Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1998-2009 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 archival folder, typed and handwritten
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John Duncan Martin Derrett was Professor of Oriental Laws at the University of London, from 1965 to 1982, and afterwards Emeritus Professor.
Derrett was educated at Emanuel School, London, Jesus College, Oxford and the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, before studying law at the Inns of Court School, London. He was called to the bar, Gray's Inn, in 1953. He is the author of a number of works on law and the history of systems of law, India, religion (particularly Christianity) and comparative religion. In his later life he was particularly interested in comparisons of Christianity with Buddhism. Derrett also translated works by others into English.
Name of creator
Administrative history
Repository
Archival history
These papers were created when Derrett needed to access material from the Society's collections. They are officially business records but as they show the research interests of Derrett at this time, it was decided to catalogue them as a set of Personal Papers.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
These papers were collated in the business of the Society and therefore have always been in the possession of the Society
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Letters between J. Duncan M. Derrett and the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the material he required for his reseearch.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open. Please contact the archivist using the email address given here. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.
Conditions governing reproduction
Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The Library of the Society holds several publications written by Derrett. These can be found using our catalogue: https://ras.koha-ptfs.co.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?idx=&q=Derrett&weight_search=1
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
This catalogue was created by Nancy Charley, Royal Asiatic Society Archivist, in 2025.