The Papers of A V Alexander

Fonds

Reference Code: GBR/0014/AVAR

Scope and Contents

The papers of A V Alexander include personal papers; parliamentary and political papers and correspondence; material relating to the Protestant movement and the Co-operative movement; literary material (including speech notes), plus film and photographic material.

Dates

Creation: 1903 - 1991

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Biographical / Historical

Alexander was born at Weston-super-Mare on 1 May 1885, the son of Albert Alexander (an artisan engineer). In 1908 he married Esther Ellen (youngest daughter of late George Chapple, of Tiverton) with whom he had one daughter.

Alexander was educated at Barton Hill Elementary School, Bristol and attended St George Technical Classes. He was MP (Co-operative) for the Hillsborough Division of Sheffield from 1922-1931 and 1935-1950.

Alexander held several official positions including Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (1924); First Lord of the Admiralty (1929-31; 1940-45 and 1945-46); Minister of Defence (1947-50); Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1950-51); Leader of Labour Peers (formerly Deputy Leader) in the House of Lords, (1955 onwards). He was also President of the UK Council of Protestant Churches, (1956) and a Member of the Cabinet Delegation to India and Paris Peace Conference, 1946.

Alexander died on 11 January 1965.

Extent

81 archive box(es) : paper

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The original arrangement of the papers has largely been preserved and they have been grouped into four subject areas (personal, public and political, co-operative movement, protestant movement, and literary).

Other Finding Aids

The collection has been catalogued and the catalogue is available for consultation at Churchill Archives Centre and the National Register of Archives. Note that there is a separate volume containing a detailed catalogue of Section 5 of the papers.

General

This collection level description was prepared by Natalie Adams using information from Who Was Who 1897-1996 (A and C Black) and information from the catalogue. The remainder of the catalogue was converted into electronic form by Caroline Herbert in 2007.