Série A - Biographical and personal papers

This series consists of drafts, correspondence, diaries, photographs, and documents, and has been arranged into seven subseries: Obituaries and tributes (A.1-7); Autobiographical writings (A.8-14); Career, honours, and awards (A.15-75); Davenport's death (A.75-91); Diaries (A.92-129); Miscellaneous items (A.130-132); and Photographs (A.133-137).

A.1-7, Obituaries and tributes, includes typescript biographical notes made by Mrs. Davenport after her husband's death (A.7). The Autobiographical writings at A.8-14 include reminiscences (A.8-10) made by Davenport with the assistance of his wife and D. J. Lewis in 1969, although very ill. He died in June of that year (see Memoir, p.165). Some, probably earlier, ms. notes on his career survive, as well as notes on his impressions of America and some humorous writings.

The papers at A.15-75 record Davenport's career and honours, and are arranged in chronological order. These records begin with Davenport's school career, 1917-1924 at The Municipal Secondary School, renamed Accrington Grammar School in 1921, and continue with records from The Victoria University of Manchester, 1924-1927. Davenport was an Affiliated Student at Trinity College Cambridge, 1927-29, taking a second first degree, and in 1932 was awarded a research fellowship. 'On the expiry of his Trinity Fellowship in 1937, Davenport was appointed by Mordell to an Assistant Lectureship in Manchester' (Memoir, p.161), where he stayed until 1941. From 1941 to 1945 he was at the University College of North Wales, Bangor, and from 1945-1948 at University College, London. He took up the Rouse Ball Chair of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1958 until his death.

The papers housed as A.76-91 are primarily letters of condolence after Davenport's death. After a period of illness following the removal of a lung, Davenport died on 9 June 1969. (Memoir, p.165)

The diaries at A.92-129 are all small pocket diaries, mainly university diaries covering the academic year, used chiefly to record appointments and addresses. A.130-132 consists of personal miscellaneous items, and the photographs at A.133-137 include group photographs of Davenport and other mathematicians (A.136).