Papers of Sir George Pepler

Scope and Content

Minutes and papers of the Town Planning Institute and other bodies; Papers relating to Singapore and other Commonwealth work; Papers relating to international work; Papers relating to town planning education; Correspondence; Press cuttings; Photographs; Maps and plans

Administrative / Biographical History

Sir George Pepler was born in Croydon and educated at Bootham and Ley Schools. He trained and practised as a surveyor but became interested in housing and town planning. He was a member of the National Housing and Town Planning Council and in 1908 won two gold medals at the Wolverhampton Model Housing Exhibition with his partner, Ernest G Allen. In 1913 Pepler was instrumental in founding the Town Planning Institute, in which he served as Hon Secretary and Treasurer and as President in 1919-20 and 1949-50. He was also active in the International Federation for Housing and Town Planning, serving as President in 1935-1938 and 1947-1952, thereafter as Hon President for life. In 1914 he joined the Local government Board and took over the organisation of the Greater London Arterial Road Conferences. He was Chief Town Planning Inspector to the Ministry of Health from 1919-1941 and Chief Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Town and Country Planning from 1943-1946. His work at this period focussed strongly on post war housing and reconstruction. Pepler prepared the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, which made planning an integral role of central and local government and enshrined the concept of the 'green belt'. From 1948-1956 he was Town Planning Consultant for Renfrewshire and Town Planning Adviser to the Colony of Singapore from 1950-1954. Pepler was actively involved in the National Playing Fields Association from 1949-1959, and in the Council for the Preservation of Rural England from 1952-1959. Through lectures, conference papers and published work, Pepler made an enormous contribution to his profession, and was a great admirer of the work of Patrick Geddes. He was knighted in 1948. Further information on his life and work may be found in the article by F J Osborn, revised by Catherine Gordon in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (2004)

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Archivist's Note

Archivist's note: Description prepared by Margaret Harrison, Web version by Graham S. Holton, Jordanhill Library Rules or Conventions: Description based on Scottish Archive Network guidelines, based on ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description, International Council on Archives (2nd edition, 2000). and Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names, National Council on Archives (1997) Date of descriptions: December 2007.

Other Finding Aid

Typed list to series level

Related Material

Pepler collection of books and reports in Andersonian Library, University of Strathclyde

GB 161 MS Addison dep c 144. Notes by Pepler concerning conservation and town and country planning. Bodleian Library, Oxford University

GB 2225 Correspondence relating to Sturry Court. King's School, Canterbury

GB 1459 B117 Correspondence with Sir Frederic Osborn. Welwyn Garden City Central Library

Subjects
Town and country planning
Countryside
Green belts
Playing fields
Post-war reconstruction
Personal Names
Pepler Sir George Lionel 1882-1959 town planner