IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0097 PIERCY
Held at: British Library of Political and Economic Science
Title: PIERCY, William Stuckey, 1886-1966, 1st Baron Piercy, financier
Date(s): 1915-1966
Level of description: collection
Extent: 284 boxes
Name of creator(s): Piercy | William Stuckey | 1886-1966 | 1st Baron Piercy | financier
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
William Piercy, 1886-1966, left school at the age of 12 and took a job with Pharaoh Gane, timber brokers, of which he later became joint managing director. He studied at the London School of Economics, 1910-1913, and became a lecturer in history and public administration at the LSE in 1914. From 1914 to 1918, he worked as a civil servant, later becoming principal assistant secretary in the Ministry of Supply and Ministry of Aircraft Production, and personal assistant to Clement Attlee when he was the deputy prime minister. Piercy was also very involved in the world of finance and business. He played a leading role in organizing the first unit trusts, was a member of the London Stock Exchange, 1934-1942, and headed the British Petroleum Mission in Washington during World War Two. In 1945, he became the first chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation Ltd. He was also chairman of the Estate Duties Investment Trust, 1952-1966, and was appointed to the court of the Bank of England in 1946, 1950 and 1956. Piercy also served as a governor of the LSE and a member of the senate and court of London University, was president of the Royal Statistical Society, 1954-1955, and chairman of the Wellcome Trust, 1960-1965.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Notes, correspondence and other papers relating to Piercy's time at the Ministry of Munitions; at the British Ministry of Food in the USA; as General Trading Manager of Harrisons and Crosfield; as Joint Managing Director of Pharaoh Gane and Co Ltd; as a partner in the stock broking firms of Capel, Cure and Terry, and Fenn and Crosthwaite; as leader of the British Petroleum Mission; at the Ministry of Production; as personal assistant to Clement Attlee; as Chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation; and his official appointments. Personal letters and biographical material, including the records of the Evelyn Trust and Chichester Estate Trust; essays, notes and other material relating to Piercy's education and lecturing; and material relating to Piercy's involvement with educational institutions, the Wellcome Trust, and his various other interests.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
This collection is arranged in 15 sections:
1. Ministry of Munitions, 1915-1921.
2. British Ministry of Food in the USA, 1917-1918.
3. Harrison and Crosfield, 1918-1925.
4. Pharaoh Gane and Co, 1925-1933.
5. Stock Exchange, including Capel Cure and Terry, and Fenn and Crosthwaite, 1934-1945.
6. British Petroleum Mission, 1941-1950.
7. Ministry of Production, 1941-1943.
8. Personal Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, 1943-1954.
9. Industrial and Commercial Finance Corporation, including Estate Duties Investment Trust and Ship Mortgage Finance Company, 1945-1966.
10. Official Appointments, 1924-1966.
11. Family and Personal, including Evelyn Trust and Chichester Estate Trust, 1910-1966.
12. Education and lecturing, 1909-1966.
13. Universities and Colleges, 1928-1966.
14. Wellcome Trust, 1932-1966.
15. Other Appointments and Interests, 1923-1966.
Conditions governing access:
OPEN
Conditions governing reproduction:
COPYRIGHT IS HELD BY THE FAMILY
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
Printed handlist and online catalogue available.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
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ALLIED MATERIALS
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DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Output from CAIRS using template 14 and checked by hand on May 29, 2002
Date(s) of descriptions: 29 May 2002