Papers of L.J. Stein

Scope and Content

Family correspondence, predominantly to Stein from his parents and his sister Agatha, c.1898-1919, including letters from Palestine, 1918-19, and while travelling in the Middle East, 1918. Other correspondents include Sir Moses Montefiore, Albert Hyamson, Israel Sieff, S.Landman, Lucien Wolf, S.Goldberg, Abraham Tulin, S.Adler, Robert Henriques and Joseph M.Proskauer, c.1913-65. Correspondence about an edition of the Weizmann letters, 1966-8. Papers relating to Stein's time at St Paul's School and at Balliol College, Oxford; papers relating to various societies including the Oxford Union Society, Jowett Society, the Palmerston Club and the Oxford University Zionist Society. Correspondence and papers relating to World War I, including medical board and transfer documents, a soldier's handbook for Palestine and Jerusalem, 1917, a prayer book, military orders and two testimonials of service rendered by Stein during the war. Certificate of duty, orders and other papers relating to service in the Home Guard in World War II. Diaries, 1897-1903, 1907-11, 1918-19 and 1921, with a detailed record of Stein's period in Palestine, 1908-9 and 1918-19. Family papers, correspondence and genealogical material, 1887- 1972. Family photographs, 1868-1950s Political papers: material concerning a public meeting addressed by Stein in 1911 about the National Insurance bill, Stein's attempt to become a candidate for the Kensington borough council election, 1912; pamphlets, letters, cuttings, expenses for the general elections at Dover, 1922, and West Bermondsey in 1929; London Liberal Association papers, 1928-9; and papers of the seventeenth session of the Liberal Literary and Political Society, 1922-3. Papers relating to the Middle East: newspaper cuttings and statistical reports, population statistics, report of a lecture by Stein, and reviews of Stein's book Syria, 1920s-30s. Anglo-Jewish Association: correspondence, reports, bulletins, surveys, articles, conference papers and other papers from Stein's involvement, c.1940s; subjects include Jews in Muslim countries, genocide, terrorism, human rights, Jews in Morocco under the Vichy regime, the future of European Jewry, Jews in Argentina and Spanish Jews in Greece. Articles by Stein and reviews of his work, c.1920-38. The articles include 'The new Europe', 'Hechalutz - a Jewish miscellany' and 'Memorandum gegen das Palastina Weissbuch'. There are notices of lectures by Stein and some lecture notes, together with notes for a memorial volume for C.G.Montefiore.

Administrative / Biographical History

Leonard Jacques Stein (1887-1973) was educated at St Paul's School and Balliol College, Oxford. He was President of the Oxford Union Society in 1910 and he was called to the bar of Inner Temple in 1912. Stein served in the army 1914-20, working for the Palestine Military Administration and on the political staff, EEF, 1918-20. He was political secretary of the World Zionist Organisation, 1920-9; honorary legal adviser of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, 1929-39; president of the Anglo-Jewish Association, 1939-49; and chairman of ICA. He was awarded an OBE in 1953.

Access Information

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Geographical Names