Guide to the Sir Angus Cunninghame Graham Naval History Manuscripts Collection MS.M.001

Processed by Andre Ambrus.
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine Libraries
(cc) 2004
The UCI Libraries
P.O. Box 19557
University of California, Irvine
Irvine 92623-9557
spcoll@uci.edu


Contributing Institution: Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine Libraries
Title: Sir Angus Cunninghame Graham naval history manuscripts collection
Creator: Cunninghame Graham, Angus, Sir
Identifier/Call Number: MS.M.001
Physical Description: 1.4 Linear Feet (4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1746-1967
Date (bulk): 1746-1913
Abstract: This collection comprises naval documents, correspondence, and other related materials collected and assembled by British Admiral Sir Angus Cunninghame Graham. The materials provide insights not just into naval history but also day-to-day operations aboard British ships during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The collection includes ships' logs, navy lists, seamanship notebooks, and signal books, along with naval literature and notes, and sketches.
Language of Material: English .

Access

Collection open for research.

Publication Rights

Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and University Archives.

Preferred Citation

Sir Angus Cunninghame Graham naval history manuscripts collection. MS-M001. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Acquisition Information

Acquired, circa 1966.

Custodial History

The collection was initially assembled by Commander Charles Elphinstone Fleeming Cunninghame Graham and it includes materials created or assembled by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Seymour and Admiral Sir Douglas Romilly Lothian Nicholson.

Processing Information

Processed by Andre Ambrus, 2004.

Biographies

Angus Cunninghame Graham
Admiral Sir Angus Edward Malise Bontine Cunninghame Graham of Gartmore, son of Commander C. E. F. Cunninghame Graham, was born in 1893. Cunningham Graham completed his education at Osborne and Dartmouth, served in the Grand Fleet, 1914-1918, and was Senior Naval Officer at West River, China from 1936 until 1938. He was Captain of H.M.S. (Her Majesty's Ship) Signal School, 1939-1941, and of H.M.S. Kent, 1941-1943. He also served as Commodore of the Royal Navy Barracks in Chatham 1943-1945 and became a Rear Admiral in 1945. In 1952, after serving as a Vice-Admiral for four years, he was appointed an Admiral. Among many other titles, Cunninghame Graham was also a Trustee for the National Library of Scotland, Commissioner of the Queen Victoria School, and Vice-President of the National Trust of Scotland. He died in 1981.
Charles Elphinstone Fleeming Cunninghame Graham
Commander C.E.F. Cunningham Graham, father of Angus Cunninghame Graham and brother of Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, famous Scottish politician and writer, was born in Edinburgh in 1854. After three years at Harrow he joined the crew of H.M.S. Britannia. He served the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for twenty-five years first as an Inspector of Lifeboats, and later as a Deputy Chief Inspector. He died in 1917.

Scope and Content of Collection

This collection comprises naval documents, correspondence, and other related materials collected and assembled by British Admiral Sir Angus Cunninghame Graham. The materials provide insights not just into naval history but also day-to-day operations aboard British ships during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The collection includes ships' logs, navy lists, seamanship notebooks, and signal books, along with naval literature and notes, and sketches. Also included are brief biographies, by Angus Cunningham Graham, of the individuals who were instrumental in assembling this body of work.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 3 series.
  • Series 1. Ephemera files, circa 1830-1967. 0.4 linear ft.
  • Series 2. Ships' logs and related documents, 1757-1803. 0.4 linear ft.
  • Series 3. Signal books, 1746-1913. 0.6 linear ft.

Separated Material

Collection initially also included the diaries of Anne Elizabeth Bontine and additional materials which now comprise the Anne Elizabeth Bontine Diaries and Other Materials (MS-M29), Special Collections and Archives.

 

Ephemera files Series 1. circa 1830-1969

Physical Description: 0.4 Linear Feet
General Physical Description note: no content

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of personal items, correspondence, lecture notes and sketchbooks including a bound chronology listing the previous collectors of these materials and their biographies. The materials in this series deal with naval issues, such as engineering and navigation and include a number of letters from the personal correspondence of Angus Cunninghame Graham.

