Sir John Ballinger Papers

Papers, [early 19 cent.]-1927, of Sir John Ballinger, which include articles, reviews, reports and addresses by Ballinger, some of which relate to libraries in Britain, including a report on the University College of North Wales, Bangor library and reports and other papers, 1903-1910, relating to the Library Association; articles, addresses and notes by Ballinger relating to literary matters and (mainly Welsh) historical events and figures; and papers and correspondence, 1903-1906, relating to the Bible in Wales.

Sir John Ballinger was born in Pontnewynydd, Monmouthshire and received his early education in Canton, Cardiff. At 15 he became an assistant at Cardiff Free Library and, at 20, was appointed librarian at Doncaster before returning to Cardiff in 1884 to take up the post of chief librarian. In 1908 Ballinger was appointed the first librarian of the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth, which was scheduled to be opened the following year. Despite being a non-Welsh speaker, Ballinger brought considerable success to his librarianship roles in Wales. He was selected as president of the Library Association in 1922 and was for a time editor of the Bibliographical Society of Wales. Amongst other honours bestowed upon him, he received an honourary Master of Arts from the University of Wales in 1909, was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1920 and knighted in 1930. In 1932 he received the Cymmrodorion Society's medal for his services to the Welsh nation in the field of bibliography and literature. He died at Hawarden in 1933.

Arranged according to NLW MSS reference numbers: NLW MSS 9919-9954.

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Lady Amy Ballinger; Hawarden; Presentation; 1933

Sir John Ballinger was born in Pontnewynydd, Monmouthshire and received his early education in Canton, Cardiff. At 15 he became an assistant at Cardiff Free Library and, at 20, was appointed librarian at Doncaster before returning to Cardiff in 1884 to take up the post of chief librarian. In 1908 Ballinger was appointed the first librarian of the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth, which was scheduled to be opened the following year. Despite being a non-Welsh speaker, Ballinger brought considerable success to his librarianship roles in Wales. He was selected as president of the Library Association in 1922 and was for a time editor of the Bibliographical Society of Wales. Amongst other honours bestowed upon him, he received an honourary Master of Arts from the University of Wales in 1909, was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1920 and knighted in 1930. In 1932 he received the Cymmrodorion Society's medal for his services to the Welsh nation in the field of bibliography and literature. He died at Hawarden in 1933.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Volume III (Aberystwyth, 1961), Y Bywgraffiadur Cymreig hyd 1940 (London, 1953); Oxford Dictionary of National Biography on-line; National Register of Archives on-line.

Title based on contents.

Previously known as Sir John Ballinger 1-36.

The descriptions are also available in Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales, Part XVII, 180-3.

July 2008.

Description compiled by Bethan Ifans for the retrospective conversion project of NLW MSS.

Usual copyright laws apply.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales