Papers and correspondence of Albert Percival Rowe, 1898-1976

Rowe's own records for the period of his important war service were all destroyed in error as 'secret waste' in 1945. Consequently the collection contains little material for this period, although there are references in the correspondence and lectures. Most of the material relates to Rowe's service as Vice-Chancellor at Adelaide where his talks and addresses illustrated his strong principles and endeavours to promote rigorous standards.

Rowe was born in Launceston, Cornwall and educated at the Dockyard School, Portsmouth and the Royal College of Science (Imperial College), London. He joined the Air Ministry as a Member of the Scientific Staff in 1922 and became Assistant to H.E. Wimperis, first Director of Scientific Research, Air Ministry in 1925. In 1935 he became Secretary to the Committee for the Scientific Study of Air Defence (CSSAD), the 'Tizard Committee'. He was Superintendent of various research stations at Bawdsey, Dundee and Swanage, and served, 1942-1945, as Chief Superintendent, Telecommunications Research Establishment, Malvern. He was Vice-Chancellor, Adelaide University, 1948-1958, and on retirement returned to live at Malvern and taught mathematics and astronomy at Malvern College, 1958-66.

By section as follows: Biographical and personal, Talks, addresses and publications, Correspondence. Index of correspondents.

The Department of Documents is, subject to the discretion of the Keeper, open to all members of the public over the age of 15. Access to some collections is governed by special conditions which readers are bound to observe.

Printed catalogue of the papers and correspondence of Albert Percival Rowe (1898-1976), by J. Alton and H. Weiskittel, CSAC catalogue no. 47/1/77, 14 pp. Copies available from NCUACS, University of Bath.

Received for cataloguing in 1976-1977 by the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre from Mrs Mary Rowe, widow. Deposited in the Department of Documents, Imperial War Museum in 1977.