Nicolas Walter Papers
Period (1808-)
1954-2000
Total size 6 m.
Consultation Not restricted
Biography
Nicolas Hardy Walter was born on November 22, 1934 in South London
and died on March 7, 2000 in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire; writer, lecturer
and editor of humanist and anarchist conviction; his father was W. Grey Walter,
born in the USA and read history at the University of Oxford; married Ruth
Oppenheim (1962), whom he met in 1960 in the Committee of 100 and they had two
daughters; after their union was dissolved in 1982, he remarried Christine
Morris.
He was involved in anarchist and anti-militarist movements
from 1956 and was a founding member of the Committee of 100; worked in
publishing and journalism, including Which? , a magazine of a
consumers association and The University Libertarian ;
managing director of the The Rationalist Press Association (RPA) and Vice
President of the National Secular Society from 1974; published About
Anarchism (1969) and Blasphemy Ancient and Modern
(1990) and several other anarchist and anti-militarist books and pamphlets;
edited new editions of Peter Kropotkin's Memoirs of a Revolutionist
and of Michael Bakunin's Paris Commune and the Idea of the
State ; contributed regularly to New Humanist ,
monthly journal of RPA, Freethinker , Ethical Record
, Freedom , The Raven and
occasionally contributions to The Times Literary Supplement ,
Higher Education Supplement , New Statesman
and The Independent ; wrote frequently letters to all kinds of
periodicals and featured on radio and television since 1962, including monthly
contributions to ‘Pause for Thought' on the BBC World Service; next to the
Committee of 100, he also was a member of various other organizations like the
Committee Against Blasphemy Law, International Committee for the Defence of
Salman Rushdie and His Publishers; wrote often under many different pseudonyms,
including Anna Freeman, Arthur Freeman, Mary Lewis, Leonard Newman, Thomas
Newman, Jean Raison and others.
Content
The papers contain a few files of correspondence, typescripts,
printed material, documentation etc.
Arrangement
The papers were arranged into series of correspondence,
documents concerning his activities, documentation on subjects etc. The
correspondence relating to RPA and other organizations is included in the
general series of correspondence.
Books, pamphlets and periodicals
have been transferred to the library and photographs, posters and a recording
to the audiovisual section of the IISH.
Processing information
Inventory made by Tiny
de Boer in 2006
INVENTORY
GENERAL
-
1-10
-
Correspondence.
1956-2000 and n.d.
8 boxes and 2 folders.
-
1
-
1956-1967.
-
2
-
1967-1971.
-
3
-
1972-1974.
-
4
-
1975-1984.
-
5
-
1984-1986.
-
6
-
1986-1988.
-
7
-
1988-1992.
-
8
-
1993-2000 and n.d.
-
9
-
N.d. (folder)
-
10
-
N.d. (folder)
-
11-15
-
Correspondence.
Alphabetically arranged.
1969-1993.
3 folders and 2 boxes.
-
11
-
A.
-
12
-
B.
-
13
-
B-D.
-
14
-
E-N.
(box)
-
15
-
R-W.(box)
-
16
-
Address
book.
N.d. 1 volume.
-
17
-
List of
names and addresses.
N.d.
1 piece.
PERSONAL
-
18
-
‘Brief
statement of service and certificate on discharge' from the Royal Air Force.
1954. 1 piece.
-
19
-
Financial
documents.
1954, 1963, 1973, 1977,
1981-1984, 1986-1989, 1991-1993, 1996, 1999. 1 cover.
-
20
-
Membership
cards.
1961, 1969, 1977, 1991, 1993.
1 cover.
-
21
-
Documents
concerning his application as managing director of The Rationalist Press
Association Ltd.
1974.
1 piece.
-
22
-
Invitations.
1966, 1969, 1979, 1982,
1986-1987, 1991, 1993, 1995-1996, 1998 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
23
-
Autobiographical data. Typed and handwritten.
1977, 1983, 1997 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
24
-
Documents
concerning an appeal against conviction for ‘insulting behaviour' after a peace
demonstration in Whitehall.
1983-1984.
1 cover.
PUBLIC LIFE
Authorship
General
-
25
-
Memoranda of agreement of his publications.
1961-1962, 1970, 1983.
1 cover.
-
26
-
Lists
of publications in the period 1959-1981.