Arrangement

The items are arranged into categories and chronologically within categories.
box 1, folder 1

Checklist and biography of custodians. Cunninghame Graham Naval Library November, 1967

box 1, folder 2-3

Correspondence

box 1, folder 2

Cunninghame Graham, Angus, letter to Graham's librarian 1969

box 1, folder 3

Cunninghame Graham, C. E. F. 1911-1914.

Physical Description: 2 items.
General Physical Description note: no content
box 1, folder 4-7, box 4, folder 1-3

Lectures, notes, and publications

box 1, folder 4-6, box 4, folder 1

Cunninghame Graham, Angus

box 4, folder 1

H.M.S Achilles, engineering circa 1912

box 1, folder 4

H.M.S. Cumberland, shipbuilding notes circa 1926-circa 1946

box 1, folder 5

Navigation, pilotage and compass notes circa 1910-circa 1930

box 1, folder 6

Notes on charts, flags, signals and various naval subjects circa 1910- circa 1940

box 1, folder 7

Cunninghame, Graham, C. E. F.. Addenda to Naval Library catalogue circa 1912

box 4, folder 2

Lieutenant Layman, H.F.H., Lecture on the history of naval visual signalling 1926, July

box 4, folder 3

Waters, David Watkin, Notes on the convoy system of naval warfare, thirteenth to twentieth centuries, part I, 1204 -1874 1957.

 

Ships' logs and related naval documents Series 2. 1757-1803

Physical Description: 0.4 Linear Feet
General Physical Description note: no content

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of ships' logs and miscellaneous naval documents dating from the middle of the 18th to early 19th centuries. The materials document naval life during the time period aboard naval vessels, administrative and legal events, ships' locations and movements, crew data and other related matters.

Arrangement

The series is arranged alphabetically by title and by author within categories of documents.
box 1, folder 8-11, box 4, folder 4

Naval documents

box 4, folder 4

Letter book 1757-1758.

Scope and Contents note

Spine title: Journal De M De Contrepo Capitain Debrulo.
box 1, folder 8

Midshipman's leave book, H.M.S. New Zealand 1910-1911

box 1, folder 9

Seamanship note book 1890

box 1, folder 10

Sketchbook of ships and sailboats 1882

box 1, folder 11

Watch, station, and quarter bill circa 1811

box 2, folder 1, box 4, folder 5-6

Ships logs

box 4, folder 5-6

Harris, John 1792-1802.

Physical Description: 2 folders.
General Physical Description note: no content

Scope and Contents note

The volume, in addition to 4 loose pages of entries, also contains a tintype portrait of an unidentified male.
box 2, folder 1

Moubray, Richard Hussey (Commander of the H.M.S. Maidstone, 1801-1803) 1803

 

Signal books Series 3. 1746-1913

Physical Description: 0.6 Linear Feet
General Physical Description note: no content

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series consists of 11 signal books that include information on charts, flags, signals and various other subjects including navigation, tides, sail making, and stowage of holds.

Arrangement

Items in this series are arranged chronologically.
box 2, folder 2

Signals for the Royal Navy and ships under convoy 1746.

Scope and Contents note

Includes the undated publication Coins weights and measures, ancient and modern for all nations.
box 2, folder 3

Pendant and signals circa 1746

box 2, folder 4

Telegraph flag of the thousands circa 1746-circa 1800.

Scope and Contents note

Title taken from item, which is enclosed in buttoned linen envelope.
box 2, folder 5

Signal book circa 1778-circa 1779

box 2, folder 6

Signaux de jour entre les vaisseaux, fregates and autre batimens de l'etat charges de convoyer, and le convoi qu'ila elcortenz 1793

box 2, folder 7

Signals for ships of war 1795

box 3, folder 1

Signal book with watercolor bookplate of Lieutenant Jacques Dalby circa 1797

box 4, folder 7

Signal book for Her Majesty's ships and the East India Company 1798

box 3, folder 2

Signal Book for the Ships of War 1808

box 3, folder 3

Signals for prizes, boats, H.M.S. Resistance circa 1861

box 3, folder 4

Signal book for boats 1913