Scope and content
Papers of Professor Sir Arnold Plant, 1918-1972, comprising the following: Papers
concerning Plant's education, 1919-1923, mainly comprising lecture notes taken during
his studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and examination
papers for the London BCommerce. Material concerning Plant's teaching career, 1918-1969,
notably at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, 1918-1931, including lecture
notes on subjects including banking, economics and statistics, notes for the Commerce
degree, and correspondence from former students relating to their professional work;
papers relating to the LSE, 1928-1969, notably Plant's work in the Department of Business
Administration, including administrative papers, lists of students, seminars and test
results, material concerning the teaching of the Commerce degree including lecture
notes and examination papers, papers concerning research projects, research material
into higher education training for business and management, and material concerning
the formation of a Central Institute of Management; minutes, correspondence and papers
of the Commerce Degree Bureau, 1937-1972; material concerning the University of London
Council for External Students, 1961-1972, including reports, minutes and papers. Material
concerning lectures, writings and publications, 1924-1964, notably working papers
and drafts for talks on various subjects including patent law, modern industry, copyright
of publications, transport economics, marketing and economic conditions in South Africa;
background material, notes and drafts for BBC broadcasts, 1931-1961, notably on pay
as you view television, trade and industry and South Africa; correspondence, drafts,
notes and offprints of various published articles, lectures and reports, 1925-1964,
mainly relating to commerce and business, copyright and nuclear energy. Correspondence,
1921-1972, mainly relating to the teaching of business and commerce, with correspondents
including Sir John Carruthers Beattie, Sir William Henry Beveridge, Sir Alexander
Carr-Saunders, Sir Henry Clay, William Harold Hutt, Eric Anderson Walker, Professor
Lilian Knowles, Professor Lionel Robbins and Professor Richard Henry Tawney. Personal
material, 1950-1972, concerning employment, salary, pensions and stays in hospital.
Papers concerning Plant's work on the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission,
1948-1959, comprising memoranda, reports, minutes and agenda, evidence and correspondence
relating to electrical machinery, industrial gases, linoleum, copper semis, tea, tyres,
timber, calico printing, electric batteries, radio valves and street lighting, as
well as general reference materials, press cuttings, and correspondence concerning
membership of the Commission. Material concerning Plant's work on the Industrial Injuries
Advisory Council (IIAD), 1954-1967, including minutes, reports and papers of the Council,
1950-1967; minutes and working papers of the Industrial Diseases Sub-Committee, 1955-1967,
especially concerning byssinosis, teeth erosion, lung cancer, vibration syndrome (Raynaud's
Syndrome), industrial deafness, cadmium poisoning and respiratory diseases; papers
of the Industrial Health Advisory Committee (Ministry of Labour), 1955-1966; Secretary's
correspondence with Plant, 1966-1968; general IIAC correspondence, 1954-1959, mainly
relating to meetings and expert opinion on industrial health. Papers concerning Plant's
work on the Cinematograph Films Council, 1938-1968, including minutes, agenda and
working papers of the Council, 1938-1968; material relating to the Committee on Film
Distribution and Exhibition (Portal Committee), 1943-1949, including minutes and working
papers, evidence, reports and drafts of the final report; papers relating to the Plant
Report into Distribution and Exhibition of Cinematograph Films, 1945-1951, including
press cuttings, parliamentary reports, and expert views; correspondence and papers,
1946-1965, including letters from Sir (Alexander) Frederick Whyte and J(oseph) Arthur
Rank; papers of the Advisory Committee on Amendments to Cinematograph Films Acts,
1957-1958; minutes of the Structure and Trading Practices Sub-Committee, 1962-1963.
Material concerning Plant's work on other committees, societies and bodies, 1932-1972,
notably minutes, reports, bulletins and research papers of the London and Cambridge
Economic Service, 1932-1966; papers relating to the Council for National Academic
Awards, 1964-1968, including minutes and working papers, minutes of the Arts and Social
Studies Committee and the Economics and Business Studies Board, and applications for
recognition from higher education institutions; reports, minutes and correspondence
relating to the Advertising Standards Authority, 1962-1967; papers of the Naval Education
Advisory Committee, 1946-1970, notably course outlines, minutes and reports; annual
reports and publication notices of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research,
1966-1971; correspondence, circulars and Council minutes of the Royal Economic Society,
1970-1972; reports, press cuttings and correspondence of the Committee on Fowl Pest
Policy, 1962-1964; and minutes and working papers of the Board of Management of Athlone
Press, 1969-1972.