N.d. 1 cover.
Correspondence
-
27-28
-
Carbon copies and
photocopies of ‘letters to the editor'.
c. 1965-1999 and n.d. 2 folders.
-
27
-
c. 1965-1999.
-
28
-
N.d.
-
29
-
Correspondence relating to the review for the book The Complete Works
of George Orwell , published in 1998. With documentation.
1955, 1968, 1972, 1981, 1997-1999 and
n.d. 1 folder.
-
30
-
Correspondence relating to his pamphlet About Anarchism .
1969-1970. 1 cover.
-
31
-
Correspondence relating to his introduction to the reprint of Peter Kropotkin's
Memoirs of a Revolutionist .
1969-1971. 1 cover.
-
32
-
Correspondence relating to other publications on Peter Kropotkin.
1969-1971. 1 cover.
-
33
-
Correspondence relating to the article ‘Anarchism in Print: Yesterday and
Today' concerning a contribution for the book Anarchism Today
, edited by David E. Apter and James Joll.
1969-1973. 1 cover.
-
34
-
Correspondence with Harry Shukman concerning Nicolas Walter's contribution to
the Encyclopedia of the Russian Revolution.
1986-1987. 1 cover.
-
35
-
Correspondence, mainly with Roger van Zwanenberg of Zwan Publications.
1987-1990. 1 folder.
-
36
-
Correspondence and proofs relating to his booklet Humanism, Humanist.
What's in a Word . With documentation. Partly photocopies.
1844, 1895, 1946-1947, 1967, 1973,
1982, 1996-1997. 1 cover.
-
37
-
Correspondence and other documents relating to a contribution for the New
Dictionary of National Biography on Charles A. Watts.
1995-1996. 1 cover.
-
38
-
Correspondence and other documents relating to his contribution to the book
George Orwell at Home (and among the Anarchists) , including a
copy of the book. Published in 1998 by Freedom Press.
1997-1999. 1 folder.
Typescripts
-
39-41
-
Typescripts and other
documents concerning his translation of Peter Kropotkin's Words of a
Rebel .
c. 1882-1971 and n.d.
3 folders.
-
39-40
-
c. 1882-1971 and n.d.
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41
-
N.d.
-
42
-
Typescripts of articles on Peter Kropotkin, including translations of
Kropotkin's articles by Nicolas Walter.
1967 and n.d. 1 folder.
-
43-44
-
Typescripts of other
articles. With some correspondence.
1969, 1980, 1984, 1986-1990, 1993-1994, 1997 and n.d. 2 folders.
-
43
-
1969, 1980, 1984, 1986-1990,
1993-1994, 1997.
-
44
-
N.d.
-
45
-
Typescript of a synopsis of a book on Peter Kropotkin. In threefold.
1971. 1 cover.
-
46
-
Typescripts of speeches.
1971, 1987,
1999. 1 cover..
-
47
-
Typescripts of reviews.
1975, 1984,
1999 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
48
-
Typescripts of obituaries. With annexes.
1986, 1995, 1997.
1 cover.
Notes
-
49-53
-
Notes and other
documents concerning his publications on anarchism. Partly photocopies.
c. 1879-1999. 4 folders and 1 box.
-
49-50
-
c. 1879-1999. (folders)
-
51
-
c. 1879-1999. (box)
-
52-53
-
c. 1879-1999. (folders)
-
54
-
Notes
relating to the articles about Charles W. Daniel. With documentation.
1906, 1915, 1917-1918, 1928, 1947,
1960, 1971, 1897 and n.d. 1 cover..
-
55
-
Notes
relating to non-violence. With some correspondence, clippings and other
documentation.
1963, 1965-1966 and
n.d. 1 folder.
-
56
-
Notes
for a book on direct action. With the typescript of the introduction and a
German paper on direct action.
1967,
1972 and n.d. 1 folder.
-
57
-
Notebooks relating to his book Humanism. What's in the Word .
1996. 1 folder.
-
58
-
Notes
relating to Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman. With a photocopy of a letter
from Alexander Berkman to Michael A. Cohn (?) 10 Oktober 1922.
N.d. 1 folder.
-
59
-
Notes
relating to Peter Kropotkin.
N.d.
1 folder.
-
60-63
-
Notebooks relating to
his (other) publications.
