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RefNoDKH
LevelFonds
TitlePapers of Desmond George King-Hele FRS, physicist
CreatorKing-Hele; Desmond George (1927 - 2019)
Date1930s - 2000s
DescriptionWorking papers chiefly concerning Desmond King-Hele's scientific research into satellite orbits and launchers as part of the guided weapons department of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (1948-1988). Also, his history of science research, which focused on Erasmus Darwin FRS (includes content on two CDs). There are also some papers on other history of science subjects notably Joseph Banks and Charles Darwin. The collection includes correspondence with various individuals, primarily professional in nature.

There are administrative papers and correspondence present as well, partilcuarly with the Royal Society, and relating to his activities as editor of the Royal Society publication 'Notes and Records' and as a referee/peer reviewer for Society journals. The collection inlcudes a copy of King-Hele's certificate of election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in March 1966. A limited number of administrative papers associated with King-Hele's membership of and activities for other institutions are also present. This includes the University of Surrey, on whose board he sat, The Royal Astronomical Society, The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, and the British Society for History of Science. Other administrative papers and correspondence relate to royalties for his publications, published reviews written by King-Hele, including for the publication 'Nature' , and reviews written by others of King-Hele's work .

The collection also contains papers relating to King-Hele's other research interests, chiefly the romantic poets especially Percy Shelley (partly in connection to their admiration of Erasmus Darwin and their scientific leanings), and manuscripts and typed copies of King-Hele's own poetry writing. Personal material is also present, including a personal account of his life and career prepared by King-Hele with some family history research and portrait photographs of King-Hele at different ages of adulthood, and his student notebooks from his time at Epsom College and Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
LanguageEnglish
Extent10 offsite storage boxes
FormatManuscript
Typescript
Printed
Photocopy
Photograph
Digital
PhysicalDescriptionLoose papers
ArrangementFormal arrangement of the collection is pending.
FindingAidsThere is no public finding aid for this collection. The Library team has an internal file listing.
AccessStatusClosed
AccessConditionsAccess to the collection is closed, pending the completion of arrangement and cataloguing. For more information, please contact us at library@royalsociety.org
RelatedMaterialMS/733 contains photocopies of transcripts of the letters of Erasmus Darwin FRS (1731-1802) prepared by Desmond King-Hele
RCN R83119 is the Royal Society library copy of 'The botanic garden; a poem, in two parts'' by Erasus Darwin, which was donated to the library by King-Hele and contains a letter of gift addressed to King-Hele with a draft of his reply on the reverse.
RelatedRecordMS/733
Fellows associated with this archive
CodePersonNameDates
NA6215King-Hele; Desmond George (1927 - 2019); physicist, poet and author1927 - 2019
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    Browse the records of some of our collections, which cover all branches of science and date from the 12th century onwards. These include the published works of Fellows of the Royal Society, personal papers of eminent scientists, letters and manuscripts sent to the Society or presented at meetings, and administrative records documenting the Society's activities since our foundation in 1660.

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