Series consists largely of correspondence with heads of state and governmental bodies about Russell's global concerns such as political prisoners and treatment of Soviet Jews, the Goldwater US presidential campaign, the Gaza Strip, the Vietnam War, etc. Among the correspondents are: Nikita Krushchev, Chou En-lai (Zhou Enlai), and U Thant. Also includes various printed materials such as press statements, news clippings, etc. Letters from Russell and his staff are typescript copies. The series was acquired as a part of Archives 2.
Series consists of correspondence with heads of state and foreign governments, with individuals concerned about certain political prisoners, and letters to editors. The correspondence reveals Russell's staunch advocacy for political prisoners across the world. Letters from Russell and his staff are typescript copies.
The series was acquired with Archives 2, the print finding aid for which states: “This [series] reflects the concern of Russell and the Peace Foundation to free political prisoners, whatever their nationality. Of necessity many of the negotiations with foreign governments had to be conducted with the strictest secrecy. The frequent successes could not be publicized, but the background to each can be ascertained in these files. The files are catalogued [in the print finding aid] on the basis of the first appearance of a given correspondent in a given file. It is only in these files that we learn of Russell’s connections with certain organizations—e.g., his honorary presidency of the Spanish Workers Defence Committee. Public statements and messages are also to be found here."
Series consists of correspondence relating to a variety of global events, affairs, and campaigns. Letters from Russell and his staff are typescript copies.
The series was acquired with Archives 2, the print finding aid for which states: “This [series] contains a variety of specific files that do not fit well into any other political classification. The files [range] from the Cuban Missile Crisis to correspondence in the India file from 1970. Some files concern specific campaigns such as the South East Asia Appeal or the Committee of 100. The first file reveals an unsuccessful attempt at fund-raising through the offer of the use of Bertrand and Edith Russell’s names on commercial products."
Series consists of correspondence relating to the presence of American troops in Southern Vietnam, alleged American war crimes in Vietnam, and the fight for Vietnam's independence. Notable is correspondence with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam's president, Ho Chi Minh, regarding the International War Crimes Tribunal. Letters from Russell and his staff are typescript copies and photocopies.
The series was acquired with Archives 2, the print finding aid for which states: “The earliest item from Ho Chi Minh is dated 10 August 1964. The thick files indicate the symbolic importance of Russell's solidarity with the Vietnamese struggle for independence."
The series was acquired with Archives 2, the print finding aid for which states: “In the summer of 1965 the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation attempted to bring representatives of the National Liberation Front to Britain for public and private meetings. Visas were denied them by Her Majesty's Government. A public campaign was mounted to win support for the granting of visas."
Includes correspondence, typescript copies of statements, and news clippings regarding the campaign to obtain visas for three spokesmen of the National Liberation Front in Southern Vietnam: Professor Nguyen Van Hieu, Dinh Ba Thi, and Pham Van Chuong. Includes letters to editors from The Statesmen and The Times, correspondence with the Home Secretary, and visa application forms for two of three NLF spokesmen. Letters from Russell are typescript copies.
The series was acquired with Archives 2, the print finding aid for which states: “In September 1968 Russell organized a declaration regarding the worsening situation in Czechoslovakia. He later organized a conference on the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, involving several of the Tribunal members.”
Includes correspondence relating to the International War Crimes Tribunal's activities in response to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Also includes signed declarations by IWCT members. Letters from Russell are typescript copies.
Series consists of approximately 90 publishers contracts of which most are from the publishers listed in series 410, and several letters relating to the contracts. Also includes other financial documents, such as a list of Russell's earnings in 1950.
Series consists of correspondence among members of the No-Conscription Fellowship, of which Russell was a leading member; the group opposed conscription in Britain during the First World War. Also includes circulars, forms, proposals, reports, and flyers. Acquired as part of Archives 1.
Series includes letters from Independent Labour Party members, invitations for Russell to lecture at meetings, a news clipping, and other letters relating to general matters of the ILP. Also includes Russell's 1919 ILP membership card; he had joined the ILP in 1917. Acquired as part of Archives 1.
