Emeritus Principal James Drever, Master of Queen's College 1966-1967, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee 1967-1978

This material is held atUniversity of Dundee Archive Services

Scope and Content

Speeches and addresses 1966-1978; reprints of papers delivered by James Drever 1953-1965; miscellaneous items 1951-1976, and personal correspondence and papers 1944-1978.

Administrative / Biographical History

James Drever (1910-1991) was born in Edinburgh to Orcadian parents. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and at the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge. His training was in philosophy, but during his years as an Assistant in Philosophy at Edinburgh and a lecturer at Newcastle (and his service in the Royal Navy) he nurtured an interest in Psychology. In 1944, he was appointed to succeed his father, also James Drever (1873-1950), as Professor of Psychology at Edinburgh. He became Editor of the British Journal of Psychology and served as President of the British Psychological Society in 1960-1961. He further developed an interest in the theory, principles and practice of higher education and was appointed to the Committee on Higher Education, the Robbins Committee, in 1961, the report of which would lead to the expansion of university education in the United Kingdom, and led to Queens's College Dundee, becoming the University of Dundee. He was appointed as Master of Queen's College in 1966 to oversee its transition to University status and became the first Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee upon its establishment in 1967. Under his leadership the newly independent instituion rapidly developed, although restrained by financial issues and changing government policies. He retired in 1978, but kept up his links with the University until his death in 1991 at the age of 81.

Arrangement

Usually chronological within series.

Access Information

Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

Acquisition Information

Unknown

Note

James Drever (1910-1991) was born in Edinburgh to Orcadian parents. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and at the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge. His training was in philosophy, but during his years as an Assistant in Philosophy at Edinburgh and a lecturer at Newcastle (and his service in the Royal Navy) he nurtured an interest in Psychology. In 1944, he was appointed to succeed his father, also James Drever (1873-1950), as Professor of Psychology at Edinburgh. He became Editor of the British Journal of Psychology and served as President of the British Psychological Society in 1960-1961. He further developed an interest in the theory, principles and practice of higher education and was appointed to the Committee on Higher Education, the Robbins Committee, in 1961, the report of which would lead to the expansion of university education in the United Kingdom, and led to Queens's College Dundee, becoming the University of Dundee. He was appointed as Master of Queen's College in 1966 to oversee its transition to University status and became the first Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee upon its establishment in 1967. Under his leadership the newly independent instituion rapidly developed, although restrained by financial issues and changing government policies. He retired in 1978, but kept up his links with the University until his death in 1991 at the age of 81.

The collection was previously catalogued as RECS C/5.

Other Finding Aids

Descriptive list. Subject source lists and databases are also available.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

The records are on paper.

Archivist's Note

Description compiled by William Young November 2007. Amended by Kenneth Baxter, October 2018

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.

Custodial History

Unknown

Accruals

Not expected

Additional Information

Published

Catalogued

UR-SF 5