Papers of Randall Erskine Ellison

This material is held atBodleian Library, University of Oxford

  • Reference
    • GB 161 MSS. Afr. s. 1947
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1928-1958, 1984
  • Language of Material
    • English.
  • Physical Description
    • 1 box, 2 albums

Scope and Content

Articles, drafts and photographs relating to career in the Education Service in Nigeria and Somaliland, 1928-1958; also text of address given at his memorial service by his brother, the Rt. Revd. G.A. Ellison, formerly Bishop of London, 1984.

Administrative / Biographical History

Randall Erskine Ellison (1904-1984) was educated at Repton School, then New College, Oxford, where he gained an MA. He was Superintendent of Education, Northern Provinces, Nigeria, from 1928 and was seconded to British Somaliland as Director of Education, 1938-1943. During World War Two, he undertook military service with British Somaliland and Nigerian Forces, 1940-1943. He was made Assistant Director of Education, 1945 and Deputy Director, 1946. He was made Deputy Director of Education, Northern Region, Nigeria, 1955, Director, 1956, and Adviser on Education, 1957. He gained the post of Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Northern Region, Nigeria in 1958, retiring in 1961. After his retirement, he was Assistant Secretary of the Church Assembly, Dean's Yard, London, 1962-1963 and Chairman of the Africa Committee of the Church Mission Society, 1969-1973. He was a member of the Council of Westfield College, London University, 1964-1978 and was Honorary Steward, Westminster Abbey, 1964. Awarded the CMG in 1960, he was the author of An English-Kanuri sentence book (London, published on behalf of the Government of Nigeria by the Crown Agents for the Colonies, 1937).

Access Information

Bodleian reader's ticket required.

Note

Collection level description created by Paul Davidson, Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House.

Other Finding Aids

Listed as no. 806 in Manuscript Collections in Rhodes House Library Oxford, Accessions 1978-1994 (Oxford, Bodleian Library, 1996).

Conditions Governing Use

No reproduction or publication of personal papers without permission. Contact the library in the first instance.

Accruals

A diary and letters home from Africa were donated by Mrs. J.E. Ellison in [March] 1994; a file of papers relating to his CMG appointment, 1960 was donated by Miss Mary Lambert on 22nd April 1999.

Related Material

Letters, diary entries, etc. as Superintendent of Education in Nigeria, 1930-1935, 1945-1949 (ref. MSS. Afr. s. 421); tapes and transcript of interview concerning education service in Northern Nigeria, Somaliland and Tanganyika 1928-1957 (ref. MSS. Afr. s. 1332).