Fonds THMF - Papers of the Thomson family

Identity area

Reference code

THMF

Title

Papers of the Thomson family

Date(s)

  • 1859-2002 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

13 archive boxes, 1 case enclosing Nobel Prize certificate in gilt-embossed leather folder, 1 small box of glass slides.

Photographs (loose and in albums); negatives; correspondence and visiting cards; newspaper cuttings (loose and in albums); financial papers; orders of service; menus; offprints; research notes; material relating to publications; biographical material; notes for speeches; school reports; diaries; scrapbooks; family trees and other genealogical material; honorary degree certificates; G. P. Thomson's Nobel Prize certificate; film reels; vinyl disc; VHS tapes.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The papers in this collection are mostly those of J. J. Thomson, his wife Rose, and their children George and Joan. Papers of George's children John and David largely relate to biographies, commemorative events (particularly re the 1997 centenary of the discovery of the electron) and memorials to their father and grandfather, although a few personal papers of theirs are included.

See inventory for more details.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

NOTE. These papers have not yet been catalogued, but it might be possible to make them available for consultation provided at least a fortnight's notice is given. It may be that some items, owing to their contents or condition, cannot yet be produced. Please contact the Library for further details.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English
  • French
  • German

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Finding aids

    These papers have not yet been catalogued, but a detailed inventory of them has been made. See the attached PDF.

    Uploaded finding aid

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    Earlier papers received at Trinity from the Thomson family were catalogued under the references THMJ I, THMJ II, and THMG.

    Papers in the possession of Adam Thomson relating to the Paget family (including some papers of Rose Thomson, née Paget) were given to the University Library, Cambridge, and are now catalogued under the reference MS Add.10379. Papers relating to Sir George Adam Smith (father of G. P. Thomson's wife Kathleen) and family were given to the National Library of Scotland.

    Notes area

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    Dates of creation revision deletion

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