Papers relating to Cecil John Rhodes (1)
MSS. Afr. s. 229
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Description
From Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts
This is an extract only. For more information, see the catalogue record in Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts.
Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts contains descriptions of the Bodleian Libraries’ archival collections, including post-1500 manuscripts. Some manuscripts with records in other catalogues are also described here as part of a description of a larger archive. Learn more.
Title
Papers relating to Cecil John Rhodes (1)
Shelfmark
MSS. Afr. s. 229
Summary
Undated first draft of The life of Jameson by Ian Duncan Colvin (London, E. Arnold and co., 1922)
Manuscript of projected book by Charles Cowen on Rhodes, with related papers, 1874-1912
Papers of Gordon Le Sueur, comprising miscellaneous letters and papers relating to Rhodes, and draft material for a biography, 1897-1907
Papers of E.A. Maund, comprising reminiscences of Rhodes, [1923-1929], with related enclosures, [1885-1891] and letters from Maund to the Rhodes Trust
Papers of Sir Lewis Michell, comprising letters and miscellaneous papers relating to Rhodes, including items formerly part of the Rhodes Papers (MSS. Afr. s. 228), 1869-1907
Papers relating to the Princess Radziwill, 1899-1902
Books associated with Rhodes, and related papers, 1864-1949
Correspondence about papers relating to Rhodes in the possession of his contemporaries, 1955-1961
Associated place
Africa, Southern -- History
Date
1864-1961
Language
English
Physical extent
7 boxes, 4 volumes, 1 file
Custodial history
The collections have five broad sources
First, the papers of Charles Cowen, Gordon Le Sueur and Sir Lewis Michell, comprising mainly material assembled for biographical purposes. Being personally associated with him, as secretary and banker respectively, a proportion of Le Sueur and Michell's papers derived directly from Rhodes; in Michell's case, some of the papers were borrowed by him while writing his biography. Cowen, a journalist, assembled a body of evidence through his enquiries into Rhodes's family background; this was acquired by the Trustees from his widow some years after his death.
Another contemporary, E.A. Maund was commissioned by the Trustees to produce reminiscences of Rhodes in quarterly instalments (not intended for publication). These contain some primary source material.
A further body of material was generated by Princess Catherine Radziwill, a Russian adventuress, in her attempts to influence and discredit Rhodes late in his career, and was assembled to assist in legal proceedings arising from her forgeing of Rhodes's signature. These papers are supplemented by material in the Michell papers relating to the forgeries.
Books belonging to or associated with Rhodes were acquired by the library from various sources, along with correspondence about papers relating to him in the possession of his contemporaries.
An undated first draft of Ian Duncan Colvin's The life of Jameson (London, E. Arnold and Co., 1922) forms the final part of the group.
Subject
19th century
20th century
Jameson's Raid, 1895-1896
