Fonds
H J Massingham Collection
Catalogue reference: D MASM
What’s it about?
This record is about the H J Massingham Collection dating from 1918 - 1957.
Is it available online?
Maybe, but not on The National Archives website. This record is held at Museum of English Rural Life. How to view it.
Can I see it in person?
Not at The National Archives, but you may be able to view it in person at Museum of English Rural Life. How to view it.
Full description and record details
-
Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- D MASM
-
Title (The name of the record)
- H J Massingham Collection
-
Date (When the record was created)
- 1918 - 1957
-
Description (What the record is about)
-
RECORDS OF H J MASSINGHAM (1888-1952)
-
Arrangement (Information about the filing sequence or logical order of the record)
-
D MASM/A1-5 Biographical and personal information
D MASM/B1-2 Correspondence
D MASM/C1-3 Research material
D MASM/D1-5 Reference material
D MASM/E1-5 Published works
D MASM/F1-7 Draft copies of work
D MASM/H1-12 Photographs
-
Held by (Who holds the record)
- Museum of English Rural Life
-
Language (The language of the record)
- English
-
Creator(s) (The creator of the record)
- <persname>Massingham, H J, 1888-1952, journalist</persname>
-
Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
- 39 Documents
-
Immediate source of acquisition (When and where the record was acquired from)
-
Accession no: DX225
The records were deposited in April 1997 as a gift by Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury.
-
Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
-
Harold John Massingham was born in 1888 and spent his early life in London where he received a conventional middle class education at Westminster School. This was followed by Queen's College Oxford at which he first read history, later transferring to English literature but he failed to graduate due to illness.
Massingham returned to London to follow a career in journalism where he worked for the 'Morning Leader', 'National Press Agency', and the 'Athenaeum' 1912-14. He made weekly contributions to the 'Nation' and 'Athenaeum' 1916-24. He also contributed to the 'Field' 1938-51 and the 'Spectator' in 1951.
As a precursor to the modern ecological movement and a major contributor to English rural literature he encompassed all facets of English rural life from pre-history to the twentieth century. Massingham's interests in literature, art, ornithology, archaeology, anthropology, geology, topography, agricultural and rural history were all brought to bear on his subject of England and it's countryside. He died in 1952.
-
Publication note(s) (A note of publications related to the record)
- <span class="wrapper"><p>'The Wisdom of the Fields', 1945.</p> <p>'Where Man Belongs', 1946.</p> <p>'A Mirror of England: An Anthology of the writings of H.J. Massingham', (edited by E. Abelson), 1988.</p></span>
-
Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/86a8e3c4-e3d2-432b-816c-23ec41aef120/
Catalogue hierarchy
You are currently looking at the fonds: D MASM
H J Massingham Collection