University College, London: Chair of American History Correspondence

Scope and Content

One file of correspondence, mostly to Professor Sir John Neale, Astor Professor of English History, and related papers concerning the appointment to the Chair of American History, 1928 to 1930.

Administrative / Biographical History

Sir John Neale was Astor Professor of English History from 1927 to 1956. During this time he was involved in the selection and appointment of the first holder of the Commonwealth Fund Chair of American History in 1930. This post was filled by Hugh Hale Bellot who began an association with the University of London that was to continue until the end of his life in 1921, on being appointed an assistant in the department of History at University College London, . He was promoted to senior lecturer in 1926 but moved to the University of Manchester in 1927 to become Reader in Modern History. In 1930, however, he returned to the University of London as Professor of American History, a post that he held until 1955. This period of tenure was broken occasionally as Bellot became Sir George Watson lecturer in 1938 at Birmingham and between 1940 and 1944 when he acted as Principal at the Board of Trade. He was finally given the title. 'Professor Emeritus of American History at the University of London', and awarded an honorary LL.D. by the University. He was a fellow of University College London and an honorary fellow of Lincoln College Oxford. Bellot's involvement in the running of the University of London began with his election to the Senate in 1938 (until 1956). He was elected to the Court in 1948 (to 1953) and was Chairman of the Academic Council between 1948 and 1951. This promotion culminated with his election as Vice-Chancellor in 1951 for a two-year term. He was latterly a Member of Council for Westfield College, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School and University College, Ibadan.

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Custodial History

Collected by Professor Sir John Neale.

Related Material

UCL also hold's Neale's own archive, see ref: NEALE