Graphical version

Royal Geographical Society

STRAIGHT, Whitney (1912-1979)


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0402 WST

Held at: Royal Geographical Society

Title: STRAIGHT, Whitney (1912-1979)

Date(s): 1962-1965

Level of description: Collection level

Extent: 2 box files

Name of creator(s): Straight | Whitney Willard | 1912-1979 | racing driver and industrialist

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Born, USA, 1912; educated Lincoln School, New York, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, 1925-1931; Trinity College, Cambridge, 1931-1933; left Cambridge to devote himself to motor sport, 1933; formed the Straight Corporation, 1935; Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 1940; air aide-de-camp to King George VI, 1944; first deputy chairman and managing director of British European Airways, 1946; chairman of Government advisory committee on private flying, 1947; chairman of the Royal Aero Club, 1946-1951; deputy chairman British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), 1947; executive vice-chairman BOAC 1949-1957; executive vice-chairman, Rolls-Royce Ltd, 1955; deputy chairman; chairman, 1971-1976; board of the Midland Bank, 1956; Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, 1964-1979; deputy chairman of the new Post Office Corporation, 1969-1974; died, 1979.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Whitney Willard Straight, 1962-1968, comprising correspondence, press cuttings and papers concerning his visits to the Sahara and to Socotra.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Original order

Conditions governing access:

Accessible via The Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Photocopying at the discretion of the Archivist, and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

Finding aids:

Detailed box list available in the Foyle Reading Room.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Donated by the widow, 31 Oct 1979.

ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Prepared by Archives Volunteer using existing finding aids. Revised by Sarah Drewery.
Sources: Oxford DNB

Rules or conventions: ISAD(G) ed. 2. Name authority NRA.

Date(s) of descriptions: 1st March, 2001. May 2008.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Deserts | Land forms | Topography | Geomorphology
Geographical exploration | Geography
Travel

Personal names
Straight | Whitney Willard | 1912-1979 | racing driver and industrialist

Corporate names

Places
Socotra | Yemen | Middle East
North Africa