Papers of Richard Pankhurst

The papers consist of correspondence mainly concerned with Pankhurst's interest and research into Ethiopia, a small amount of printed material, photographs, and Abstracts and Papers from the First International Conference on the History of Ethiopian Art which was convened by Pankhurst in 1986.

Richard Pankhurst (1927-2017), was a historian and founding member of the Institute of Ethiopic Studies. Pankhurst’s mother was the suffragette and anti-fascist Sylvia Pankhurst and his grandparents were Emmeline and Richard Pankhurst. It was through his mother’s protests concerning the Italian invasion of Ethiopia that he first became interested in the country. Growing up he met many Ethiopian refugees in London. Pankhurst studied economic history at the London School of Economics and in 1956 he went to Ethiopia to teach at the University College of Addis Ababa, subsequently becoming the founder and director of the Institute of Ethiopic Studies.
In 1976, after the death of Haile Selassie and the start of the Ethiopian Civil War, Pankhurst returned to England, teaching at SOAS and LSE but, in 1978, he became the Librarian at the Royal Asiatic Society, a position he kept for several years before returning to Ethiopia in 1987 and resuming his work at the Institute. He published numerous books and articles on a wide variety of topics related to Ethiopian history.
Pankhurst led the campaign for the return of the Obelisk of Axum to Ethiopia. It was re-erected in Axum in 2008. He was given an OBE in the Diplomatic Service and Overseas section of the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours. He was married to Rita (née Eldon) Pankhurst and had two children, Helen and Alula.

The papers were arranged into 4 series:
* RP/1 - Correspondence
* RP/2 - Printed material
* RP/3 - Photographs
* RP/4 - First International Conference on the History of Ethiopian Art

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details are available here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/ . The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

The papers were acquired directly from Richard Pankhurst.

Richard Pankhurst (1927-2017), was a historian and founding member of the Institute of Ethiopic Studies. Pankhurst’s mother was the suffragette and anti-fascist Sylvia Pankhurst and his grandparents were Emmeline and Richard Pankhurst. It was through his mother’s protests concerning the Italian invasion of Ethiopia that he first became interested in the country. Growing up he met many Ethiopian refugees in London. Pankhurst studied economic history at the London School of Economics and in 1956 he went to Ethiopia to teach at the University College of Addis Ababa, subsequently becoming the founder and director of the Institute of Ethiopic Studies.
In 1976, after the death of Haile Selassie and the start of the Ethiopian Civil War, Pankhurst returned to England, teaching at SOAS and LSE but, in 1978, he became the Librarian at the Royal Asiatic Society, a position he kept for several years before returning to Ethiopia in 1987 and resuming his work at the Institute. He published numerous books and articles on a wide variety of topics related to Ethiopian history.
Pankhurst led the campaign for the return of the Obelisk of Axum to Ethiopia. It was re-erected in Axum in 2008. He was given an OBE in the Diplomatic Service and Overseas section of the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours. He was married to Rita (née Eldon) Pankhurst and had two children, Helen and Alula.

This catalogue was created by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2024.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Richard Pankhurst served as the Royal Asiatic Society's Librarian from 1978-1986. These papers were collated by Pankhurst during this time and left at the Society after his departure.

Richard Pankhurst donated eight pieces of Ethiopian art to the Society's collections on 18 January 1983. These are:
* Head Cat. No. 047.004 - Twelve scenes on cloth representing the months of the Ethiopian year with associated agricultural and other activities.
* Head Cat. No. 047.005 - The lion-killer.
* Head Cat. No. 047.006 - Women returning from the river with water jars.
* Head Cat. No. 047.007 - A woman cooking over a fire.
* Head Cat. No. 047.008 - Two men eating from a _masob_ or basket table.
* Head Cat. No. 047.009 - Two women sitting by their water jars
* Head Cat. No. 047.010 - Musician playing a _masinqo_ or one-stringed fiddle, another plays a _washint_ or flute, and a third plays a _kabaro_ or drum.
* Head Cat. No. 047.011 - Musicians playing the wind instruments, a _malakat_ and an _embilta_.

Published

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