N.d.
4 folders.
-
64
-
Notes
relating to his speech at the funeral of Colin Paul Amey.
N.d. 1 piece.
-
65
-
Index
cards with notes on articles, pamphlets and books by (?) and on Peter
Kropotkin.
N.d.
1 folder.
-
66
-
Index
cards with notes on various periodicals.
N.d. 1 folder.
-
67
-
Index
cards with notes on various persons.
N.d. 1 folder.
-
68-69
-
Miscellaneous notes.
N.d. 2 folders.
Publications
-
70-71
-
Printed articles by
Nicolas Walter.
1959-1964, 1967-1977,
1979, 1981-1989, 1991-1997, 1999 and n.d. 2 boxes..
-
72-73
-
Printed reviews by
Nicolas Walter.
1959-1965, 1967-1968,
1970-1986, 1989, 1991-1999 and n.d. 2 boxes..
-
74
-
Printed
speeches and lectures by Nicolas Walter.
1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1999.
1 cover.
Other documents
-
75
-
Announcements of his speeches, discussions and courses.
1966, 1968-1969, 1972, 1975-1976,
1978-1980, 1984-1987, 1989, 1991, 1994-1997, 1999 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
76
-
Documents concerning his contribution to the New Dictionary of National
Biography.
1997-1999.
1 folder.
Editorship
The Rationalist Press
Association
General
-
77
-
Minutes of meetings of The Rationalist Press Association.
1928, 1974, 1984, 1995-1996, 1999.
1 folder.
Correspondence
NB. See also inv.nos. 1-10.
-
78
-
Correspondence, mainly by Charles A. Watts, director of The Rationalist Press
Association.
1923, 1926, 1928, 1930,
1932-1933. 1 cover.
-
79-81
-
Correspondence by
Frederick C.C. Watts, managing director of The Rationalist Press Association,
relating to the death of his father Charles A. Watts, former director of The
Rationalist Press Association.
1946-1949. 3 folders.
-
79
-
1946.
-
80
-
1946.
-
81
-
1947-1949.
-
82
-
Correspondence relating to the death of Frederick C.C. Watts, managing director
of The Rationalist Press Association.
1953-1954. 1 cover.
-
83
-
Correspondence by Christopher J.G. Macy, general editor of The Rationalist
Press Association.
1970-1972, 1974.
1 cover..
-
84
-
Correspondence by F. Cooke, secretary of The Rationalist Press Association.
1975-1976, 1979, 1981-1982.
1 cover.
Organization and finances
-
85
-
Memorandum and Articles of Association of The Rationalist Press Association and
Pemberton Publishing Company Ltd.
1951, 1954. 1 piece.
-
86
-
Documents concerning pensions and life assurance of the staff.
1974-1980, 1982, 1984.
1 cover.
-
87
-
Financial documents.
1984-1985, 1987,
1991, 1994-1995, 1997. 1 cover.
Typescripts
-
88-89
-
Typescripts and
manuscript of articles by various authors.
1971-1972, 1983, 1986-1988 and n.d.
2 folders.
-
88
-
1971-1972, 1983, 1986-1988
-
89
-
N.d.
Other documents
-
90
-
Documents concerning the history of The Rationalist Press Association,
including some other documents. Partly photocopies.
1895, 1928, 1974, 1977, 1985, 1990,
1996 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
91
-
Documents concerning the death of Charles A. Watts, former director of The
Rationalist Press Association.
1946.
1 cover.
-
92
-
Lists
of printed books of Thinker's Library. With notes by Nicolas Walter.
c. 1948, 1955, 1958.
1 cover.
-
93
-
Documents concerning the death of Frederick C.C. Watts, managing director of
The Rationalist Press Association.
1953-1954. 1 cover.
-
94
-
Memoranda by Nicolas Walter and others.
1973-1976, 1987-1990, 1996-1997, 1999 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
95
-
Documents concerning a dispute as a result of a contribution to the book
Anti-Racism: An Assault on Education and Value by Antony Flew,
Vice-President of the RPA.
1987.
1 cover.
-
96
-
Visiting cards.
N.d.
1 cover.
The University Libertarian
-
97-98
-
Correspondence of
The University Libertarian .
1954-1960. 2 folders.
