LKE Development Commission

DATE: 1909-1972

LEVEL: Series

The series consists of Leonard Elmhirst's records of the Development Commission. The records were accumulated by Leonard while serving as a Development Commissioner (1949-1965) at the invitation of Clement Attlee, Prime Minister. The records contain information relating to the planning and activities of the Development Commission including: appointments; Commissioner's visits to Wales, Scotland, Orkney and the Shetland Islands, and Dartington Hall; Development Fund Grants; Tresco Abbey Gardens; the Llanverian Estate; Fisheries Research; Forestry policy; an Agricultural Economics Digest; and rural development.

The records contain correspondence between Leonard Elmhirst and members of the Development Commission including: the Countess of Albemarle, Chairman; K Murray; W J Wright; J L Longland; Sir J Gray; R Beaumont; C Bosanquet; William Scholes; Professor R C Tress; and secretaries, E H E Havelock, F Broughton and B Lincoln. Also included are letters between Leonard Elmhirst and Hiram H Winterbotham; Jock Currie; members of the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Woods; the Institute of Seaweed Research; Agricultural Economics Research Institute; and Welsh Agriculture and Industries. This series also contains records concerning the Llanverian Estate primarily accumulated by Peter Sutcliffe through his role as investigator examining that agricultural experiment.

In addition to correspondence the records in this series include the Royal Warrant appointing Elmhirst to the Commission; press cuttings; reports; plans; photographs; publications; memoranda; and extensive minutes.

The Development Commission had its origins in the Development and Road Improvement Fund Acts of 1909 and 1910. Under the act the Commission was composed of eight members appointed by Royal Warrant. Their responsibility was to carry out specified measures for the economic development of Great Britain. The Development Commission may assist either by grant or loan: agricultural and rural industries; instruction and research in science; marketing of agricultural produce and development of agricultural co-operation; the extension and provision of small-holdings; reclamation and drainage of land; construction and improvement of harbours especially in connection with fisheries; and fisheries. When the Commission was set up the sum of nearly £3,000,000 was given to commence operations and each year the Treasury makes payments to this fund. In 1946, the Commissioners voluntarily ceased to recommend advances for agricultural research, education and advisory work, because they felt that with the establishment in 1931of the Agricultural Research Council and the growth of its activities and importance, the Commission had fulfilled its task in the agricultural research sphere. It was their wish to concentrate their attention on the wide field of economic and social development in the countryside, to assist pioneering experiments in relation to agriculture and fisheries.

The Development Commission consisted of : The Countess of Albermarle, Chairman; Sir William Cecil Dampier; Keith Murray; D M Evans-Bevan; W J Wright; John Lawerence Longland; and John Sullivan. Later Commissioners included: Sir E Appleton; Sir J Gray; R E Beaumont; C Bosanquet; William Scholes; Professor R C Tress; and W B Swan. E H E Havelock was appointed as secretary for the Development Commission later to be succeeded by F Broughton and B Lincoln. Leonard Elmhirst served on the Commission between 1949 and 1965.

Information for Researchers

All papers belonging to The Dartington Hall Trust Archive (with the exclusion of Dartington Hall School pupils individual records) are held at the Devon Record Office. All enquiries relating to research should be made to Devon Records Office, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, Devon EX2 7NL
+44 (0)1392 384253
+44 (0)1392 384256
devrec@devon.gov.uk
www.devon.gov.uk/record_office

The following requests should be made direct to the Archives & Records at The Dartington Hall Trust as shown below:
Copies of images as seen on The Dartington Hall Trust online catalogue with appropriate reference number (Ref No.)
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Former pupils of Dartington Hall School wishing to view their records
Archives & Records
The Dartington Hall Trust
Dartington Hall
Totnes TQ9 6EL
01803 847200
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This information is copyright The Dartington Hall Trust