Archief WEM - Papers of William Edward Maxwell

Identificatie

referentie code

GB 891 WEM

Titel

Papers of William Edward Maxwell

Datum(s)

  • 18th Jan 1889 (Vervaardig)

Beschrijvingsniveau

Archief

Omvang en medium

1 item handwritten

Context

Naam van de archiefvormer

Biografie

William Edward Maxwell, born in 1846, was the son of Sir Peter Benson Maxwell, the Chief Justice of the Straits Settlements. Maxwell followed in his father's footsteps, training in the legal profession and working within colonial administration. In 1883, Maxwell was appointed Commissioner of Land Titles in the Straits Settlements, and, therefore, Member of the Executive and Legislative Councils of those Settlements. In 1889, he was appointed the Resident of Selangor. He became the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements in 1892, and was acting governor from 30 August 1893 to 1 February 1894. During this time Maxwell was actively involved with the Singapore Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, serving as President, Vice-President, and Editor of the Journal, to which he contributed a number of articles. He was avidly interested in the Malay language.

In 1895, he was transferred to be Governor of the Gold Coast (Ghana). Maxwell died at sea, from malaria, near the Canary Isles, in 1897, and was buried at sea. He requested that all his private papers and diaries were burnt. Fortunately, this did not include the many manuscripts which he had collected. These were bequeathed to the Royal Asiatic Society.

Naam van de archiefvormer

Geschiedenis van het archief

The letter was sent to William Edward Maxwell when he British resident at Selangor.

Directe bron van verwerving of overbrenging

It is unknown how the letter became part of the Society's collections. However Maxwell made a large bequest of Malay manuscripts to the Society. It is likely that the letter came with these.

Inhoud en structuur

Bereik en inhoud

The papers consist of a single letter from John Haffenden, Malaysian Agency, British and Foreign Bible Society, to William Edward Maxwell to send two copies of the "Acts of the Apostle" in Malay (Arabic character) which had been printed in Europe by the Society. Haffenden asks Maxwell for his opinion on the type with which the book has been printed. The letter is dated Singapore, 18 January 1889.

Waardering, vernietiging en slectie

Aanvullingen

Ordeningstelsel

Voorwaarden voor toegang en gebruik

Voorwaarden voor raadpleging

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. 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.

Voorwaarden voor reproductie

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.

Taal van het materiaal

  • Engels

Schrift van het materiaal

    Taal en schrift aantekeningen

    Fysieke eigenschappen en technische eisen

    Toegangen

    Verwante materialen

    Bestaan en verblifplaats van originelen

    Bestaan en verblijfplaats van kopieën

    Related units of description

    Maxwell's bequest was of a large number of Malay manuscripts which now form part of the Library's collections. Several of these have been digitised and can be viewed on our Digital Library: https://royalasiaticcollections.org/.

    Related descriptions

    Aantekeningen

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Trefwoorden

    Onderwerp trefwoord

    Naam ontsluitingsterm

    Genre access points

    Beschrijvingsbeheer

    Identificatie van de beschrijving

    gb891-wem

    Identificatiecode van de instelling

    Toegepaste regels en/of conventies

    Status

    Niveau van detaillering

    Verwijdering van datering archiefvorming

    Taal (talen)

      Schrift(en)

        Bronnen

        Aantekeningen van de archivaris

        This material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

        Voorwaarden voor raadpleging en gebruik