NB. Contains
also correspondence by Victor Mayes, who was publisher and editor from
1954-1959. From 25 November 1959 the University Libertarian
was handed over to Nicolas Walter and his grandfather Karl Walter.
-
97
-
1954-1959.
-
98
-
1960.
The Times Literary Supplement
-
99
-
Correspondence with The Times Literary Supplement (as chief
sub-editor), The Times Pension Funds and The Times Educational
Supplement .
1967-1974 and
n.d. 1 cover.
Freedom Press
-
100
-
Proofs of lectures by Peter Kropotkin.
1987. 1 cover.
-
101
-
Proof
of Anarchist Essays by Charlotte M. Wilson.
1999. 1 cover.
Other activities
-
102
-
Documents concerning his activities for the South Place Ethical Society. With
documentation. Partly photocopies.
1863, 1887, 1891-1892, 1897, 1926, 1933, 1968, 1970-1971, 1975, 1978-1979,
1980, 1985-1997, 1999 and n.d. 1 folder.
-
103-104
-
Documents concerning
his peace activities.
1963-1964,
1973-1976, 1980, 1984 and n.d. 2 folders.
-
103
-
1963-1964, 1973-1975.
-
104
-
1975-1976, 1980, 1984 and n.d.
-
105
-
Documents concerning his activities for Resistance ,
periodical of the Committee of 100.
1965-1966. 1 cover..
-
106.
-
Documents concerning his contribution to the BBC radioprogramme ‘The Rise and
Fall of CND'.
1966-1967.
1 cover.
-
107-108
-
Documents concerning
his activities for the Centre International de Recherches sur l'Anarchisme
(CIRA).
1967-1974 and n.d.
2 folders.
-
107
-
1967-1971.
-
108
-
1971-1974 and n.d.
-
109.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the National Council of Civil
Liberties.
1968 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
110.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the Prison Reform Council.
1968, 1970 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
111.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the Humanist Liaison Committee.
1976, 1986, 1991.
1 cover.
-
112.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the Committee Against Blasphemy Law.
1977-1979, 1989.
1 cover.
-
113.
-
Transcript of a radio discussion between Nicolas Walter and Norman St. John
Stevas on religious education.
1978.
1 piece.
-
114.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the Conference on the Agreed Syllabus
for Religious Education.
1980-1981 and
n.d. 1 cover.
-
115.
-
Documents concerning given courses at The Mary Ward Centre (London).
1982-1990 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
116.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the ‘Rationalists'.
1991-1992. 1 cover.
-
117.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the Humanist Peace Council.
1991-1994. 1 cover.
-
118.
-
Documents concerning his activities for the National Secular Society.
1994-1996, 1999 and n.d.
1 cover.
DOCUMENTATION
Persons
Nicolas Walter
-
119-120
-
Printed letters to
the editor by Nicolas Walter.
1956,
1959-2000 and n.d. 2 boxes.
-
121
-
Printed articles in which Nicolas Walter's name was mentioned.
c. 1962-1999. 1 folder.
-
122
-
Printed reviews of the books and pamphlets of Nicolas Walter.
1963, 1990-1992, 1997 and n.d.
1 folder.
-
123
-
Printed articles on Nicolas Walter.
1964, 1967, 1978-1979, 1981, 1985-1986, 1994 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
124
-
Printed letters to the editor by various persons, as a reaction to the letters
or articles by Nicolas Walter.
c.
1964-1999. 1 cover.
Other persons
-
125
-
Documentation on George Blake.
1986-1991, 1997 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
126
-
Documentation on Murray Bookchin.
1983, 1985 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
127
-
Documentation on Charles Bradlaugh.
1990-1991. 1 cover.
-
128
-
Documentation on Stuart Christie.
1964, 1967-1972, 1974-1975, 1981 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
129
-
Documentation on E.M. Forster.
1938-1939,1963, 1979, 1999 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
130
-
Documentation on Emma Goldman.
1925,
1957, 1982-1983, 1985, 1990, 1995 and n.d. 1 folder.
-
131-133
-
Documentation on
Peter Kropotkin. Mainly photocopies.
c. 1883-1994. 3 folders.
-
131
-
c. 1883-1896.
-
132
-
c. 1897-1920.
-
133
-
c. 1921-1994.
