-51 spent in the German Department of the Foreign Office.
1/K "Germany typed". 15 chapters. Covers the period 1946 -1951.
1/L "Autobio Germany". Shorter version of lK.
1/M No title - Introduction and Retrospect for the German book and odd chapters.
1/N "Germany including some background" - further copies of lK & lL with title page Working on Germany Under Bevin.
1/0 "German text" with file note that this could be used to compile the final version - additional drafts of chapters.
1/P "Shooting in Germany"/ "Chapter 11" material relating to the period immediately following his Stuttgart appointment - several versions, plus other Stuttgart chapters.
1/Q "Odd Chapters - Misc including Iceland" Germany and Iceland materials and some early chapters from Apprentice.
1/R No title - all materials re Jakarta - several draft chapters and background materials.
1/S No title - four chapters from Apprentice plus two new appendices.
1/T "Mixed Bag - useful for Auto" mostly writings on sport.
1/V "BTS" (Bangkok Top Secret) Foreign Office clearance and a copy of the Internees Journal.
1/W Complete ms on Sport in his various postings - mostly compiled from other ms but with some new material and presented as a continuous narrative, typed.
1/X Chapters for later autobiography?: "Elegant Holidays"; "The Financial reward". Written during Dublin posting.
1/Y Draft, with differing chapter titles to above copies covering ca 1946-1950. Includes letter to Dr Dockrill from Gilchrist, April 93, thanking him for returning his fathers papers and a letter from Veronica Warner, 2023, which explains how the letters passed through different hands before ending up being sent to the Archive.
Creator
- From the Fonds: Gilchrist, Andrew Graham, Sir, 1910 - 1993 (Knight, diplomat) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is mostly open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.
Language of Materials
English
Finding aid date
2004-11-01 12:11:05+00:00
Repository Details
Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository
Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB3 0DS United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 336087
archives@chu.cam.ac.uk