Reflections on cataloguing personal papers

Since starting as a Cataloguing Archivist just under two months ago in early December, I have been undertaking the cataloguing of various Jesuit personal papers, in between other important tasks such as listing rare books and building Christmas trees out of archive boxes. The four collections I have worked on are those of Jesuits who died around forty years ago, meaning their papers have recently reached the end of their closure period and are now available to researchers. Each successive collection was a step up in terms of the volume and complexity of material, and each brought its own unique challenges and insights surrounding both archival practice and the lives of Jesuit priests.

From left, clockwise: Dolan, Mulvany, Howell, Macadam

Fr Charles Macadam (1903-1984)

Macadam was a trilingual theologian who worked at Stonyhurst College for over forty years. His papers include correspondence with and about Albert Conche, a young Frenchman who studied at Stonyhurst under Macadam. The correspondence stretches over nearly twenty years and traces Macadam’s attempts to find Conche further employment or education in Britain, and later Conche’s pursuit of a career in translation, eventually leading him to a role with the United Nations. This collection of letters lays out this young man’s entire life trajectory, from struggling to find a purpose to a successful career in a highly sought after position, often while relying on Macadam for advice and direction.

Map of a planned military offensive in France, presumably one in which Bill was involved.

Fr Terence Mulvany (1899-1984)

Mulvany was a London-born Irish Jesuit who spent time in various colleges before settling down to teach at the Catholic College in Preston. A significant chunk of his papers is comprised of correspondence with the Harvey family: firstly with Bill Harvey, a former pupil of his at Mount St. Mary’s, and then later with his father Talbot. Bill served in the Second World War and went missing during offensives in Normandy, and was later found to have died in battle. The latter correspondence between Mulvany and his father as they slowly uncovered this truth is a poignant glimpse into the devastating effects of the war on family life.

Fr Gerard Dolan (1914-1983)

A typical cartoon of Dolan's, captioning satirical illustrations with multiple choice theological questions.

Dolan was a professor of Moral Theology at Heythrop College and considered a key authority on various issues including divorce, contraception, and nuclear war, often answering questions from across the country on various matters and moral cases. Dolan was also a prolific artist and created hundreds of cartoons and sketches on a range of subjects, often wittily captioned. These could be ecclesiastical, but also included sports reporting and observations on daily life. He brought a wry sense of humour to teaching moral theology through his artwork.

Howell's campaign awards (missing one), with the original box and letter of contents.

Fr Clifford Howell (1902-1981)

Howell was an expert in liturgical issues and a keen musician, conducting various orchestras and providing the music for a number of events he created during the Liturgical calendar. His correspondence and notes from his liturgical work highlight the severity of the debate over liturgical reform that was happening during the 1960s and 70s, with scathing public arguments taking place in Christian publications. Moreover, Howell volunteered as an army chaplain during the Second World War and served across the globe in France, Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon, India, and Burma, receiving a number of decorations.

Cataloguing these collections has been revelatory in a number of areas. It has demonstrated the greater understanding of certain times, places, and people that we can glean from examining an individual’s records. Cataloguing personal papers encourages a keen interest, occasionally bordering on nosiness, into other people’s inner lives, and gaining such an insight is the privilege of being an archivist. These collections also highlight the profound impact that Jesuits have on those they teach. Both Macadam and Mulvany’s papers feature extensive correspondences with former pupils who had long since left schooling but continued to come to them for guidance and friendship.

Finally, it has been indicative of the realities of cataloguing. It revealed to me some of the idiosyncrasies of our physical card index, an organisational finding aid that we are slowly updating, but which comes with a legacy of historic archival practices. Locating material in Howell’s collection while navigating outdated reference numbers and red herrings was certainly a challenge, but a rewarding one. I am now moving away from personal papers for the time being, onto a bigger project: the papers of Beaumont College, a Jesuit school in Berkshire that operated for over a century. This, I am sure, will bring with it its own set of revelations, challenges, and points of interest.

The catalogue descriptions for the above collections will soon appear on our online catalogue. If you would like to view these papers please contact us to make an appointment.