This is a transcription of the paper catalogue prepared by Michael Thompson in 1976 of the papers relating to Pitt-Rivers held by Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum [S&SWM]. This contains information useful for researchers. Please note that if you wish to consult the papers in this collection you will need to contact S&SWM direct.

THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS

Catalogue of the correspondence and papers of AUGUSTUS HENRY ALEN FOX PITT-RIVERS (1827-1900) Lieutenant-General, anthropologist and archaeologist 1855-1899 in the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, Wiltshire ... Listed by Dr. M.W. Thompson 1976

ANCIENT MONUMENTS [p. 53]

Pitt-Rivers first became directly concerned in questions of preservation in 1868 when he was a member of a Committee set up by the International Congress of Prehistoric Archaeology held at Norwich to consider the protection of megaliths. The matter exercised his mind for the rest of his life. When in the late 1870s it looked as if Lubbock's private Bill might become law Pitt-Rivers made two practice runs, as it were, in Brittany in 1878 and 1879 (he spent that winter in France). The Government Bill that became law in October, 1882, created the post of Inspector of Ancient Monuments which Pitt-Rivers was invited to fill. he took up his duties on 1st January, 1883 and although he voluntarily relinquished the salary of £250 p.a. in 1890 he remained honorary inspector until his death in 1900.

... This collection throws more light on all aspects of the work. The field notebooks used by Pitt-Rivers and his assistants were presented to the Office of Works [now in National Archives] in the 1920s and have been described elsewhere: Journal of the British Archaeological Association (3rd series) XXIIII  (1960), pp. 103-24. ...

Transcribed by AP for the Rethinking Pitt-Rivers project July 2011