-
134
-
Documentation on Albert Meltzer.
1939,
1945, 1976, 1984, 1986-1987, 1989, 1996-1997, 1999 and n.d.
1 cover.
-
135
-
Documentation on George Orwell.
1961,
1979, 1995, 2000 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
136
-
Documentation on Charles A. Watts. Photocopies.
1869-1870, 1884-1885, 1888-1892, 1906,
1918, 1924, 1936, 1946. 1 folder..
-
137
-
Photocopies of letters by Charlotte Wilson.
1884-1901. 1 folder.
-
138
-
Documentation on Lilian Wolfe.
1965,
1972, 1974. 1 cover.
-
139
-
Documentation on various persons.
1962, 1965, 1987, 1991 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
140
-
Printed obituaries by Nicolas Walter and others.
1895, 1917, 1954, 1968, 1972, 1974,
1976-1978, 1982-1983, 1985-1987, 1989-1999 and n.d. 1 folder.
Subjects
-
141-143
-
Documentation on
anarchism. Partly photocopies.
c.
1867-1999 and n.d. 3 folders and 1 box.
-
141
-
c. 1867-1938.
-
142
-
c.
1938-1999 and n.d. (box)
-
143
-
N.d.
-
144-147
-
Documentation on
anarchism, communism, humanism, socialism, some other subjects and on various
persons. Photocopies.
1808-1999.
3 folders and 1 box.
-
144
-
1808, 1819, 1821, 1840-1841.
-
145
-
1842, 1845, 1848-1851, 1864, 1867,
1872, 1877, 1879-1881.
-
146
-
1882-1884, 1886-1888, 1890-1891,
1894-1897, 1899.
-
147
-
c. 1905-1999. (box)
-
148
-
Documentation on blasphemy. Partly photocopies.
c. 1884-1997 and n.d.
1 box.
-
149-151
-
Documentation on
humanism. Partly photocopies.
c.
1814-1997 and n.d. 3 folders.
-
149
-
c. 1814-1973.
-
150
-
c. 1974-1993.
-
151
-
1994-1997 and n.d.
-
152
-
Documentation on peace and disarmament. Partly photocopies.
c. 1912-1999 and n.d.
1 box.
-
153-155
-
Documentation on
religion. Partly photocopies.
c.
1819-1999 and n.d. 3 folders.
-
153
-
c. 1819-1979.
-
154
-
c. 1980-1988.
-
155
-
c. 1989-1999 and n.d.
Other documentation
-
156
-
Transcripts and photocopies of letters.
1842, 1889, 1904-1905, 1907, 1923, 1940, 1948, 1988.
1 cover..
-
157
-
Documentation on Freedom and Freedom Press. Partly
photocopies.
1881, 1886, 1911,
1915-1916, 1926, 1930, 1956, 1961, 1968, 1975, 1977-1978, 1980, 1983-1986 and.
n.d. 1 cover.
-
158
-
Documentation on the ‘Haymarket massacre' in Chicago in 1886. With
commemoration announcements. Photocopies.
1890-1892, 1894, 1899-1901, 1903-1904,
1906-1908, 1919-1911 and n.d. 1 cover.
-
159
-
Documentation on ‘Labour Day' demonstrations. Photocopies.
1893-1895, 1909.
1 cover.
-
160
-
Reports
and other documents of the Labour Party.
1958-1961 and n.d.
1 folder.
-
161
-
Documentation on ‘Spies for Peace'.
1963, 1965-1966, 1973, 1985, 1988, 1993 and n.d. 1 folder.
-
162-165
-
Miscellaneous
documentation. Partly photocopies.
c.
1849-1999. 4 boxes.
ANNEX
-
166
-
Agreement
between Charles A. Watts and Frederick C.C. Watts.
1929. 1 piece.
-
167
-
Documents
concerning the selling and distribution of the contents of 50 Cecile Park of
Charles A. Watts.
1941-1942.
1 cover.
-
168
-
Correspondence relating to the death of Frederick C.C. Watts, managing director
of C.A. Watts & Co. Ltd.
1953.
1 cover.
-
169
-
Letter
from E.M. Forster (?) to M(r?) Blackham.
1960. 1 piece.
-
170
-
Correspondence by Alan Albon.
1962,
1983 and n.d. 1 cover.