Record creators history
Born 1898; educated Strand School and London School of Economics and Political Science;
Gerstenberg Scholar in Economics and Political Science, 1921; previously a manager
in the engineering industry; Professor of Commerce and Dean of the Faculty of Commerce,
University of Cape Town, 1924-1930; Professor of Commerce, LSE, 1930-1965; Knight,
1947; Vice-President of the Council, Royal Economic Society; Member, Cinematograph
Films Council, 1938-1969; Chairman, Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, 1955-1967;
Chairman, Advertising Standards Authority, 1962-1965; Chairman, Colonial Social Science
Research Council, 1955-1962; Member, Overseas Research Council, 1959-1964; Organiser
for Ministry of Information, and first Director of Wartime Social Survey, 1940; Chairman,
National Service Deferment Committee for the Cinematograph Industry, Ministry of Labour,
1942-1945; temporary civil servant, 1940-1946, as Adviser to Ministerial Chairman
of Interdepartmental Materials Committee and Central Priority Committee under Production
Council (1940), Production Executive (1941), Ministry of Production (1942-1945), and
on special duties in Cabinet Office, 1945-1946; Member, Board of Trade Committee on
a Central Institute of Management, 1945-1946; Member, Ministry of Works Committee
on Distribution of Building Materials, 1946; Member, Ministry of Education Committee
on Commercial Education, 1946; Member, Board of Trade Committee on Film Distribution,
1949 (Chairman); Member, Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission, 1953-1956;
Chairman, Ministry of Agriculture Committee on Fowl Pest Policy, 1960-1962; retired
1965; died 1978.
Processing information
Sources: British Library of Political and Economic Science Archives catalogue. Who's
Who 1897-1996 (A & C Black, 1996). Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP
AIM25 project.
Source of acquisition
Given by the family in 1989.
System of arrangement
The collection is arranged in sections as outlined in the Scope and Content.
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Rights to access and re-use digital objects:
Unknown
Copyright retained by donor and their heirs.
Other finding aids
Listing in progress. Interim handlist and on-line catalogue available.
Related material
The British Library of Political and Economic Science also holds material relating
to Arnold Plant in the papers of Professor Edwin Cannan (Ref: Cannan/1029-30, 33);
Professor James Edward Meade (Ref: Meade 16/2), the Royal Economic Society (Ref: RES
5/2/1, 16/10, 13, 14, 18, 17/13); Professor Morris Ginsberg (Ref: Ginsberg 1/5), Colonial
Research (Ref: Colonial Research) and the LSE (Ref: LSE Small Deposits 12 and Unregistered
School files 25/6/78). Plant also deposited papers relating to operating costs of
department stores (Ref: Coll Misc 0330).
Extent
116 boxes
Keywords
Subjects:
Business management
Cinema
Diseases
Economic cooperation
Economic integration
Economic policy
Economics
Education
Film industry
Industrial economics
Management
Medical sciences
Monopolies
Occupational diseases
Pathology
Surgery
Trade
Geographic names:
South Africa Southern Africa
Western Europe
Personal names:Beattie, Sir, John Carruthers, 1866-1946, Knight, physicist Beveridge, William Henry, 1879-1963, 1st Baron Beveridge of Tuggall, economist Clay, Sir, Henry, 1883-1954, Knight, economist Hutt, William Harold, 1899-1988, Professor, economist Knowles, Lilian Charlotte Anne, 1870-1926, nee Tomn, economic historian Plant Sir Arnold 1898-1978 Knight, Professor, economist Rank, Joseph Arthur, 1888-1972, 1st Baron Rank, English film magnate Robbins, Lionel Charles, 1898-1984, Baron Robbins of Clare Market, Professor, economist Saunders, Sir, Alexander Morris, Carr-, 1886-1966, Knight, economist and educationist Tawney, Richard Henry, 1880-1962, historian Walker, Eric Anderson, 1886-1976, historian Whyte, Sir, Alexander Frederick, 1883-1970, Knight, politician and diplomat
Corporate names: Advertising Standards Authority Athlone Press BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation Cinematograph Films Council CNAA, Council for National Academic Awards Committee on Film Distribution and Exhibition (Portal Committee) Committee on Fowl Pest Policy Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, Industrial Diseases Sub-Committee London and Cambridge Economic Society LSE, London School of Economics and Political Science Ministry of Labour, Industrial Health Advisory Committee Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission National Institute of Economic and Social Research Naval Education Advisory Committee Royal Economic Society University of Cape Town, South Africa University of London, Council for External Students
Language of the material
English
Record creator
Plant, Sir, Arnold, 1898-1978, Knight, Professor, economist
Content provider
British Library of Political and Economic Science