Papers of Right Reverend Derek Alec Rawcliffe

Papers, 1953-1986, dating predominantly from the 1960s and 1970s, on Melanesian culture, government and geography and the work of the church in the New Hebrides, collected by the Rt Rev Derek Rawcliffe.

Derek Alec Rawcliffe was born on 8 July 1921. He gained a BA from the University of Leeds. Following his training at Mirfield, he was made a Deacon in 1944. In 1945 he became a priest and was appointed to St. George's, Worcester. In 1947 he was posted to work in Melanesia as Assistant Master, and then Head Master at All Hallows School, Pawa, Solomon Islands (1949). From 1956-1958 he was Head Master at St. Mary's School, Maravovo, Solomon Islands. In 1959 he was appointed Archdeacon of Southern Melanesia. He was made first Bishop of New Hebrides in January 1974, leaving this post in 1980 to become Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway. From 1991 to 1996 he was Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Ripon. He was awarded an OBE in 1971.

The material has been arranged into 4 categories: general papers; church papers; subject papers; publications.

Open

Donated in 1996.

Unpublished handlist.

For permission to publish, please contact Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance

The School of Oriental and African Studies holds the records of the Melanesian Mission (Ref: Mel M), including letters of Rawcliffe.