Archive of the University of Liverpool: Faculty of Arts

Comprises administrative records for the Faculty of Arts, including Faculty Board Minutes, Report Books, Committee Minute Books (1896 - [ca.1984], not complete). Also, records relating to Archaeology, Classics and Oriental Studies (1904 - 1947); Modern languages (Celtic and Hispanic) (circa late 1940s; 1971 - 1977); and History (School of Local History and Records) (1908 - 1920)

Apart from the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Arts was the first to be set up. Like so much that was done at that time, this was as a result of the eloquence and vision of Professor J M Mackay. The first constitution of the Faculty of Arts is known only from a draft considered by Senate on 28 October 1896. This constitution was remarkable in that it removed financial responsibility from the board, and in that it provided for an annually elected chairman in addition to the Dean but it allowed the faculty to make separate annual reports and establish practical control over teaching and some appointments. The experiment was a success, and a revised and stronger constitution was issued in 1902.

The records of the Faculty of Arts are split into four series:

• Faculty records
• Papers relating to the Faculty of Arts its staff and students
• Publications and related material of the Faculty of Arts
• Records of Schools and Departments within the faculty

Please phone (0151 794 2696) or email for an appointment; you may reserve material in advance.

For non University of Liverpool visitors, please bring some form of photo id (e.g. driving licence, travel pass, passport); Sydney Jones Library reception desk staff will issue you with a day pass.

Please note that some materials may be closed or have restricted access.

Records transferred January 1969, July 1976, August 1977

It is possible that further records may be found in the Faculty of Social and Environmental Studies records or Staff and Graduate papers. Relevant links to related material have been given wherever appropriate and possible at school and department level.

Some former members of the Faculty of Music, such as Professor Smallman are included on an on-line database of Composers with Merseyside Connections

For a general introduction to the history of the Faculty of Arts, see Kelly, Thomas,For the Advancement of Learning: the University of Liverpool 1881 - 1981, Liverpool University Press 1981, pp.111-114;217-233;345-358;496;510