Series consists of letters from the Labour Party relating to Russell's participation in the House of Lords and his membership in the Labour Party, circulars, the annual report for 1962, an official response to Russell's resignation as a party member in 1965 due to policy regarding Vietnam, and six of Russell's Labour Party membership cards dated between 1951 and 1964. Russell had contested the Chelsea riding for Labour in 1922.
Series consists of correspondence, reports, proposals, a questionnaire, a news clipping, pamphlets, statements, essays, and articles relating to the activities of the New Commonwealth society, which had been founded in 1932 and had interests in world government and the control of atomic weapons; they also produced the New Commonwealth Quarterly which featured articles by Russell. Russell undertook a lecture tour on the continent on the society's behalf in 1947. Series was acquired as part of Archives 1.
Series consists of correspondence, circulars, meeting minutes, invitations, news clippings, statements, and booklets relating to Russell's interest in world government, and his engagement with groups such as the Parliamentary Group for World Government, Parliamentary Association for World Government, and World Association of Parliamentarians for World Government. Letters from Russell are typescript copies. Some of the material dated 1955 overlaps with series 600 Peace Activities.
Series consists of correspondence, news clippings, statements, copies of various journals, printed essays, pamphlets, bulletins, and articles illustrating Russell's interest in and support of birth control. Among the more voluminous publications are issues of the bulletin News of Population and Birth Control from 1956-1965 and of the journal Family Planning from Dec. 1952 until Dec. 1963, which are filed at the end of the series. Letters from Russell are typescript copies; includes some drafts. Acquired as part of Archives 1.
Series consists of correspondence and printed material relating to Russell's anti-nuclear warfare activities during 1953-1955, including the broadcast of "Man's Peril", 23 Dec 1954, the development of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto (including correspondence with Einstein), and other matters. Letters from Russell are typescript copies. Acquired as part of Archives 1.
Series consists of correspondence, 1956-1966, the published proceedings of the 2nd-13th Pugwash Conferences, reports of various Conferences, agendas and minutes of the 1st-3rd and 10th Conferences, as well as minutes of some Pugwash Continuing Committee meetings. Other printed materials include news clippings, booklets, offprints, statements, and two published histories of the Pugwash movement, including ‘The Pugwash Movement: Its History and Aim’, London, 1960 (in box 1.39). Of particular note is the correspondence between Russell and Cyrus Eaton, the primary financier of the Pugwash Conferences; correspondence with Conference co-founder Joseph Rotblat; and letters written by Lady Edith Russell and Anne Eaton. Letters from Russell are typescript copies. The Pugwash Conferences were an outgrowth of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, bringing international scientists together to reflect on the social consequences of their work; the first Conference took place in 1957; Russell was not in attendance. Most of this series was acquired as part of Archives 1, with additional items acquired with Archives 2.
Series consists of material reflecting Russell’s activity and leadership with such groups as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), the Committee of 100, and other peace organizations and protest groups. Included are correspondence, drafted and official statements, news clippings, forms, and minutes as well as copies of booklets, leaflets, flyers, circular letters, and bulletins. Includes correspondence with Canon L. John Collins, among others. Correspondence of Russell’s secretary, Ralph Schoenmann, who was heavily involved in the formation of the Committee of 100, is also included. Letters from Russell are typescript copies.
Acquired with both Archives 1 and Archives 2. The print Archives 2 finding aid reads in part: “Beginning in 1962, these files continue the CND files of Archives I. then there is a file of detailed draft and official statements concerning the split between Russell and Canon Collins. Russell subsequently resigned from CND. The files continue with Committee of 100 documents--letters, statements, mimeographed minutes, etc.--ending shortly after Russell's resignation as President of the Committee early in 1963. A second box is full of leaflets and other printed ephemera.”
Series relates to Russell’s involvement in international affairs, especially regarding issues of peace. By 1963, the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation had been established, and the affairs of the BRPF are also reflected here. Accordingly, there is some overlap with the BRPF series (311 onward). There is also overlap with series 640 Heads of State. The files are arranged alphabetically by name of country, and also include material relating to the United Nations. The U.S.A. files are the most voluminous and include sub-sections relating to ‘The Fallout Suits’ (Linus Pauling), the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Anti-Goldwater Campaign, and the International War Crimes Tribunal.
