QUEEN ELIZABETH HOUSE OXFORD (QEH)

The material includes letters and memoranda addressed to Kendrew personally, and relevant committee and discussion papers. Other committee and background papers are held in the Archives of the University.

Queen Elizabeth House was an independent foundation established by Royal Charter in 1951 to encourage Commonwealth studies and visits by members of the Commonwealth, and to provide links with the University of Oxford, members of the Governing Body being appointed by Her Majesty's Government and by the university. In 1983 the Overseas Development Administration announced its intention to withdraw its financial support after March 1984, and various possibilities were discussed for the future activities and funding of QEH. A committee was set up by the university in March 1983 at the request of the Governing Body to consider the future of QEH and an agreed plan was evolved to merge QEH with the two University Institutes of Agricultural Economics and Commonwealth Studies to create a centre for development and international studies and agricultural economics.

Kendrew was co-opted as a member of the Governing Body of QEH in December 1982, his appointment being renewed in June 1986 until July 1987 when he retired as President of St. John's. At this time the President of the Governing Body was Lord Trend (later succeeded by Sir Zelman Cowen) and the Warden of QEH was A. Hazlewood. The early period of Kendrew's service coincided with the difficult transitional phase in QEH's affairs. He chaired a Working Party set up by the Governing Body in November 1983 to conduct a financial review and make suggestions for future activities in the light of the proposed merger.