Francis Raymond Lewis, Papers

Francis Raymond Lewis papers comprising personal diaries, photograph albums, plays and poetry, 1942-1990

The bulk of the collection consists of the personal diaries and photograph albums of Frank Lewis (Born Newport, 1921, died 1995), a son of F.C. Lewis who worked on the 'bouncing bomb' with Barnes Wallis in World War Two. Frank Lewis studied Geography, History and Economics at Manchester University where he began his diaries in 1942, keeping them regularly during his residence in Barry, Cardiff, Newport and Caerwent until January 1995. Lewis recorded his experiences in considerable personal detail and began gathering together albums of photographs mainly relating to his numerous holidays, most of them continental, both before and after his marriage. Lewis was particularly keen on music, film and theatre-going, playwrighting, poetry and travel. By contrast, Lewis relates little about his working career, though he is known to have spent six months teaching (which he detested) and later took a string of short-lived posts; was employed at Maindy Barracks, Cardiff, during the 1960s up to December 1976. Lewis was married Mary Winnifred Veronica Donovan (1933-c2001) at the age of 50 in 1972. Winnifred later remarried.

Francis Raymond Lewis collection arranged chronologically by record series

All records are closed for a period of 100 years from the last recorded or estimated date in each item. Access may be given to records in accordance with Glamorgan Archives Policy subject to strict, specified conditions at the discretion of the Glamorgan Archivist.

Deposited by a private individual, 1997

Compiled by Annabel Wickham for the ANW Project; Sources used: Glamorgan Record Office finding aids

Normal Glamorgan Record Office conditions apply. Crown Copyright.

All diaries offered have been accepted and listed. Photograph albums have been selected from a total of nearly 100 albums on the basis of their make-up (with preference given to monchrome prints), albums containing large numbers of local interest (especially Barry) and as a sample illustrating Lewis' personal and family activites. All poetry and complete scripts of plays have been kept together with Lewis' autobiography. Unwanted albums and incomplete plays have been destroyed with permission of Lewis' closest relatives.

Records were previously held by Francis Lewis' wife, Winnifred Lewis, who later became Winnifred Dawson

Accruals are not expected