Included are correspondence (including letters to editors), circular letters, statements, news clippings, reports, speeches, leaflets, interviews, and newsletters; letters from Russell are typescript copies. Acquired as part of Archives 1.
Series consists of correspondence acquired with Archives 1 and 2. (It should be noted, however, that correspondence continues to be acquired). The scope of this series is vast both in terms of the time period covered and the topics and correspondents featured. The letters range from Russell’s teen years to the last year of his life. While the series is called ‘personal’ correspondence to distinguish it from his more ‘political’ correspondence featured in the 300, 500 and 600 series, as well as his publishing (400) and legal (800) correspondence, it touches on all aspects of his life, including philosophy, peace, social issues, love affairs and family matters.
Included is correspondence with Russell's wives Alys (Pearsall Smith) Russell, Dora (Black) Russell, Patricia (Spence) Russell, and Edith (Finch) Russell; Russell's children, Conrad, John Conrad, and Katharine (Tait); the wives of his brother, Frank; and Russell's lovers, Ottoline Morrell and Constance Malleson.
In terms of large volumes of letters received from particular individuals, some of the most notable—in addition to the above—include:
• Margaret Llewelyn Davies
• Lucy M. Donnelly
• Helen Flexner
• Ken Holland
• Harold Kastner
• Corliss Lamont
• Hiram J. McLendon
• Catherine Marshall
• Gilbert Murray
• Victor Purcell
• Charles Percy Sanger
• F.C.S. Schiller
• Ralph Schoenman
• Lucy Silcox
• Lord (Ernest) Simon of Wythenshawe
• Alfred North Whitehead
• Ludwig Wittgenstein
• Alan Wood
Other notable correspondents include:
• Muhammad Ali
• A.J. Ayer
• Max Born
• F.H. Bradley
• Martin Buber
• Georg Cantor
• Joseph Conrad
• Albert Einstein
• T.S. Eliot
• E.M. Forster
• Erich Fromm
• Gottlob Frege
• Roger Fry
• Aldous and Julian Huxley
• William James
• Augustus John
• Philip Jourdain
• John Lennon and Yoko Ono
• Katherine Mansfield
• Spike Milligan
• G.E. Moore
• Giuseppe Peano
• Vanessa Redgrave
• George Santayana
• Siegfried Sassoon
• Albert Schweitzer
• George Bernard Shaw
• Rabindranath Tagore
• Charles, George and Robert Trevelyan
• H.G. Wells
• Rebecca West
Some of the letters received have been annotated by Russell. In many cases, carbon copies of Russell’s outgoing letters are included; in more recent years, copies of Russell’s replies were typed on the verso of the original letters received. In a few cases, there are also original letters written and sent by Russell that found their way back to him or the archive--for example, those written to Margaret Llewelyan Davies and Lucy Donnelly.
This series consists of over 20 discrete personal items, including three passports (1919, 1931-36, 1941-46); certified copies of Russell's birth certificate and death certificate, including correspondence relating to his cremation; visa to Soviet Russia, 1920, and other travel documents; various membership cards; two vaccination records; lists of earnings and royalties; schedule of lectures in the U.S. for 1927; photographs of his children (Kate and John); sheet photographs of children at Beacon Hill School; and other material. Received with both Archives 1 and 2.
Series consists of mostly letters received by Patricia (Peter) Spence from a variety of correspondents, including Russell’s daughter, Kate (Katharine Tait); Spence’s mother, “Mrs. Spence”; Gamel Brenan, Gerald Brenan, Alice Crunden, Moya Llewelyn Davies, Joan Malleson, Miles Malleson, Ottoline Morell, Edna Pearce; and many others. As noted in the RA2 finding aid: “Some letters are addressed to Russell and a few others to both.” Received as part of Archives 2.
Patricia would become Russell’s third wife in 1936. She had served as governess to Russell’s children, Kate and John. Russell separated from the children’s mother, Dora Black, in 1932; they were divorced in 1936.
